For the past few months, we have been collaborating with the Rotary Club of Mumbai Dahisar (RCMD) to distribute medicines under the Sanjivani project. We are sponsoring children with epilepsy from Sangharsh Disability Centre run by Chehak Trust. Seen below are caregivers of children collecting Anti Epilepsy Medicines(AEMs) sent to them. We are very happy to state that nearly 50 kids with epilepsy are receiving regular AEMs under RCMD Sanjivani and on the way to achieve seizure control.

The Corona Virus Pandemic posed various problems. Besides basic difficulties like food, shelter, clothing, education also suffered. Project Vidya was initiated to counter this situation. We initiated Project Vidya on a crowdfunding platform- Impact Guru. The funds raised through this campaign were used to support a child with a disability and special needs to continue his education in a special or mainstream school. We also extended the scope of the project to include siblings of a child with a disability to continue their education considering the strain on the earnings while taking care of the child with special needs. The funds were directed to pay their fees, therapy charges, textbooks/notebooks, e-learning/training, gadgets like mobile handsets, internet/data packages etc.

The pandemic wave was in a waning phase. We, along with our students and members of other organisations with whom we always collaborate, decided to celebrate our 75th Independence Day with great enthusiasm. To celebrate the occasion, we announced the Silent National Anthem event sung by students to encourage Inclusion. This move was appreciated by all and we are very proud that we received over 150 entries from all over India, singing the national anthem in Indian Sign Language(ISL) . It was very fulfilling when young adult members of Aawhan Palak Sangh rehearsed for over a week to perfect and perform patriotic songs. Do log on to the links below to watch them perform.
Watch video 1, video 2

Any NGO can not move forward without the help of selfless work of volunteers. We are also fortunate to have some amazing volunteers to back us. Ms. Roopa Nadkarni and Ms. Radhika Trasi are very creative artists who pledged some of their handcrafted products to ChildRaise. On the occasion of Independence Day , we held an Exhibition cum Sale of these products. We also encouraged other entrepreneurs to showcase their products.

Khusi Balmiki was the first beneficiary of Project Vidya. She has a younger brother Yash who is our beneficiary under RCMD Sanjivani. Their father Vijay Balmiki is a very hardworking family man who runs his home by driving a rickshaw . He was thankful to ChildRaise for the help he was getting under the Sanjivani project for his son's epilepsy medicines and foodgrains under our Annapurna project. He had not expected the second wave of pandemic and its effect on his livelihood. As travel was restricted, he could not run his rickshaw. As a result, Khusi's school fees could not be paid.

And we could not see this bright girl Khusi's dreams fizzle out. ChildRaise has paid her fees for this entire academic year . We are extremely happy and feeling fulfilled to see their smiling faces.

Certificates are not a mere piece of paper but a validation of work done. Our students were so happy to receive the participation certificates for taking part in all our ChildRaise events.