Our Story

Hi, welcome to the Folk Arts Rajasthan page.  We're a small non-profit based in the US, partnering with a community folk arts society based in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan India.  

From birth, this community of musicians and artists are considered untouchable beggars and bear this social stigma their entire lives.  They face daily harassment and intense marginalization, removing many opportunities for a better life.  The community, formerly known as "Manganiyar" (a derogatory term for "beggar") has renamed themselves Merasi, or, Keeper of The Stories, and have held the role of oral storytellers for more than 38 generations.

We know we're supposed to keep this part brief so to find out more about the rich history of FAR, please check us out on our website.  

The Impact

For the Merasi, hope flows through their music and their future, the children of the community.  And for these children, access to education and cultural preservation is crucial.

In 2004, women of the Merasi Community tolk Folk Arts Rajasthan they wanted to leave the entrapment of illiteracy behind.  Today, Folk Arts Rajasthan is dedicated to providing programs that offer their children a more expansive future, helping them become global citizens.

An example of FAR in action: Thanks to previous funds raised, we just returned from a successful trip where we taught a series of lessons on hygienic best practices that will help curtail the spread of sickness in a village with dangerously limited access to healthcare.  Small things like that produce a very big impact.  

What We Need & What You Get

Why did we pick a $7,500 goal?  Because that's how much it costs to keep our programs up and running for a 4-month period.  Providing kids access to school supplies, healthy foods, basic hygiene and medicine, we squeeze the value out of every penny we get.  Every bit helps.

When you donate to us, your dollar will go FAR- here are just a few examples of how your money will have a direct impact on what we do:

                 $1 buys a child fresh fruit (a luxury) as a healthy snack twice a month at school.

                 $20 buys a set of writing slates for a "little" or "middle" group of children

                 $45 pays for a month's worth of utilities to keep the school running with electricity and water.

                 $100 pays for one month's salary for a Merasi School teacher. 

Other Ways You Can Help

Can't donate today?  Help us in other ways:

� Get the word out about FAR on Facebook, Twitter, etc: post our link to your status updates, tweets, and videos!

� Shoot us an email if you're interested in volunteering your time- we could always use an extra set of hands: info@folkartrajasthan.org

� Interested in getting involved more seriously?  Apply for our intern program.