Kachchhi Oswal Jain Association of North America (KOJAIN)
Host Families Program

KOJAIN has formed a host family network in North America for the benefit of Kachchhi Students coming from India for higher studies here in the United States and Canada.  

We need host families all over the United States and Canada. (Those who are located within a reasonable distance of colleges and universities may be of particular importance for accommodating the incoming Kachchhi students from India.)

The host families may also host Kachchhi Youths born and/or raised in the U.S., who are visiting other states for college search, job hunting or even for recreational purposes and desiring room and board on a very temporary basis (1 to 2 days).

This should serve dual purpose: our youths will have a place to stay and both parties will have a chance to develop acquaintance. The host family will be a good source for information about the local area. Also, Kachchhi students coming to U.S.A. for the first time for further studies can get much-needed emotional support from the host families if they are going to college in that area.

There are quite a few States in the U.S. where we do not have Kachchhi families and more importantly, there are quite a few cities and towns within the United States and Canada where our Kachchhi students go for higher studies where we do not have any Kachchhi families residing.  In those cities and towns incoming students are generally on their own.   

All KOJAIN families are requested to please consider joining this program.

If you agree to join this program, please let Dami Rambhia, know about your willingness to join this program at the email address/ phone numbers shown below.

We will need following details about you when you join this program:

Name, Address, Phone Number, Email address, Village in Kachchh, Name/s and birth year of your children

We will post an updated list of all host families on this website.

The participating host family's convenience to accommodate the youth at the requested time will be our primary consideration.  The host family may decline if the timing is not suitable for hosting a student or for any other reason.

KOJAIN disclaims any responsibility, legal or otherwise, arising out of this program.

* KOJAIN's Host Family Program's chief objective is to help the student get settled in his or her new environment as trouble-free as possible subject to the convenience of the Host Family.

* It is primarily a program for the student to get necessary guidance and help from the host family to help him/her settle in the new environment.

* It is also aimed at getting the student to get introduced to other Kachchhi families in the area, if any, and to become part of the existing group of Kachchhi families.

* The real impact of the program is that if a new student gets into some emergency situation, the host family, with the knowledge of the area, can guide the student properly in good faith and whenever and wherever possible, suggest avenues to get help from the resources available in the area without, of course, incurring any liability, legal or otherwise, on its part.

* Does the Host Family need to go to the airport to pick up the student from the airport when he/she arrives and then take the student home, help the student find apartment etc so that the student then can move to his/her apartment?  No. Not necessarily. It strictly depends on host family's convenience.

* First of all, it is not in the control of the Host Family on what day of the week the student is likely to arrive. If the student arrives on weekdays, it may just not be possible for the host to go pick up the student because of the job responsibilities. Even on weekends, it may not always be possible for the host to do that because of the traffic and the distance between the airport and the host family's home. 

* In some places, it is possible for the host family to arrange for the pick up of the student from the airport. In others, it is just too much hassle for the host family (particularly in large cities like Los Angeles, or San Francisco or New York, or Boston or Chicago) to go to the airport, park their cars, wait for the student to come out of the air terminal, etc  because of the distances from the host family’s home to the airport and the traffic.

* Most students come here in July and August of the academic year. Host families may be on vacation when the students arrive.

* Again, many students do not come alone. They come with their KVO as well as Non-KVO friends. Each of the students has two/three bags.. Host families do not have cars big enough for all passengers and all of their baggage.

* If a shuttle-bus service from the airport is available, it is very advisable - and, necessary - for the student/s to take the shuttle bus to get to their destinations.

* Most students make their own arrangements for apartment and roommates from India. It works out better for all students.  They know who they want as their roommates. 

* Senior students who are here from a year or so ago give them proper guidance as to apartments, rents etc which helps the incoming students more than any other arrangement. This is done by the respective student long before the KVO gathering in July of the calendar year and long before we in the U.S. know the student is coming here.

* Many of the incoming students prefer to make their own arrangements for their pick up from the airport with other senior students - or with the respective Indian Students Association - of the university. They even make arrangements for their temporary stay with those senior students. These senior students, in turn, help them find suitable apartment, roommates etc. In many places, this arrangement has worked out a lot better. Incoming students should initiate this type of arrangement long before they arrive here.

A host family takes into account all these situations and determines the most convenient and suitable approach to take care of the student's immediate needs. This approach works out better for both students and the Host Family.

As mentioned earlier, KOJAIN is not in a position to provide a host family for every student no matter where the student is going for his/her higher education in the U.S. simply because we do not have Kachchhi families in every state and in every city of every state where the student has chosen to go for his/her education 

K V O Seva Samaj in Mumbai arranges a going-away party (a sort of a gathering) for all foreign-bound KVO students in the month of July each year.  It is necessary for the office-bearers of the KVO Seva Samaj to ensure that this concept of KOJAIN's Host Family Program is presented to individual students and their parents,  as well as to those attending the gathering, in its proper perspective, as explained above and then ask every student to contact Dami Rambhia (drambhia@aol.com),  the US-bound students’ Coordinator,  for specific details in respect of each situation.

 For more information please contact Dami Rambhia, Vimla Chheda or Hans Maru, all of Connecticut.  Their phone numbers and e-mail addresses are :

Name   ...............................Phone number ........................Email Address

Dami Rambhia .................... 001-860-633-1392  ...................drambhia@aol.com

 Vimla Chheda ...................... 001-203-372-4958.....................vnchheda@optonline.net

Hans Maru ........................... 001-617 297 2649.....................hans.maru@gmail.com