Jeevan Dhara

Jeevan Dhara stemmed from the commitment of one person to relieve the plight of the impoverished. Gene D’Silva, its founder, initiated outreach effort Read mores in 1998 within Mumbai's Chita Camp, Asia's second largest slum community. Initially, the focus was on promoting social acceptance for HIV-positive individuals. Through house-to-house visits, D’Silva identified and aided 350 widows by providing food supplies, covering school expenses for children aged 3 to 6 of HIV-positive widows, and offering medical assistance. Later, initiatives such as Balwadis and educational classes were introduced to support children's learning. The organisation aims to empower disadvantaged slum communities, seeking to uplift individuals, families, and the community itself by addressing poverty and substance abuse through education, vocational training, and de-addiction programmes. Goals include comprehensive empowerment through education, collaboration with reputable agencies, poverty alleviation through employment opportunities, and ensuring the health of beneficiaries through medical camps. Jeevan Dhara stresses the transformative role of education in breaking the cycle of poverty, ignorance, and illness. Education equips individuals with job skills, promotes awareness of healthcare and social rights, and fosters responsible citizenship, ultimately leading to sustainable empowerment.