Saathi founder’s generous giving – Rosemarie Dipnarine’s lifelong service

Bavina Sookdeo

Rosemarie Dipnarine has spent years changing lives by feeding the hungry, educating children and sheltering the homeless.

As founder and president of the Saathi Foundation, her work has touched lives among various communities, faiths and even generations.

Dipnarine, 76, formerly Lalla, was born and raised in Longdenville, on the outskirts of Chaguanas. A devout Hindu, she grew up in a humble home with strong values.

“Even though we were not rich, we were happy with whatever was offered to us by our parents,” she recalled.

She was one of eight children raised by those parents, who she said worked tirelessly for their family. Dipnarine’s mother was a housewife and her father a factory worker. But both often also laboured in the canefields to ensure all their children had a secondary education.

“We also had animals – cows, pigs and a mule; and I would often go with my mother to cut grass or help at times in the evening to thrash the cane. She never wanted me to do it, but when she was not looking, I used to do it. I used to feel sorry to see how hard she had to work.”

Dipnarine also remembers her mother as always helping others.

She was often the one entrusted to deliver food or assistance to needy families. She remembers being just eight when her mother picked breadfruit from their tree and asked her to help a struggling family in the village by pushing a box-cart full to the nearby shop and selling them to raise money.

“I remember asking the people by the shop to buy a breadfruit, please, only eight cents for one. Needless to say, all my breadfruit were sold out, and I think that is where my social work started.”

At 19, Dipnarine married a teacher, Ralph Anthony Dipnarine, with whom she had two children, Karen, now Dipnarine-Saroop, and Kurt Dipnarine. Widowed at 40, she raised them while continuing her work in education and service. Her children went to university, and today her granddaughter is also in tertiary education.

“I am so very proud of my family,” she said.

Professionally, Dipnarine spent 40 years in the public service, beginning at the Central Statistical Office under the Ministry of Planning and Development as a statistical assistant. She later became a statistical officer at the Ministry of Health, and also held positions representing statistical officers in the Public Services Association.

She also served on the organising committees for Carifesta VII in St Kitts and Nevis in 2000, and Carifesta VIII in 2003 in Suriname, where she was entrusted with managing the TT booth and ensuring the inclusion of Indian culinary arts and dancers.

In 2009, she was involved in the fifth Summit of the Americas and the People’s Forum (held alongside the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting) in TT.

In 2000, she was formally recognised with a national award, the Hummingbird Medal (Silver), for loyal and devoted service to TT in the sphere of culture/community service.

Dipnarine’s childhood commitment to service alongside her mother, at the Longdenville Hindu Mandir, continued with her daughter, who accompanied her into various communities to distribute hampers and food.

This led to her involvement in the National Council of Indian Culture (NCIC), of which she is a life member. She said she and her daughter also “served diligently in all aspects of the (Divali) Nagar, making it into what it is today.”

Dipnarine has held executive positions in organisations that include Hindu Vision, the Hindi Nidhi Foundation, the National Council of Hindu Culture, the Ganga Dhara Committee, the Pradakshana Committee, the Hindu Women’s Organisation and Better Life for Women.

But she always felt a growing pull toward addressing poverty directly.

“Even though I was very much instrumental in the other organisations, I had a passion for helping poor people, and while the other organisations were more or less culturally inclined, actually, none of them were really looking after those in desperate need among us.”

Dipnarine came to realise relying on informal help was unsustainable, and often left her feeling uncomfortable.

“I felt bad having to ask people every month to assist. It felt like I was begging.”

When potential donors asked for receipts, and preferred to contribute by cheque, she decided to register the organisation formally, in June 2010, and open a bank account.

She wanted a meaningful name, similar to that of Indian spiritual guru Sai Baba, and settled on Saathi – an acronym for Serving and Aspiring Towards Helping Individuals.

Its logo, a pair of hands, one holding a thali (platter) of food grains and pouring them into the other, was designed by her son-in-law, Sudesh Saroop.

“It is like giving of oneself by helping another, making sure no one goes hungry,” Dipnarine explained.

The charitable foundation hosted its first fundraising dinner in 2010, and invited Kamla Persad-Bissessar, then the country’s first female prime minister.

As a non-profit organisation, Saathi has since worked to enhance the status of women and children, particularly the less fortunate. Its services include providing food, clothing, shelter, education, medical assistance, social welfare support and aid to bereaved families.

Other activities include skill enhancement, personal development, family strengthening, developing links with temple groups, networking with other organisations, implementing projects and more.

Education remains central to the foundation’s mission.

“Without a proper education, you are nothing,” Dipnarine said firmly. “You can be the best of anything in life only if you have a sound education.”

Saathi supports parents who cannot afford school necessities, committing to children “from foundation to finish,” from primary school up, in some cases to university, if they show potential. Children are recommended to the foundation by people who know its work.

“It hurts my heart to see children on the street corners begging for something to eat, when so many people who could afford it just throw it in the bin where people search and get their meal.”

At one point, Saathi was assisting 16 students from schools across the country, cutting across race and creed. Dipnarine is proud that many have succeeded in SEA and CXC exams, later finding jobs that helped them support their families. Four have even gone on to university.

“Our last child who went to university graduated with first-class honours in chemical engineering. Both his parents had died, and it was our responsibility to see him complete his education.”

Saathi covered his electricity, water and internet bills, daily transport costs from Manzanilla/Sangre Grande to UWI, St Augustine, and graduation expenses, including his gown and shoes. The foundation also helped with the cost of driving lessons and his driver’s permit – an achievement Dipnarine described as a source of immense pride.

Saathi is currently offering similar support to several other students at secondary-school level.

Saathi has also rebuilt lives after house fires, helped move a family living under a flight of steps into a proper home of their own, and rehomed a woman suffering from kidney disease. She had been living in a space enclosed by chain-link wire, and the foundation raised the funds to build a small, livable wooden home complete with a toilet, cupboard and sink. Dipnarine said the woman was deeply grateful for her home, where she lived comfortably until her death.

After so many years of service, what gives Dipnarine the greatest sense of fulfilment is knowing she has done something to make others happy and comfortable.

She also insists charity must be unconditional and dignified.

“When we give, we do not advertise or show the faces of the children in need. They also have their pride, and we should respect them.”

She emphasised that service must come from the heart.

“If you have to give with a heavy heart, or reproach after, don’t give. Give with an open heart.”

Her definition of success is: “In human terms…when you can bring someone out of the dark part of their life and show them the light by assisting them to move up in life and make them somebody worthy – that is success.”

Dipnarine describes herself as “a very approachable, no-nonsense person.” She does not formulate long-term plans, choosing instead to work on the basis of instinct and urgency.

“Saathi is blessed to have some angels on earth that help us whenever the need arises,” she said. “Without them, we would not have been able to do this much.”

She hopes the public will continue to support Saathi’s work, particularly through its annual fundraising lunch.

This year that lunch will be held at the Passage to Asia restaurant in Chaguanas on April 26, from 2-6 pm.

“I would like more people to participate and contribute by purchasing our tickets. It is our only means of getting some finances to help those in need. Through you, we are able to help those out there.”

Tickets cost $300 and will be available by the end January. Contact Rosemarie Dipnarine at 752-9675.