A Remarkable Organization Making a Lifelong Impact on Vulnerable GirlsI was introduced to Fili by Metropolitan Nikitas who has played a pivotal role in the creation and operation of the orphanage for girls in Calcutta which Fili directly supports.I am deeply moved and inspired by the incredible work being done by Fili. Sister Nectarian’s commitment to protecting, empowering, and uplifting these orphan girls in need is nothing short of extraordinary. Through their philanthropic efforts, they have made an immeasurable difference in the lives of so many young girls living in the orphanage they support.What sets Fili apart is their genuine dedication to not just meeting basic needs, but providing the resources, guidance, and love that these girls deserve. The organization goes beyond providing food and shelter; they offer educational opportunities, mentorship, and emotional support that foster growth and resilience. The girls under their care are not only given a safe place to live but are encouraged to dream big and are equipped with the skills and confidence to reach those dreams.If could I would give to Fili six stars
FILI is an organization I trust to maximize the impact of my contributions. Their support to educate orphans in India and Uganda gives the children a way to lift themselves out of poverty and it is all done by dedicated volunteers. No big-salary compensated board members here. I am grateful FILI makes it easy for me to help others around the world!
We feel confident that Sister Nektaria is managing the orphanage in the most honorable and upstanding way. We are happy to support to this organization regularly as we know our donations go directly to the work, and are not filtered/pilfered to support a giant "non-profit" organization before getting to her.
I'm writing in today as a donor for two reasons. I was a donor before I ever was on the Board of FILI, but even more significantly, I'm the only Board member who has NOT been to the orphanage/school to see the work done by Sister Nektaria and the women who have graduated from there and are now teachers and administrators. The other five have seen it with their own eyes, sweated in the heat, and experienced the joy of the children there. I also know the money sent gets where it is supposed to go.
We do have other charities, equally worthy, periodically our focus. These are well vetted.
FILI is in my top three charity donations.
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15, 17?? years ago I first heard Sister Nektaria tell her story while she was visiting friends in San Jose. Knowing the poverty in India and the plight of cast-off and orphaned children there, I began to donate to what was then called St. Basil Orphanage Fund. As the orphanage expanded and a school building was needed, this organization incorporated to be FILI, INc., and I became a member of the Board. I know the work, I know Sister, I know all the other Board Members have been there personally and seen the work. We receive reports, pictures. We here volunteer, the money goes there and is used as designated. Great aid to our fellow human beings!
I have been donating to Fili since 2018. Since then, I get regular emails of the progress my donations are making. I receive photos of projects completed and those still needing funding. Over the years, I can tell that my donations and those of others are actually helping because the needs are changing throughout the year. I will continue to donate to this organization, I love seeing the appreciation on Sister Nectaria Paradisi‘s face, along with those of the beautiful children.
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Spending a month at the orphanage was life-changing. What I saw were healthy, happy, studious children full of enthusiasm, hope, and confidence. They were loved, sheltered, fed, clothed, and given the tool that Sister Nectaria said " could never be taken from them"—an excellent education. This was not only an investment in saving orphaned children but would also benefit their children, their grandchildren, and generations to come.
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Kolkata, India, is the number one source of trafficking. The fate of orphaned or abandoned children is horrific. The Theotokos Orphanage was established to save as many children as possible from the streets and give them something that could never be taken from them...an education. FILI, through volunteers, supports the orphanage and its school in the most practical and low-overhead way possible.
Recently, to enable school enrollment, donors contributed to the purchase of school shoes for dozens of barefoot children in Uganda. FILI is fiscally transparent, and donations are tax-deductible.
There often seems to be a great disparity between how people feel about the person Jesus Christ, and about how they feel about those who follow him. One way I can make sense of this is to think of the word "savior" (which is now a highly-charged religious word) as meaning simply "one who helps". For example, I was in a long motorcycle desert race once, and in the middle of nowhere I came upon another rider who had fallen and was trapped under his bike. He frantically waved me down. I stopped and lifted the bike til he could get out, then we stood it up together. He enthusiastically thanked me, ending with these words "You saved my life!"
Mother Nektaria and her crew are like that. They seem to understand Jesus in this way, and so they mirror the energy and big-heartedness of Jesus' helpful way. When I have extra $, it makes me deeply happy to invest it in people like that.
It has been a joy to get to know the people associated with this organization over the past three years. They have been excellent at keeping us informed of the work being done & letting us know what the next, urgent need is. We like being able to work with a project which has specific, targeted needs rather than just generalized giving. We know one year we bought desks, one year we dug a well, one year we built a small house for staff, we're currently looking at flood mitigation. This helps us feel much more connected to everything going on than simply "writing a check".
We don't think you could ask for a more worthwhile program than what Sister Nektaria is doing in India & we encourage you to consider donating to her work!
In the decade plus years my family has supported the work of Sr. Nektaria and the outreach programs of the PSOC, we have seen miraculous achievements. It's been a pleasure to serve on the volunteer board of FILI for many years and to work with so many kind and generous people who have made a big difference in the lives of many children. I'm staying in for many more!
I was recently given the opportunity by a kind and dedicated friend to provide a contribution through FILI, for the purchase of shoes for Ugandan children, so that they might attend school. I am so pleased to be a small part of a larger, worldwide humanitarian effort to assist those in need, and am grateful for a nonprofit such as FILI, who will ensure the proper use of contributions.
FILI is one of my favorite charities. This volunteer-led organization helps some of the most vulnerable and at-risk children and adults in the world. It is comforting to know that my contributions will go directly to where it is needed the most. I know that I can donate with confidence and the assurance of transparency and accountability.
I first heard about the work of the orphanage after I graduated from college in 2004. I had just lost my mom, and I wanted to give back to a greater cause. I didn’t realize how much this organization would give back to me. It is a place of hope and opportunity where education is greatly valued. You can witness lives that completely transform from poverty to opportunity. I have been a volunteer and supporter of this organization for many years, and it is still the cause that tugs at my heart the more than any other cause. FILI is made up of dynamic and dedicated volunteers. I cannot say enough good things about this organization!
One of the projects FILI supports is The Theotokos Girls' Orphanage, in Kolkata, India, which is committed to the empowerment of young girls through education. It oversees not only the girls' orphanage, but has grown to include a boy's orphanage, co-ed school, feeding center programs, and development projects in rural villages.
In December 2016, I volunteered at the orphanage in Kolkata, India for 3 months teaching English at the school the girls attend, tutoring after school, writing fundraising articles, and gained 90 adopted sisters by the time I left. I have seen firsthand how tirelessly Sister Nektaria works for these children and how great the need is.
Please consider donating to these incredible causes today.
I have been a donor for a number of years and I am more than happy to support Sister Nektaria and her work saving lives of young children. They do not only become a family to those that do not have one, but also though education they open opportunities in the future. I would like to visit the orphanage and the school during my next trip to Kolkata and I will continue to be a donor for this worthy cause.
I have been donating to Fili for several years because their cause, education of children is important to me. The orphanage that Fili supports has provided education and has changed the life of many abandoned children.
Fili supports an orphanage in Kolkata, India that has brought change to the lives of hundreds of children that are abandoned through education. I am grateful to the organization that supports such a cause and proud to be a donor for several years now. Keep up the good work sister Nektaria.
I have been supporting Fili for about ten years and have always been in awe of the work they have done.
Sister Nektaria is an amazing woman of faith who performs miracles with the lives of young children. By providing education she opens the door to a whole new world of opportunities for them and a beacutiful future for them and their families. I know several people who have visited the orphanage and the school and they bring stories of hope and optimism for the lucky girls and boys who live in the proximity of this school. I am very pleased with all the work and I continue to be a donor for this worthy cause.
I donate because their passion delivers actual results. I love hearing about how they are helping others from board members and through their newsletter.
I have been a volunteer board member at Fili since it's inception for over 12 years. It's been an organization that I and my family willingly give of our time and talents to because of the work it does to fundraise for small non-profits that do great humanitarian work. It has been heart warming to see the miraculous accomplishments of our featured charity, The PSOC and Sister Nektaria. I've visited Sister and seen first hand the programs they run to provide an education to so many children to combat poverty and exploitation in Bakeswar, India.