In this by and large self-centered and crassly materialistic world, there are a few oases of human compassion. Among them, Quota International, with its distinguished track record of yeomen service to the underprivileged section of mankind for the last eighty-seven years, is a prominent name. Quota International, founded in 1919 by Wanda Frey Joiner, is an international service organization that links members of all ages, occupations, and nationalities in a worldwide network of service and friendship. Founded in 1919 as the first international women’s service organization, Quota’s membership today includes men as well as women in clubs across North America, South America, the South Pacific, Europe, South-east Asia, and the Caribbean. However, even today in the world of Quota, it is the ladies who call the shots. And they are doing a great job in the field of caring and sharing, and in bringing smiles to millions of deprived faces across the globe.

Though started on a fairly modest note with five members, with Wanda as the first President, very soon Wanda Frey Joiner’s vision and endeavour translated the sapling into a huge tree. Today, Quota International has its service clubs in 14 countries across the globe and India is one of them. Other countries where Quota International has its service clubs are Canada, the Netherlands, Philippines, United States, Aruba, the Netherlands Antilles, Suriname, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Fiji, Australia, and New Zealand. Quota International’s members are committed to serving their communities and their world. Carolyn Rice is the current President of Quota International.

All Quota members operate under the motto “we share” and share the values of serving others, developing friendships, and promoting international understanding. Quotarians are especially known for their service to deaf, hard-of-hearing, and speech-impaired individuals and disadvantaged women and children. The award-winning We Share Foundation- Quota International’s charitable arm- is a leader in providing humanitarian and educational support worldwide. Worldwide, volunteers donate hundreds of thousands of hours and more than a million dollars each year to the foundation. The We Share Foundation supports them by operating service programs and special projects, awarding grants for local service initiatives, and by offering technical support, education, information, and publications.

A Quota for Love, Compassion and Empathy

In India, Quota International has four chapters. Eminent writer Kusum Ansal is the present President of the New Delhi chapter of Quota International. She has been holding this post since May 2004, and during her tenure, has greatly helped many unfortunate women and children to embark on a life of dignity and economic independence. She is a writer with her heart set towards the welfare of the underprivileged and the downtrodden, and she is more than happy that she has been given an opportunity to make a ‘difference’ to their lives: For bringing a genuine smile on a life-scarred face gives her the same satisfaction or perhaps more than a well-crafted sentence.

The New Delhi chapter of Quota International was established in 1978. The Home runs a primary school for young children. Besides free education, the underprivileged children are also provided with free uniforms and imparted training that will help them to face their tomorrows with courage and confidence. Kusum Ansal adds, “Quota Home provides the children’s breakfast and lunch, and books and stationery free of cost.” At present, the school has 200 children on its rolls, which amounts to a sizeable sum per month to the Quota exchequer: For these 200 children, there are 17 teachers.

The Quota Home in Faridabad also runs projects for destitute women through its various centres at the Home. Quota assists women acquire skills that they can use to support their families financially and as a result live a life of dignity, eventually. The varied range of vocational courses offered to these women include computer courses, courses for stitching, knitting, embroidery, textile painting, cosmetology, beautician, and handicraft, etc. All of them are job-oriented in nature. At the end of the course, diplomas are given to them that will help these needy women find employment. Not only that, these women are also given the opportunity to earn while they learn. “We sell the products that they produce during their training period, and they are given a share of the receipts. This gives them the joy of earning and a sense of economic independence during the training period itself,” says immediate Past President Quota International New Delhi Sadhana Aggarwal.

The Quota Delhi chapter also houses a shelter for the poor, elderly women, many of whom have been abandoned by their families. The shelter for elderly women is within the premises of the Quota Home itself and serves as a haven for these unwanted women where they not only get nourishing food and proper medical care, but are able to somewhat lead a life of dignity in their wintry days.

As part of its impressive infrastructure, the Quota Home at Faridabad has a free dispensary where a medical professional is engaged. At present, the doctor visits three times a week but, according to Kusum Ansal, very soon the visitations would be on a daily basis. The dispensary not only caters to the studying children and the women undergoing vocational training but also looks after the health problems of people from nearby slum colonies. In all of these humanistic endeavours, club-to-club donations, a unique feature of Quota culture, has played a significant role.

Besides the above mentioned day-to-day welfare works, the Quota Delhi chapter has organised cancer camps and eye camps in the recent past, and has sponsored one kidney transplant operation this year. The last held eye camp attended to 280 people. “Besides free eye checkups, we provide free medicine and free spectacles at the camp,” elaborates well-known philanthropist and Past President Quota International New Delhi Indu Punj. Nine operations were also conducted that were sponsored by the Quota Delhi chapter. “We have also adopted two children who have a hole in their heart, and we will finance their operation,” adds Indu Punj. In medical terminology, they are known as blue babies. Besides these, the club was very much involved in extending financial help to the tsunami victims and Kashmiri refugees.

Quota’s Sainik Farm Club has also been doing great service for the poor and neglected aged people, and impoverished women and children. The club has transformed a ramshackle nursing home into a place where elderly residents can now live out their lives in dignity. The club maintains the nursing home and cares for its residents’ nutritional and medical needs. When needed, the club also provides for hospitalization and specialized medical treatment. In 2004, the club added a second component to their club-to-club project with a quality day care programme for slum children of local labourers and domestic help. Through a basic pre-school programme, the playschool provides reading and writing instruction to children. The crèche also has a retinue of teachers and maintenance staff.

Overall, Quota International’s performance in India has been nothing less than commendable. Quota’s DLF City Club also strives to improve health care for rural disadvantaged families and migrant workers through their dispensary, offering free medical care and even specialized hospital care in urgent cases. Free medical care includes medicine, physical examinations, immunization, and counselling on health, nutrition, and hygiene. Patients include destitute women and children as well as families of migrant construction workers, farmers, and residents of surrounding rural areas. In addition, DLF Quota sponsors regular dental and eye camps at the facility, often providing hearing aids, glasses, or surgery for patients in need. Last year, the club added a vocational training centre to help local women find work. Vocational training classes offered by the club include courses in fabric cutting, sewing, typing, and computers.

Though she is extremely elated about Quota’s achievements in India, Indu Punj still feels that they have a long road to trudge … with miles to go … “There is a lot of suffering, deprivation, and penury all around, and we will continue to strive to alleviate them in any which way we can. This gives us a great sense of purpose to strive on.”

Quota International and its Quotarians undeniably have an immense quota for Love, Compassion, and Empathy...