TOREE South Kolkata Toree Social and Cultural Welfare Society

Our work

What we do, and who it reaches.

Seven strands of work, carried by the same small group of volunteers, all year round.

A student receiving the Bidyayan Scholarship on stage from a guest at the award ceremony.
Bidyayan Scholarship award ceremony.

01. Education

The Bidyayan Scholarship

Introduced in 2019, the Bidyayan Scholarship is awarded every year to students, especially those from rural areas, who have passed their Madhyamik examinations and are continuing on to Higher Secondary studies.

Eminent guests have joined us over the years to inspire the students, including Mala Roy (Member of Parliament); Bhaskar Ganguly, Surojit Sengupta and Shyamal Ghosh (former players, Indian Football Team); Dibyendu Barua (Grandmaster, Chess) and Saheli Dhar Barua (Woman International Master and FIDE Instructor); and Sambaran Banerjee (former Captain, Bengal Cricket Team and former national cricket selector).

A guest presenting a scholarship award to a student. A scholarship being handed over on stage at the award ceremony. Dibyendu Barua presenting the scholarship to a student in 2022. Sambaran Banerjee presenting the scholarship to a student in 2023.
A girl drawing on a sheet of paper on the pavement. Children sitting together with plates of food at a street celebration.

02. Children

Bringing children into the fold

Orphans, children from some of the most marginalised neighbourhoods of Kolkata, and children living on the city's pavements join us in celebrating landmark days on the calendar: Independence Day, Children's Day, Rakhi Bandhan and Holi. Sit-and-draw competitions are organised on the streets of the city and in the villages.

Children in masks drawing on sheets spread along a Kolkata street, January 2021. Children holding up their finished drawings at a sit-and-draw competition, January 2025.
Two children in striped party hats and bright sunglasses, their faces marked with Holi colour.
Holi in the village, March 2025.

Holi, in the village and in the city

We celebrate Holi with children in a village and with children from a marginalised neighbourhood of Kolkata: colours, party hats and sunglasses, and a bag of gifts to take home.

A crowd of children in party hats holding up coloured balls beside a TOREE banner.
A member of TOREE tying a rakhi on a small child's wrist.
Rakhi Bandhan, August 2025.

Independence Day and Rakhi, with children being treated for cancer

In August 2025, and again in 2026, we marked Independence Day and Rakhi Bandhan with children undergoing treatment for cancer, and with their families, outside the clinic where they are treated.

Rows of children bent over their drawings at a sit-and-draw competition, January 2025. Members of TOREE helping a small girl into a new dress at a village camp, October 2025. A large group of village children in party hats and sunglasses at the Holi celebration.
A young man in a Santa hat sitting cross-legged on a mat, holding up his drawing of a house and trees.
A drawing session at a festive gathering.

03. Autistic young people

Music, drawing and good company

We hold drawing sessions, music and dance programmes, and festive gatherings with autistic young people, who sing and play for an audience of members and families.

A young man singing at a microphone in front of the TOREE banner. A young man playing a keyboard at a TOREE programme. A dancer in costume performing in front of the TOREE banner. Two women in Santa hats smiling together, one with her arm around the other.
An elderly woman holding folded garments received at a village camp. A smiling member of TOREE holding a small child and a set of new clothes at a village camp.

04. Rural communities

Reaching remote villages

Mosquito nets, winter clothing and garments are distributed among disadvantaged families in remote villages of nearby districts, including Gosaba in the Sundarbans and the village of Bagdah in Dakshin Durgapur. The nets guard against mosquito-borne illness, and the garments meet daily needs. Children receive new clothes of their own.

A member of TOREE holding up a new garment for a small child beside the TOREE banner. An elderly woman holding a blanket at a village distribution camp. A member of TOREE holding a small child in new clothes beside the TOREE banner, October 2025. Members of TOREE with a small girl in a new dress at a village camp, October 2025.
Children racing down chalk-marked lanes on an open field lined with palm trees.
The sports meet, January 2026.

A sports meet for village children

In January 2026 we held a sports meet for village children, with races run in chalk-marked lanes across an open field and prizes handed out at the finish.

A boy receiving a prize from members of TOREE at the sports meet. Members lining up the youngest runners at the start of a race. Children and members gathered by the prize table at the edge of the field.
Young players in yellow and blue jerseys contesting the ball on a village ground, watched by a crowd.
The football tournament at Boldepara, July 2018.

Football for village youth

We organise football tournaments for young people from economically disadvantaged families in remote villages of Bengal. The first two, in July 2018 and July 2019, were held in Boldepara, a remote village in Mathurapur, South 24 Parganas.

Every player receives a jersey set and a medal for taking part, there are refreshments through the day, and the winners take home a trophy: the Ranjan Ghosh Memorial Trophy in 2018 and the Srikumar Basu Memorial Trophy in 2019. In 2018 the first prize was also 25 kilograms of chicken, a local choice.

The winning team in jerseys and medals holding up their trophy, July 2019. Trophies and medals laid out beneath the tournament banner, July 2019. Villagers gathered on the ground to watch the tournament, July 2018.

05. Environment

'Save Green'

Banners at our club programmes reinforce the importance of water conservation, tree planting and reducing plastic waste. Small plants are gifted to commuters on the streets of Kolkata during Rakhi Bandhan.

An awareness video released on social media brought together voices including novelist Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay and footballer Surojit Sengupta, each sharing a word of caution on environmental issues.

A 'Save Green' awareness poster displayed at a club programme. A community discussion about saying no to plastic. Two members of TOREE holding a potted plant at the Rakhi Bandhan stall on a Kolkata street, August 2026. Members of TOREE holding the small plants given out on a Kolkata street during Rakhi Bandhan, August 2025. Two young passers-by receiving a potted plant during Rakhi Bandhan, August 2025.

06. Relief work

Standing by in a calamity

When natural calamities strike, we come forward for relief work in the affected areas of nearby districts. In 2021, when the severe cyclonic storm 'Yaas' caused significant damage along the coast of West Bengal, we distributed garments, mosquito nets, food and other essentials in Purba Medinipur.

Local people gathering for essentials after cyclone Yaas. Children in Purba Medinipur after a cyclone Yaas relief distribution.

07. Culture and community

Celebrating together

Beyond our focus programmes, TOREE marks the cultural rhythms of the Bengali calendar and keeps its own community close throughout the year.

Members and guests on stage during the Annual Social of the club.
The Annual Social, held each year.

Cultural programmes

Diverse cultural moods and sentiments of Bengal are celebrated with programmes through the year, from the Annual Social to quiz competitions and invitational performances by members.

A panel of guests including former footballers at a TOREE event. Prize recipients at a quiz competition organised by the club.
A member of TOREE tying a rakhi on a young woman's wrist at the TOREE stall on a Kolkata street, with potted plants ready to be given as gifts.
Rakhi Bandhan, celebrated on the streets of the city, August 2026.

Community service

A drinking water distribution camp is organised every year on Bengali New Year's Day for devotees at Lake Kali Temple. Every year, Rakhi Bandhan is also celebrated on the streets of Kolkata: a small thread and a small gift, exchanged with strangers.

Volunteers distributing drinking water at a temple camp. A garment distribution camp run by TOREE.
Two visually impaired students singing into microphones on a brightly lit stage.
Students performing at the Independence Day programme at Axis Mall.

Earlier work

A stage of their own

Over several years, visually impaired students took part in our club programmes, which gave them a platform to perform and showcase their talent in music, recitation, dance and drama. This included 'Kobi Pranam', an audio drama presented by the students.

A young child singing at a microphone, supported by a member of TOREE. A boy playing an electric guitar at a club programme. A student singing at a Kobi Pranam programme, accompanied by members.

Get involved

Want to be part of this?

Every programme above runs on the time and support of people who choose to get involved. Get in touch to find out how you can help.

Contact TOREE