Girmitiya Foundation
GIRMITIYA FOUNDATION is an NGO registered in India. Foundation is to help all Foreigners who have Indian origins or who are related to India in some ways or other to reconnect with their history and search for their roots entangled with their ancestral land of inhabitance. Girmitiya history was very painful but it was a great Challenge. Everyone knows the meaning of Girmitiya. More than 1 million of Indians men and women took a very long and perilous voyage across the black waters to work as bonded labour in the Sugar cane plantations in various British colonies between 1838 to 1916. However, narratives about their journeys, hardships and silenced voices have been long forgotten.
Girmitiyas or Jahajis are adventured Indian Labourers who were brought to Fiji, Mauritius, South Africa, East Africa and in the Caribbean, mostly Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Jamaica to work on sugar cane plantations for the prosperity of the Europeans. ” Agreement ” is the term that has been coined into Girmit referring to the ” Agreement ” of the British Government with the Indians labourers as to the lengths of their stay in theses countries and when they would be allowed to go back to India their motherland. Many descendants of these Girmitiyas are still searching today for their Roots of their Ancestors.
Our Mission
To help Girmitiya families, who are searching their Roots / site / place of birth and childhood of their Ancestors in INDIA. The main office is in DELHI, and we have Teams operating in many part of INDIA, mainly in KOLKATA, PATNA, RANCHI, VARANASI, AYODHYA (FAIZABAD), GORAKHPUR and LUCKNOW. We are standing as a bridge among all Girmitiya countries to INDIA in Root research project. From 2018 Girmitiya Foundation has been active in Root research for above 70 families with complete details of their Ancestor’s village.
Our Vision
“Connecting with the Indian Diaspora” Connecting with the Our Core Vision is to build a caring and self-reliant society by Connecting with the Indian Diaspora. The Indian Diaspora serves as a living bridge connecting India to the world. For fulfilling this vision we believe in the 4C’s- Care, Connect, Celebrate, and Contribute Care for their security, Connect with India, Celebrate their cultural heritage and Contribute to homeland.