History
1989-2000
An accidental meeting between Fr. Santan Quadras from Maski mission and Berit Grahl means the start of project Ankura Gnanodaya. Initially 15 children, girls only, are sponsored. In 1992 Fr. Santan Quadras visits Belgium and one year later 124 children are being sponsored. Berit is now assisted by Margriet and Rosa.
In the period 1993-97 the MPH (Multipurpose Hall) is built in Maski with financial help from the project, Fr. Santan Quadras is transferred to Harapur, Berit visits the missions 3 times and 4 shipments of second-hand clothing are send to India. Meanwhile already 360 children are sponsored. Fr. Santan Quadras visits Belgium to make new contacts to enable him to build a MPH in Harapur.
In November 1998 Fr. Santan Quadras (45 years old) gets killed in a tragic car accident.
398 children are now being sponsored! The FSMH (Father Santan Memorial Hall) in Harapur is completed for 85%, thanks to the Mission group Our Lady of Sorrows in Merksem and several personal gifts. Fr. Santan Quadras is succeeded by Fr. Arokianathan in Harapur and Fr. Marc Moras in Maski. The project gets some new list holders. In November Berit Grahl and 3 foster parents visit India. They are the guests of Fr. Marc Moras and Fr. Arokianathan and visit the missions and several villages. They all get a very warm welcome by the children and their parents. As of 1992 a foster parents day is organised every year, sometimes with a theatre play. The income is used to support the project.
2000
On demand of several foster parents and list holders the project is transformed into a non-profit organisation with initially Berit as chairman. On October 1 it becomes the non-profit organisation FATHER QUADRAS INDIA with Margriet Dedroog as chairman. This organisation, totally separate and independent from Ankura Gnanodaya, will continue the same work with the same purpose!
2001
A comedy is presented in October. The benefit is of course for ‘our’ children in India.
2002
In November there is a performance by 2 choirs of children and youngsters. Five foster parents visit Maski and Harapur.
2003
Father Moras visits Belgium. An Indian evening is organised twice and in August a very successful art market is organised in Wilgenhof, Merksem.
2004
Fundraising concert of Al Cantara in the church of Our Lady of Sorrows with Lieve Mertens as director.
After a short illness the founder of the project, Berit Grahl, dies on May 18 at the age of 52. In December Margriet and a foster parent visit India and meet with Fr. Lourdusamy in Maski and Fr. Maxim Dias in Harapur. These new fathers will take care of the missions for the next five years. Works have started to build a protective wall around the mission in Maski. Those works are carried out by the parents of the children so that they can earn some additional money.
2005
In April there is a fundraising play in the Augustijner Theater in Antwerp. The wall around the mission in Maski, which was started last year, is now completed. In Harapur additional lighting has been installed for the safety of the children.
2006
For the visit of Fr. Lourdusamy there is a “Meet and Greet Father Lourdusamy” in Wilgenhof, Merksem with the performance of the choir of St. Franciscus and the children’s choir “Doremikes”. Our organisation is present at the Global Fiesta and organises again a theatre play.
2007
In May there is a performance by the St. Franciscus choir with a selection of songs of Armand Preud’homme and of famous opera choirs. The children’s choir ‘Doremikes’ sings and dances. December closes the year with a Christmas play in Schoten.
2008
Foster parents visit the missions Maski and Harapur. The event “Merksem sings for India” is a very nice afternoon where famous songs are sung with musical accompaniment. Afterwards there is a bread meal. Reparation and safety works are done in the missions.
2009
Fr. Francis is appointed by the bishop as coordinator for all foster parent projects in the Ballari diocese. In November there is an Indian dinner “Salamat Makan” at the Wilgenhof. The meal is prepared by volunteers, several of them are foster parents.
2010
December: tragi-comedy performed by Augustijner Theater. The bare winter conditions can’t keep the fans home. In the missions the infrastructure is improved to avoid that the electric current falls out.
2011
The organisation is now on Internet with its blog: www.fatherquadras.be. During the cheese and wine afternoon, foster parents report on their very recent visit to Maski and Harapur. This year safety works are done in the boarding to protect the children for animals and intruders. Also a sanitary bloc is installed.
2012
Thanks to the gifts of many foster parents and sponsors the roof of the MPH in Maski is completely renewed. For the annual meeting the foster parents were asked to bake a cake or pie. What a tremendous result!
2013
During the foster parent meeting ‘Father Quadras has got talent’ foster parents, children and friends show their talents. At the end of December 2 members of the board visit children and families in India.
2014
During the ‘India in words and pictures’ presentation in March the board members report on their visit to the missions. Several foster parents prepare a delicious Indian meal served during the foster parents day “Come and eat” in November. This year it was possible to take care of solar energy lighting as well as a system that ensures permanent power availability.
2015
Foster parents day in September: “Father Quadras India tastes”. Dishes prepared by Indian volunteers, dances and henna. To improve the security of the children the Indian Government has imposed the installation of CCV (closed circuit video) in all schools. Our project could participate in the costs of this installation.
2016
“Quiz me to school” – a family quiz with the participation of 14 teams. Because of the enthusiastic reactions a second edition is planned for next year. Fr. Francis visits Merksem in September and leads the mass in Our Lady of Sorrows and then meets with foster parents during a “Meet and greet”. During his visit to “De Es”, a Steiner high school, he meets with the students and tells them what Father Quadras achieves in India. An event organised afterwards by the school results in a gift to the project. This year it was possible to fund water purification systems for 2 schools and support the costs of a girls school in Ballari.
2017
May: with 23 teams participate in the second edition of “Quiz me to school”. Meanwhile Fr. Vincent has taken over the coordination of the projects from Fr. Francis. Board members visit India for the third time to meet the new fathers and new mission posts. The project now also sponsors children in Ballari and Kamalapur. In November some foster parents have prepared once again a delicious meal with Indian accents. After the meal the board members report on their visit to India.
2018
On June 17th our first chairman Margriet dies. Third edition of “Quiz me to school”: again 23 teams participate and a cheese and wine afternoon is organised for the foster parents and friends of the project. They are also briefed about the latest news from India.
2019
Freddy Rouchet is the new chairman of our organisation.
The 4th edition of our “Quiz me to school” is once again a big success.
Considering last year’s success we plan again a cheese and wine afternoon in November for foster parents and friends of the project.
An accidental meeting between Fr. Santan Quadras from Maski mission and Berit Grahl means the start of project Ankura Gnanodaya. Initially 15 children, girls only, are sponsored. In 1992 Fr. Santan Quadras visits Belgium and one year later 124 children are being sponsored. Berit is now assisted by Margriet and Rosa.
In the period 1993-97 the MPH (Multipurpose Hall) is built in Maski with financial help from the project, Fr. Santan Quadras is transferred to Harapur, Berit visits the missions 3 times and 4 shipments of second-hand clothing are send to India. Meanwhile already 360 children are sponsored. Fr. Santan Quadras visits Belgium to make new contacts to enable him to build a MPH in Harapur.
In November 1998 Fr. Santan Quadras (45 years old) gets killed in a tragic car accident.
398 children are now being sponsored! The FSMH (Father Santan Memorial Hall) in Harapur is completed for 85%, thanks to the Mission group Our Lady of Sorrows in Merksem and several personal gifts. Fr. Santan Quadras is succeeded by Fr. Arokianathan in Harapur and Fr. Marc Moras in Maski. The project gets some new list holders. In November Berit Grahl and 3 foster parents visit India. They are the guests of Fr. Marc Moras and Fr. Arokianathan and visit the missions and several villages. They all get a very warm welcome by the children and their parents. As of 1992 a foster parents day is organised every year, sometimes with a theatre play. The income is used to support the project.
2000
On demand of several foster parents and list holders the project is transformed into a non-profit organisation with initially Berit as chairman. On October 1 it becomes the non-profit organisation FATHER QUADRAS INDIA with Margriet Dedroog as chairman. This organisation, totally separate and independent from Ankura Gnanodaya, will continue the same work with the same purpose!
2001
A comedy is presented in October. The benefit is of course for ‘our’ children in India.
2002
In November there is a performance by 2 choirs of children and youngsters. Five foster parents visit Maski and Harapur.
2003
Father Moras visits Belgium. An Indian evening is organised twice and in August a very successful art market is organised in Wilgenhof, Merksem.
2004
Fundraising concert of Al Cantara in the church of Our Lady of Sorrows with Lieve Mertens as director.
After a short illness the founder of the project, Berit Grahl, dies on May 18 at the age of 52. In December Margriet and a foster parent visit India and meet with Fr. Lourdusamy in Maski and Fr. Maxim Dias in Harapur. These new fathers will take care of the missions for the next five years. Works have started to build a protective wall around the mission in Maski. Those works are carried out by the parents of the children so that they can earn some additional money.
2005
In April there is a fundraising play in the Augustijner Theater in Antwerp. The wall around the mission in Maski, which was started last year, is now completed. In Harapur additional lighting has been installed for the safety of the children.
2006
For the visit of Fr. Lourdusamy there is a “Meet and Greet Father Lourdusamy” in Wilgenhof, Merksem with the performance of the choir of St. Franciscus and the children’s choir “Doremikes”. Our organisation is present at the Global Fiesta and organises again a theatre play.
2007
In May there is a performance by the St. Franciscus choir with a selection of songs of Armand Preud’homme and of famous opera choirs. The children’s choir ‘Doremikes’ sings and dances. December closes the year with a Christmas play in Schoten.
2008
Foster parents visit the missions Maski and Harapur. The event “Merksem sings for India” is a very nice afternoon where famous songs are sung with musical accompaniment. Afterwards there is a bread meal. Reparation and safety works are done in the missions.
2009
Fr. Francis is appointed by the bishop as coordinator for all foster parent projects in the Ballari diocese. In November there is an Indian dinner “Salamat Makan” at the Wilgenhof. The meal is prepared by volunteers, several of them are foster parents.
2010
December: tragi-comedy performed by Augustijner Theater. The bare winter conditions can’t keep the fans home. In the missions the infrastructure is improved to avoid that the electric current falls out.
2011
The organisation is now on Internet with its blog: www.fatherquadras.be. During the cheese and wine afternoon, foster parents report on their very recent visit to Maski and Harapur. This year safety works are done in the boarding to protect the children for animals and intruders. Also a sanitary bloc is installed.
2012
Thanks to the gifts of many foster parents and sponsors the roof of the MPH in Maski is completely renewed. For the annual meeting the foster parents were asked to bake a cake or pie. What a tremendous result!
2013
During the foster parent meeting ‘Father Quadras has got talent’ foster parents, children and friends show their talents. At the end of December 2 members of the board visit children and families in India.
2014
During the ‘India in words and pictures’ presentation in March the board members report on their visit to the missions. Several foster parents prepare a delicious Indian meal served during the foster parents day “Come and eat” in November. This year it was possible to take care of solar energy lighting as well as a system that ensures permanent power availability.
2015
Foster parents day in September: “Father Quadras India tastes”. Dishes prepared by Indian volunteers, dances and henna. To improve the security of the children the Indian Government has imposed the installation of CCV (closed circuit video) in all schools. Our project could participate in the costs of this installation.
2016
“Quiz me to school” – a family quiz with the participation of 14 teams. Because of the enthusiastic reactions a second edition is planned for next year. Fr. Francis visits Merksem in September and leads the mass in Our Lady of Sorrows and then meets with foster parents during a “Meet and greet”. During his visit to “De Es”, a Steiner high school, he meets with the students and tells them what Father Quadras achieves in India. An event organised afterwards by the school results in a gift to the project. This year it was possible to fund water purification systems for 2 schools and support the costs of a girls school in Ballari.
2017
May: with 23 teams participate in the second edition of “Quiz me to school”. Meanwhile Fr. Vincent has taken over the coordination of the projects from Fr. Francis. Board members visit India for the third time to meet the new fathers and new mission posts. The project now also sponsors children in Ballari and Kamalapur. In November some foster parents have prepared once again a delicious meal with Indian accents. After the meal the board members report on their visit to India.
2018
On June 17th our first chairman Margriet dies. Third edition of “Quiz me to school”: again 23 teams participate and a cheese and wine afternoon is organised for the foster parents and friends of the project. They are also briefed about the latest news from India.
2019
Freddy Rouchet is the new chairman of our organisation.
The 4th edition of our “Quiz me to school” is once again a big success.
Considering last year’s success we plan again a cheese and wine afternoon in November for foster parents and friends of the project.
Important!
All visits to India are always at own expense. No funds of Father Quadras India are used – neither in Belgium nor in India – to compensate the costs incurred for or during the trip.