LAKHS of children are orphaned or abandoned by their parents as infants or toddlers. Children face unimaginable suffering while growing up on the streets. The horrors of street life are amplified even further for girl children who survive under the constant threat of abuse and violence. Aarti For Girls has been a safe haven for hundreds of such girls who had no one else in the world.
How it began
The NGO’s journey began 31 years ago when its founder Sandhya, discovered a three-year-old girl named Rani (Name changed) abandoned on the roadside, left behind by those who should have cared for her. Sandhya did not have the heart to leave the child and decided to take the baby into her care, thus marking the beginning of a life long quest to protect and care for children in need.
Today, Rani has blossomed into a confident young lady pursuing a career in medicine. She is just one of the 6000+ children who have found refuge at Aarti, a dedicated NGO providing a loving home for orphaned and abandoned children. The NGO today takes immense pride in its alumni, remarkable young women who have successfully ventured into careers in medicine, engineering, and teaching while building happy families. Their inspiring journeys illustrate the transformative power of love, security, and opportunity.
Aarti’s mission is not only to nurture these young lives but also to uplift women in our society. Through vocational training institutes, the NGO empowers women with valuable skills, helps them secure jobs, and even supports the launch of their own small enterprises. Aarti provides the necessary infrastructure and access to industry experts and trainers. The project aims to mentor 225 women annually, either by placing them in suitable sectors or guiding them toward self-employment and entrepreneurial ventures.
Between 2015 and 2017, Aarti executed “Mana Bidda” (Our Child), a project funded by the European Commission, focused on eradicating gender discrimination against girls and combating female foeticide to improve the child sex ratio. This initiative, implemented in Kadapa District, resulted in a significant increase in the child sex ratio, rising from 918 to 935. Aarti’s efforts also led to a substantial reduction in school dropout rates. Building on this success, Aarti launched its next EU-funded project, “Abhaya,” to provide vital support to women Human Rights Defenders.
Enlightening lives through education
Aarti Home also operates Aarti English Medium School, with a mission to provide top-quality English medium education to underprivileged children, many of whom are first generation learners. Currently, the nonprofit educates 800 students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. The NGOs dedicated teachers go the extra mile, identifying students in various localities who are either dropouts or unable to attend school due to challenging domestic circumstances. Volunteers then encourage parents to send their children to school with the assurance that Aarti will cover all educational expenses, including school fees, books, uniforms, and meals.
Aarti for Girls functions with the core belief that the family environment is essential for a child’s growth. Thus, Aarti Home introduced Family Based Care, a model where children stay with their parents and within the community while Aarti takes care of their educational expenses. This approach strengthens family bonds and ensures that children receive the education they deserve.
However, this model comes with its own set of challenges. Many parents in the programme are daily wage earners, such as street performers and rag pickers, residing in slums. They go to work early in the morning, leaving no one to ensure their children attend school. Consequently, some children fall into undesirable habits, including substance abuse and rag picking. To address this, Aarti provides transportation to pick up and drop these children, and our dedicated teachers closely monitor their attendance. This approach, though demanding, has yielded remarkable results, with children attending school regularly and excelling academically. As word of our program’s success spreads, we are receiving more requests for admissions. What began as a pilot project with 50 students has now grown to support 640 students and counting.
Home based care initiative
Aarti, cherishes the concept of family and its values. The Home Based Care programme reflects this ethos, preserving family bonds while instilling a deep sense of belonging among children and parents. Through this initiative, the nonprofit offers support not by uprooting children from their families but by empowering them through education. We ensure they have access to school enrollment, nutritious meals, books, and a passion for learning. Our primary focus is on retaining and nurturing students’ interest in education by counselling parents on the added value it brings to their lives.
Your support and donations to Aarti For Girls can help the NGO continue its vital work in transforming lives of children and empowering women in our community. Join Aarti in making a difference today. Click the link to support.
Choosing to tread the proverbial road less travelled, Ramon embarked upon a career in journalism and spent over 8 years working for various media organisations. A deeper calling to create a sustainable impact in the lives of the less fortunate compelled him to join the social sector. Ramon is a minimalist at heart and an explorer in spirit.
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