On employment, youth supported by Sunbird become members of the alumni network and are encouraged to become community leaders and change-makers. They are encouraged to engage with the mission of Sunbird by contributing financially and in-kind. They serve as mentors and role models for sponsored children.
Longjam Lupeshor
General Manager – Projects & Administration NE
Longjam Lupeshor
In these years, he has actively worked on issues such as harm reductions for IDUs, FSWs, MSMs on HIV/AIDS under Bill Gates foundation, Sexual Reproductive Health & Rights for youths under European Commission (EC), Care and Support program for CLHIV’s and Intensified Malaria Control Project (IMCP) under the GFATM (Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria) at the State and Regional Level, implemented in the 7 North East States. His work has taken him all across the globe on assignments, where he has presented multiple papers at National Level Seminars and participated in numerous International Seminars. His achievements also include being a Master Trainer for the project “National Health Resource Repository (NRHR)” Survey under NVR & Associates Limited supported by Central Bureau of Health Intelligence, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India, IMS Health & Quintiles (IQVIA) and ISRO.
Lupeshor enjoys traveling, listening to music and being fully committed to the work he undertakes. At Sunbird Trust, Lupeshor has taken on the challenging role of a General Manager- Projects & Administration NE.
Rucha Deshpande
Head – Communications & Social Media
Rucha Deshpande
At Sunbird Trust, Rucha has the onerous task of improving the social media communications for a rapidly growing organization. Since joining the organisation, she has rapidly built up Sunbird’s social media presence across platforms from scratch. Rucha was based out of Sunbird Trust’s “field headquarters” Ijeirong for close to two years, but traveled across project areas in Manipur to work with children from different communities and record music videos with them. Rucha is of the opinion that music is a universal language that unites people regardless of their ethnicity and background. For this purpose, she feels that music and singing is ideally suited to Sunbird Trust’s work of “Peace through Education”. She now works remotely, while visiting our partner locations in NE India periodically. After spending a couple of years in Manipur and experiencing its rich and diverse culture, she also feels the obligation to do everything in her capacity to project this culture to the world through the medium of Sunbird’s Social Media.
Rucha now heads the verticle of “Social Media and Communications” at Sunbird Trust.
Kiran
Lead Teacher
Kiran
Learning from these experiences, he took a conscious decision to dedicate his career to the field of education and went on to earn a Master’s degree in Education from the prestigious Tata Institute of Social Sciences in Hyderabad. Through a combination of educational internships and Kiran’s personal experiences, he gained invaluable insights into the obstacles faced by under resourced students. Equipped with this knowledge and experience and a passion to make a difference, Kiran has now joined Sunbird Trust.
Kiran also has a diverse range of hobbies that contribute to his well-rounded personality, such as playing cricket, exploring the outdoors through trekking, and finding solace in the art of cooking.
Vidhi Shah
Assistant School Leader
Vidhi Shah
Vidhi Shah is a Mumbaikar by birth and Puneite by heart and soul. She believes in security, freedom, resistance, hope, friendship, and empowerment.
Vidhi has done B.A. Literature and Masters in Education from Pune University, but she says, “Hum sabko sirf padhaya jata tha, sikhaya nahi.” In the faith of creating an impact and changing how children learn, she decided to be a teacher and has been an educator for a decade. Vidhi has joined Sunbird Trust as an ASL at Singngat. Here, she aims to create a platform of a learning experience for the students filled with knowledge and fun, and support the teachers to reach their full potential. Vidhi is also a freelance content writer, and is always up for lengthy writing assignments!
Known for her communication skills, optimism, and warmth, Vidhi sprinkles positive energy on people and wins hearts.
Dilip Chakma
Lawyer
Dilip Chakma
Coming from the remote and underdeveloped region of Western Mizoram, Dilip is a member of the predominantly Buddhist Chakma tribe. One of the worst victims of India’s partition in 1947, his community faces overt ethnocide in Bangladesh and covert suppression in many parts of India’s northeast. In 2007, Dilip was granted a loan by through a member of team Sunbird to finance his LLB at the prestigious National Law School University of India (NLSUI) at Bangalore.
On his graduation, Dilip went on to work with a number of regional human rights organizations such as the Asian Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Network, and the Asian Centre for Human Rights. He also had stints with international organizations like the TMC Asser Institute and the Justice and Peace Foundation at Hague, Netherlands.
As a qualified lawyer, Dilip is registered with the Bar Council of New Delhi and presently coordinates the Indigenous Lawyers Network that he established. He is committed and determined to work for the upliftment of marginalized and minority groups.
One of Sunbird Trust’s distinguished alumni, Dilip along with another alumnus, Dr Ben Khiangte is a member of Sunbird’s Advisory Committee.
“I am deeply indebted to Sunbird Trust for their support when I needed it most. The financial assistance allowed me to concentrate on my professional studies when help from elsewhere was not forthcoming. I am honoured to be on the Advisory Council of Sunbird Trust and pledge my services to this endeavour that is making a meaningful difference to so many marginalized youngsters in my part of the country.”
Kresitha Momin
Music Professional
Kresitha Momin
Belonging to the Garo tribe of Meghalaya and hailing from an underprivileged family from a remote part of the state, Kresitha Momin decided to take up teaching music as a career. In 2012, she sought the Sunbird Team’s help for a scholarship to pursue her BA (Music) from St Anthony’s College Shillong and was granted a free loan scholarship. To support herself, she worked as a nanny to children of a family while attending college. Often walking miles to college to save money, she excelled and graduated in 2015 with the Gold Medal in the course.
As most institutions required a post graduate degree for teachers, Kresitha chose to pursue her MA (Music). With few options in India for a PG degree in Music Education, she again approached Sunbird for a loan to pursue the degree from Santa Isabel Conservatory of Music, Manila, one of the best institutions of its kind in Asia. Given her outstanding performance in the BA Course, Sunbird Team members rose to the occasion and not only advanced a loan to Kresitha but also underwrote her travelling expenses to the Philippines. Rewarding the faith reposed in her, Kresitha secured over 90% in her first term exam and is excelling in the course. She is confident of getting a suitable placement at any prestigious institution on her graduation and is determined to provide for her family.
“I can scarcely believe that total strangers could be so supportive and help my dreams come true. I am making my future livelihood almost entirely due to the kind assistance provided to me by Sunbird”.
A. Laishangbam
Chef
A. Laishangbam
Andison Laishangbam, born in Imphal, Manipur, was studying Hotel Management in Bangalore, when his father passed away suddenly. His association with Sunbird Trust started then, as he sought financial help from Col. Chris to continue his studies. “Col Christopher Rego has been my mentor throughout my career till date. He played an instrumental role in teaching me to be an ethical human being.”
After graduating from International Hospitality Management, Bangalore, he worked as an Assistant to Head Chef at the Emerald Isle Resort, Bangalore for close to five years, until an opportunity came knocking at his door in the form of a job opportunity in Australia.
It has now been six years since Andison has moved to Australia and is working as a chef at a restaurant there. He even holds the Australian PR and is on his way to be eligible for the Australian Citizenship. “All this couldn’t have been possible without Col. Rego and Team Sunbird Trust, that went out of the way to support me in my most trying times,” says A. Laishangbam.
Konjengbam Dollar Singh
Konjengbam Dollar Singh
Konjengbam Dollar Singh was raised in the historical town of Moirang in Manipur. The eldest of three siblings, he lost his father while still at school. After completing his higher secondary studies, doing his under graduation seemed uncertain given the poor financial condition of his family. However, thanks to Sunbird Trust and DNA Entertainment Networks, he received full sponsorship for his tuition and boarding fees and attended his Bachelors in Electronics and Communication Engineering at Dr T. Thimmaiah Institute of Technology, at Kolar in Karnataka. Faring exceptionally well in the course, he received a full scholarship from the University of Padova in Italy for doing his Masters in Internet and Communication Technology in 2021. Konjengbam credits Sunbird Trust for the opportunities for this further studies that he has received and is determined to make his mark in life by contributing to society.
Shormophi Shimray
Shormophi Shimray
Shomrorphi never had the courage to dream of getting a degree in life, as she remembers clearly when she was in 8th standard that her daddy once told her that they can only support her till 10th after which she has to start looking for odd jobs to start helping the family.
It was not until 2009 when Shomrorphi’s mom stumbled upon Sunbird Trust founder & CEO, Col. Christopher Rego (Retd.) by the roadside that forever altered her life. Under Sunbird Trust’s sponsorship, Shomrorphi’s tuition fees and hostel fees from 2012 i.e. from 10th standard till her Post graduation course in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship were financed.
Shormorphi managed to complete her BSW with flying colours, which enabled her to further enroll into the country’s only Youth Development Institute under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports GOI at RGNIYD Sriperumudur, Tamil Nadu.
During her course of study, she enrolled in several internships, orientation visits, field works and even in an international leadership training program at Delhi-Leh Ladakh and United Nation MUN via zoom meet and many more.
Moses Joseph
Moses Joseph
Moses Joseph from Bangalore is a Sunbird Trust sponsored student for the past three years. Under the guidance and support of Sunbird Trust, Moses has pursued his M.Sc in Counselling Psychology from Assam Don Bosco University.
“I have always been driven towards the field of psychology and love spending a lot of time around people. During my childhood, a lot of people supported me and guided me, and I want to reciprocate the same”, says Moses.
Currently placed in a low-income private school in KR Puram, called Sri Vidyaniketan School, in Bangalore, teaching 6th and 8th graders, Moses had joined the Teach For India Fellowship and is part of the Cohort of 2022.
Abokson
Abokson
Seeing his will to study and his unfortunate circumstances, he received sponsorship from Sunbird Trust to complete his B-Tech in Civil Engineering from the Dr. T. Thimmiah Institute of Technology, Kolar, Karnataka in 2021. Today, Abokson is working as a graduate apprentice trainee in the Prestige Projects Private Limited in Bangalore.
Abokson is especially grateful to Sunbird Trust for lifting up the dreams of his and many people like him and for acting as a bridge connecting people to their dreams and helping them reach their goal.
Bt. Shangamba
Bt. Shangamba
Born into a family of limited means in the Noney district of Manipur, Bt. Shangamba’s life changed after Sunbird Trust intervened. In the year 2017, Bt. Shangamba received sponsorship for higher studies from Sunbird Trust at the prestigious St. Joseph College, Bangalore, becoming one of the first batches of sponsored students to have studied in Bangalore.
However, he dropped out of his studies from St. Joseph College, Bangalore due to the non-availability of his favourite subject, Physics. “Physics is my area of interest because I am much interested in modern technology since my childhood. Even during my 8th grade, I was able to figure out lots of basic knowledge by myself about how the electrical motor works, or how the rocket and airplane engines fly in the sky”, Bt. Shangamba says.
Due to the unrelenting support of Sunbird Trust, Bt. Shangamba was given an internship opportunity at Sunbird Trust’s partner institute, Paangkriang Friendship School, Ijeirong, Manipur in 2021 by our Founder and CEO, Col. Chris Rego (Retd.).
Soon after the completion of his internship at Solar Mini- Grid, the CEO of Humara Grid (Colonel Vijay Bhaskar) offered him a post of Field Officer in the company. Today, as he is posted as a Field Officer in Hamara Grid, the biggest solar mini grid (35 KWp Capacity) in the district, Bt. Shangamba considers this an achievement that he has got through the help of Sunbird Trust. “Although I am not theoretically trained for electronics or electrical engineering, Sunbird Trust did not let me waste my talents”, said Bt. Shangamga. He is also grateful to Sunbird Trust for the immense support he received in learning music in Bangalore as to this day, he has kept on practicing piano as well as learning coding for programming such as C++ and Linux and he believes that he will be able to handle more bigger roles in much more advance ways.