Category: Mumbai

  • Will they ever live beyond 40?

    The boys in the above photograph are playing in the garbage dumping ground. Toxic smoke rises from all around, but these kids have no care in the world. No wonder, they might not live beyond 40. The dumping ground is in Deonar and is India’s oldest and largest dumping ground. Few of us might think…

  • How it began at Annamrita – ISKCON Food Relief Foundation

    The ISKCON Food Relief Foundation prepares 12 lac meals every day. That’s quite a feat. But this is not one that has been achieved overnight – it’s taken a decade of persistence and hard work to reach here. Spend a couple of hours, just as I did, with Shri Radhakrishana Das and you’ll be amazed…

  • Giving children on construction sites a childhood to remember

    Mumbai is the perennial city of dreams, the city of Bollywood, a city where one and all enter with a glimmer of hope in their eyes, almost as if this is the lottery ticket that will transform their life and elevate them to the life they have always dreamt of. And while we come across…

  • How it began at The ISKCON Food Relief Foundation

    The ISKCON Food Relief Foundation feeds 12  lac school children every day. That’s quite a feat. But this is not one that has been achieved overnight – it’s taken a decade of persistence and hard work to reach here. Spend a couple of hours, just as I did, with Swami Radhakrishana Das and you’ll be…

  • The heart and soul behind feeding 12 lac children daily

    Taking an early morning taxi through the hectic traffic of Mumbai, I arrived at the ISKCON – Annamrita kitchen at Tardeo for my most delicious morning yet! Annamrita, meaning “food as pure as nectar” is a scheme initiated by the ISKCON Food Relief Foundation. Working in collaboration with the Indian Government, they provide midday meal…

  • Educating first-generation tribal children

    by Shivi Verma On a rainy Friday morning, we decided to trek down to Bhivpuri, which is one train stop before Karjat. While actual trekking is what brings most people to Karjat, it was a visit to the NGO – Mazi Sainik Shikshan Ani Swasthya Kalyan Sansthan that brought us here. A difficult name to…

  • How it began – Mazi Sainik Shikshan Ani Swashthya Kalyan Sanstha (MSSASKS)

    The dank, dilapidated looking school that houses Daffodil could pass for any unkempt building in a small village. But what sets this organisation apart from the others is the gentleman running the show – a garrulous old man with a stocky built and a never say die attitude. So it came as no surprise when…

  • Helping children fulfill their dreams

    When I was going on a visit to an Akanksha school, I thought my visit would take me back to my college days when I used to volunteer with Akanksha. As it turns out, I was transported back to my school days instead! As I sat through a standard 5 Maths class, I began thinking…

  • Helping women stand on their own two feet and become contributing members of their families and society

    by Paula Donoso An extremely devoted team is leading the efforts of The Akshara Centre towards their vision of establishing a gender-just and violence-free society. In the ideal society that they envision, women have the opportunity to reach their fullest potential; and their rights are respected and secure. I sat down with three members of…

  • How it began at Akshara Centre

    by Paula Donoso The Mumbai-based Akshara Centre grew as result of the contemporary Indian women’s movement of the 1980s, which primarily campaigned against violence against women. The organisation was established in 1995 as a resource centre, at a time when women’s rights were gaining momentum in society and there was a rising need for material…

  • By diverting children’s energy towards sports and dance, this NGO keeps tobacco and alcohol consumption at bay

    It’s said that an idle mind is a devil’s workshop; and it is this principle that forms the operating model of Salaam Bombay Foundation. The organisation was founded in 19X to reduce the number of underprivileged children falling prey to substance abuse. And they do this by channeling children’s energy towards positive hobbies like sports…

  • How it began at Ashadeep Association

    by Paula Donoso The founding story of Ashadeep Association revolves very much around the life of one extraordinary lady, Dr. Adelheid Hüffer.  Born on the 26th of October 1915 in Muenster, Germany, Adelheir studied social work and medicine which she completed in 1945 after which she practiced as a Doctor in the St. Franziskus Hospital…

  • Living up to its name, Ashadeep, brings children from darkness to light

    by Paula Donoso The Mumbai-based Ashadeep Association is essentially the incredible result of its founder, Dr. Adelheid Hüffer’s initiative, dedication and love. Set up in 1976, the organisation has grown to 7 centres today – from 25 students in 1976 to 600 students today, reaching up to 1,000 including mothers and people who rely on…

  • An NGO dedicated to getting children off the streets and on their feet

    Picture this classroom scene. There are about 15 children, each of whom is seated on their own mat. There are no desks or chairs but the classroom is not bare. It’s well-lit and there are fans too. Cupboards on the side are filled with books and stationary for the kids. On the walls are posters…

  • How it began at CPAA

    Mr. Yogendra Kumar Sapru is the Founder Chairman & CEO of Cancer Patients Aid Association (CPAA). An experienced pharmaceutical professional, Mr. Sapru started his career with John Wyeth & Brother in 1963, where he progressed from the post of a Medical Representative to that of Marketing Director. Subsequently, he joined Johnson & Johnson in the pharmaceutical division…

  • Cancer Stings! CPAA works towards taking the bite out of that sting.

    Spend a day with Cancer Patients Aid Association’s (CPAA) team and you’re sure to be moved by their heart-warming stories. Stories that show how personal touch is as important a factor as correct medical treatment when it comes to curing life-threatening diseases. CPAA grasped this in as early as the 60s. The fact that Cancer…

  • Lives changed by Sankalp Rehabilitation Trust

    by Shreyans Shah Sanjay first met me at the Tardeo RTO and directed us to Sankalp’s Mumbai Central DIC. I assumed he was part of the Sankalp staff and thanked him for his help. 20 minutes later, I saw a completely different avatar of the same man. The same man, now Sanjay ‘sir’ was leading…

  • Offering a ray of hope to drug addicts since 1995

    by Shreyans Shah The total number of people living with HIV in India was estimated at 2.09 million in 2011. Approximately, 1,48,000 people died of AIDS related causes in 2011 in India. Maharashtra has the second highest prevalence of HIV (0.32 million). While the overall rate of prevalence of HIV among IDUs (Injectable Drug Users)…