Dibrugarh, Sept. 21: Induz, a US-based NGO, will work for underprivileged children in the tea gardens of Assam.

"The tea tribes of Assam have lots of potential but they cannot showcase their talent. So our NGO will work to nurture their talent and give them a platform," said US resident and the founder of Induz, Raichand Mitra, who was raised in Dibrugarh.

He added that their plan in Dibrugarh was to offer creative education, vocational training in English, math and computer skills, which will help them in the future. Mitra said his passion for making a difference in the community led him to establish Induz in 2004.

"We launched a project called Sanaa in Kenya for HIV-positive children at a remote village of Roo. We built a resource centre, a library and an art therapy centre. We have helped 300 children of Roo,'' he said. "We have taken many international projects in India such as Tulika at Silghat in Assam from 2007 to 2008 for underprivileged children, worked for an orphanage at Katwa in Bengal from 2008 to 2010 and at Santosh orphanage in Bangalore from 2008."

Mitra told The Telegraph that the initiative was conceived to primarily help the children of tea garden workers, but the project will also take in other underprivileged children.

"The programme, launched in early August, offers free arts, music, dance, reading, math, science, tailoring and sewing classes. There are plans to expand to computer and other vocational training programmes as well. Altogether 120 kids have already enrolled from nearby tea gardens and are taking advantage of the free classes offered twice a week. We have observed a keen interest among others to join the programme,'' he said.