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Our series of revealing, inspiring interviews with Future Hope alumni continues with a success story to rival most; that told by Sujoy Roy.
If you've attended a Future Hope supporter event, chances are you've either met or heard from Sujoy. As one of the most active members of our alumni, Sujoy is passionate about giving back, supporting the work of the school and helping develop new ideas. An admirable student, an even better ambassador!
In this episode, Sujoy welcomes broadcaster Jonathan Overend to his office in the City of London. Sujoy has forged an impressive career as an international banker and such is the intensity of his work, he delicately combines this conversation with a live trade on the global markets!
His story is truly remarkable; from walking barefoot across Kolkata to enjoy rugby on The Maidan, to moving into Future Hope's care after a horrendous accident involving his brother. And now, just look at him! The very definition of a city high-flyer!
From birth, Sujoy was exposed to life on the streets, living in the slums of Park Circus. He paints the picture vividly. Like so many young people from the streets and slums of Kolkata, moving to Future Hope literally changed his life. He learnt discipline and the positive effect of education, both in the classroom and on the sports field. He speaks impressively about the value of this education and the lessons which now get passed down to his own children.
The idea that one day he could live in a new country, with a settled family of his own and a high-flying job.... well, that's the Future Hope story all over. Transformational!
Now, it's about the future. What can past students give back? How can they act as advocates and positive role models for the current generation of Future Hope students? Sujoy tells us he's keen to be at the heart of it while Tim joins the pod to talk about the importance of such an idea...
Always looking to the future; that's Future Hope!
If you've listened to any episode of this podcast, please leave a rating and review. For more information on the work of Future Hope, please visit www.futurehope.net. Your support is vital and hugely appreciated.
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In part three of our second series, we meet Sutrishna Mayra, a remarkable young woman with big hopes, bigger dreams and surely the brightest of futures!
Future Hope founder Tim Grandage introduces the episode by recalling how, when the organisation began more than thirty years ago, only boys were admitted as they were the ones on the streets. But a visit to modern-day Future Hope reveals an equality of opportunity and achievement, illustrated perfectly when you listen to Sutrishna's astonishing story.
Erica Grandage, working as a nurse in those early days, recalls the day Sutrishna arrived in the arms of her devastated father and describes in stark terms the immediate challenges. This is where the healthcare provision of Future Hope was, and remains, such a crucial part of the operation.
Sutrishna, who describes the squalid conditions she grew up in, is living proof of the live-changing work. And as Erica remarks, it's more than individual care; it's the "ripple-effect" within a community and the longer-term benefits for many.
And so to the dreams. This is not a young person looking for a career in finance or hospitality like our previous guests on this series. Sutrishna wants to join the Indian Police Service and, as Tim remarks, is aiming for the very top. This will take years of hard work and examination but Sutrishna's course is set. Good luck to her!
She is a perfect illustration of the continuing positive work at Future Hope. The school goes from strength to strength, transforming lives on a daily basis. Do support us if you can, especially on our fund-raising drive to move to a new purpose-built campus at Rajarhat.
For more information on Future Hope please visit www.futurehope.net.
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As our series of extended interviews with Future Hope alumni continues, we leave Kolkata for another great city of the world... Paris, France!
It's here, in the 5th Arrondissement, we meet Tapash Chakraborty, a rugby loving food fanatic whose love for hospitality has led him to this beautiful corner of the French capital.
Perhaps, while wandering down Rue Mouffetard, the most picturesque of streets south of the Latin Quarter, your senses will draw you slightly to the East. It's here, on Rue Monge, we arrive at India StreEAT. It's a surprise we ever left.
The combination of homely-yet-five-star food, atmospheric interior design and Tapash's warm welcome transports you straight back to Kolkata. That, says Tapash, was always the aim and the people of Paris are undoubtedly the beneficiaries.
So how did our jovial host end up from the streets of Kolkata, through Future Hope, to the Paris restaurant trade? Now there's a story....
After an introduction from Future Hope founder Tim Grandage, Tapash invites professional broadcaster Jonathan Overend into India StreEAT for a conversation, and of course a spot of lunch!
In the first series of "Hope Within The Mango Trees", the full, extraordinary story of Future Hope, our school for street and slum children in Kolkata, is told in an eight-part documentary. We're so glad so many of you enjoyed the series and discovered the joys of Future Hope!
Founded more than 35 years ago,after a sequence of unlikely events involving an English bank manager, a local doctor and a group of streetwise kids, the school has provided a home, an education, a family for thousands of children.
Tim Grandage, who started it all in the 1980s, is here to introduce this second series; a collection of revealing interviews with Future Hope alumni.
Now, in series two, it's time to meet some of the young people who have helped shaped the history of this remarkable organisation. It gets emotional. Enjoy these conversations.
Future Hope is looking to expand by moving to a new purpose-built campus at Rajarhat. The new site would provide homes and education for even more children and improve the facilities for students and teachers alike. Your support is vital. For more information please visit www.futurehope.net. Thank you.
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Hopefully you've heard the first series of "Hope Within The Mango Trees"; our eight-part documentary which told the full, extraordinary story of Future Hope, the school for street and slum children in Kolkata, India. We're so glad so many of you enjoyed it and discovered the joys of Future Hope!
Founded more than 35 years ago,after a sequence of unlikely events involving an English bank manager, a local doctor and a group of streetwise kids, the school has provided a home, an education, a family for thousands of children.
Tim Grandage, who started it all in the 1980s, is here to introduce this second series; a collection of revealing interviews with Future Hope alumni.
It's time to meet some of the young people who have helped shaped the history of this remarkable organisation, starting with Mongal Hembrom.
Mongal combines his expertise in the world of finance with an extremely adventurous side!
Now he returns to the place where it all began; Future Hope school, where he meets professional broadcaster Alastair Eykyn.
It gets emotional. Enjoy their conversation.
Future Hope is looking to expand by moving to a new purpose-built campus at Rajarhat. The new site would provide homes and education for even more children and improve the facilities for students and teachers alike. Your support is vital. For more information please visit www.futurehope.net. Thank you.
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After the publication of "Hope Within the Mango Trees" in April 2024, many of you have become part of the Future Hope family; certainly a little more familiar with our remarkable story and ongoing work.
On a daily basis, hundreds of street and slum children continue to be supported, housed and educated, thanks to your support.
We were blown away by the reaction to the initial documentary series, made with love and passion by a small team of Future Hope friends, and it continues to find new listeners in every corner of the world.
Please continue spreading the word!
But many of you have asked; "will there be further episodes of the podcast?"
Well, there's a question! And, with a good deal of excitement, here's Tim with the answer...
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It's 1987.
Tim Grandage, a young up-and-comer of a banker, assigned to a branch in central Kolkata, befriends street kids who hang around outside his branch.
They look after his car, fearing any damage would send blame their way, but never ask for a single rupee.
One day, medical attention is required, Tim steps in... and the story begins.
Future Hope was a dream, born on the floor of his apartment, and, 36 years later, it remains this man's passion. Relentlessly caring, finding solutions, making connections. He never stops, as you’ll hear. But after more than 35 years on the frontline, what does the future hold?
This season-closing profile puts the man in the spotlight; the man who slept by the door of his flat to stop kids running away, the man who commuted from Hong Kong just to check his students were fine at the weekend; The Man: Tim Uncle.
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As we reveal more of the aspirations and achievements of Future Hope students, we take to the streets of Kolkata to gain a deeper understanding of their incredible journeys.
From the stations, to the slums, to the incredible night market; we dive deep into the heart of one of the great cities of the world.
It’s easy to forget where these young people have come from. Often, lives begin in extreme poverty. Most are malnourished, many are abused. Born and raised in a mud-hut by the railway line or running free on a station platform.
These are places Future Hope students used to call home. We need to visit....
Sanjay agrees to relive his chance meeting with Tim, more than 30 years ago, at Howrah Station. Anil serves up some Momos and reflects on his life-changing experiences. While Ruksar and Ramzan take us to Park Circus; one of the busiest slums in the city.
Just like that, there’s danger. Stand clear! A surprise appearance brings reality home. It gets emotional…
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With energy to burn and rules non-existent, street children in Kolkata are wild and free. “They’re used to getting bumped” says Tim, “but on the rugby ground, they can bump somebody else!”
"Tim made Rugby accessible to all," says Sujata Sen, Future Hope CEO. Four students of the school have gone onto represent the India national team! This is inspiring stuff...
Rugby was the first sport introduced at Future Hope; playing a vital role in developing discipline, team work and personal responsibility. For children who would run away when told to sit down, let along enter a classroom to study, it was a way of shackling that energy from the streets and harnessing the wild-side of some pretty wild kids!
We meet coaches Paul Walsh, whose Khelo Rugby programme now sits under the Future Hope umbrella, and Sanjay Patro, one of the very first boys at the school. Both have incredible stories to tell...
A search for future talent takes us to The Dhapa; the dumping ground of the city. Here, like all over the city, kids play in bare-feet and compete in mixed girls-and-boys teams. The smiles and laughter emphasise the fun...
Then, on the weekend, the aspiring fly-halves walk for miles and cram onto crowded buses to reach a tournament. We follow them there, for a surprise result…
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“It’s fantabulous!” exclaims Dr Sarkur in the medical room at Future Hope, a tiny space off the main assembly hall.
He’s talking about the dedication of Erica Grandage, a trained nurse and first Future Hope volunteer, whose work has completely transformed the medical provision at school over three decades.
Erica's story, as we're discovering, is remarkable in itself. This episode begins with an atmospheric description of her first impressions of Kolkata. When she describes the early conditions she encountered, and the state of some of the children she treated, the scale of Future Hope's progress is evident...
We’re introduced to Viraf, the medical administrator. Is that a crack of emotion, as he talks about his life having purpose and satisfaction? It's the same with Dr Sarkur, another of the unsung heroes of the Future Hope operation.
Yes, this is a school, yes, this is a childrens' home, but make no mistake; this is a mini-hospital with a track record of saving lives. All the more importance, therefore, that Future Hope moves to Rajarhat to give these incredible healthcare professionals the space and facilities they need to keep up their groundbreaking work.
In another twist to the series, we're introduced to a new character who, thus far, has lurked in the shadows. While suggesting it was just Erica and Tim in the early days, perhaps that wasn’t the case? Was it a duo, or actually a trio?!
The mystery man appears. What’s his story?!
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For the first time, we’ve escaped the frenetic city centre of Kolkata and, in this episode, find ourselves immersed in the beautiful West Bengal countryside.
Accompanied by a tranquill soundscape, we move closer to life in Rajarhat; about an hour away from Rowland Road. For Future Hope, this is indeed the future!
More in a moment...
Before that, we pick up the story of the family from Sealdah Station. Future Hope can't offer direct school places any more, it is 100% compliant in all its operations, but the outreach work provides an important reminder of the 36 years of positive activity on the streets and stations by founder Tim Grandage.
In Episode Four, more key characters emerge to embellish the wider Future Hope story; meet Mark Lewis and Samarjit Guha!
Sam supervises the Sealdah family, as they trade station-platform for a school tour. There’s some tough love; sometimes, no bad thing.
And so to beautiful Rajarhat.
It's where the school wants to shape the next stage of its remarkable life and, in turn, create opportunities for thousands more children. The plans look amazing!
We tour the new site with Tim and Erica and hear how sustainability drives the project strategy. As we're leaving; a surprise meeting...
Caring is in Tim’s DNA, as we’re discovering, but, as Mark confides, nothing lasts forever….
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Evicted twice and threatened with closure in the late 1990s, Future Hope needed some good fortune. When all seemed lost, a chance meeting on a street corner in central Kolkata would shape the future... an emotional reunion awaits.
And so we arrive at Rowland Road, the school’s current home. In the heavy pollution of the city centre, walking through the gates comes as “a whiff of fresh air”, according to Principal Meenu Patodia!
We’re introduced to many of her staff as we take a tour of the buzzing, high-achieving school campus in the company of Future Hope CEO Sujata Sen. We discover how hundreds of willing students are squeezed into every corner. They have built on the roof; and built again on top of that!
This expanding organisation has outgrown its home; the only solution is to move. But can they achieve the dream?
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Future Hope is an expanding school with a growing reputation for excellence. That comes as no surprise when you hear Head Girl, Isha. Her powerful testimony illustrates perfectly how vital Future Hope’s work continues to be. After she speaks passionately on the role of women in India today, it’s symbolic that the return visit to Sealdah Station reveals a surprise twist.
How different things would have been had Tim Grandage failed to navigate choppy waters in the Future Hope early years! As we turn the clock right back, we discover how close they came to closure; evicted twice, once at a moment’s notice just before Christmas. And wait until the phone rings in the middle of the night...
This took courage, dedication… and some unexpected help…
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For part one of the series, immersed in the sounds of Kolkata, say hello to Nikhat Khatun, your guide on this remarkable journey! Providing first-hand evidence of the transformational work of Future Hope, Nikhat has moved from life on the streets, through ten years at the school, to graduation, to full-time employment, to her debut as an international broadcaster! What a story!
Children arrive at Future Hope with nothing. No home, often no family. Malnourished, often abused. But in the centre of the city lies sanctuary, and this podcast dives deep into the transformational work of the school; through education, healthcare and sport.
Nikhat introduces us to other main characters in this amazing adventure including the man who started Future Hope in 1987, Tim Grandage, and CEO Sujata Sen who leads the organisation towards bright horizons. As they continue to expand, how pressing is the need for relocation? Can Future Hope fulfil its dream? Plus, there's one significant other to meet. What's her role in this unfolding story?
Future Hope puts the street and slum children of Kolkata at the heart of everything. No child should be left behind. And so we head onto the streets, late at night, to hear, first hand, how lives can be transformed and how respected Future Hope is among the many different communities of the city. The story starts to unfold...
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Coming soon; the remarkable story of Future Hope, a unique school for street and slum children in Kolkata, India!
This immersive documentary series will be released in April 2024 over eight remarkable episodes, with further content to follow.
Future Hope is about transforming lives. Kids arrive with a history of unimaginable hardship; most severely malnourished, many seriously abused. This series discovers how, through education, mentoring and sport, children are given hope and the opportunity to shape their own futures.
This astonishing story, drenched in the sounds of one of the great cities of the world, is narrated by a former Future Hope student; Nikhat Khatun. It's first-hand evidence of the poverty-cycle being broken.
Subscribe and follow the show to get the series as it's released. For more information visit www.futurehope.net.
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