Sponsor the grocery and medical care for poor senior citizens

Amiya Mondal is 72 years old. She lived in Khordanahala, a small village in West Bengal. Amiya always had a very hard life. She has one son. **Even with the minimum family income they had, she managed to raise her son and get him married.** As days passed by, she lost her husband to age-related illnesses. She became frail and unable to work anymore. She was fully dependent on her son. **However, her son who was not earning much began to consider her as a burden.** Her son and daughter-in-law couldn't even provide her with two meals a day. **She was mistreated by her son and his family every day. She was humiliated and depressed but didn't know what to do.** She resigned herself to a fate of hunger, and illness. It was then that the team from Bani Mandir noticed her and **enrolled her in the /Sponsor-a Grand Parent' program.** As a member of the program,** Amiya received food, clothing and health care support**. Amiya, being a mother decided to share everything she received from Bani Mandir with her son and his family. Seeing this, her son realized his mistake and was sorry for the way he treated his mother. He promised to take better care of her in the future Amina also received counseling at Bani Mandir to help her cope with her depression. She was motivated to live and assured that she would be taken care of. Amiya now lives with self-respect. The help of monthly rations and medical help she receives does not make her feel like a burden to her family. Today, she enjoys a normal dignified life that she deserves at her age. **Your help can make many more seniors like Amiya live their golden years with dignity. You can donate for the monthly rations and medicines the destitute elderly. You can give with confidence because every program listed is [GIVEASSURED](https://www.giveindia.org/giveassured).**

Bani Mandir runs a 'Sponsor-a Grand Parent' program to provide food and health support to the needy elderly in need. One unit of donations to this program covers the cost of medical check-up and medicines including a hygiene kit, rations as well as administrative expenses for one senior citizen a month. The staff and volunteers choose the beneficiaries based on surveys, with the help of the villagers and VDC based on the program's requirement and the village Panchayat's recommendation. The first list of deserving elders was made in 2008, and this is regularly updated for new people while the people in the list continue to get support.Every month, the beneficiaries come to the Bani Mandir office to collect their rations. If they are unable to due to fatigue or ill-health, the Bani Mandir staff delivers it to their doorstep.Regular medical checkups at the camps in different villages are conducted for the members for preventive healthcare. They also have access to a doctor if required on non-camp days as well.Their ration kit containsAtta - Whole Wheat flourCoarse rice Sugar Cooking oil - 1-liter Biscuits Medicines are provided by prescription. The number of beneficiaries that receive support depends on the donations. All donations are usually utilized within 2 months due to a large number of recipients. When you donate to this program, you help destitute elderly citizens with access to food and essential medicines in their golden years.

The mission of the organisation is to look after destitute orphan children, poor school going children, and isolated elderly persons and to empower women by upgrading their socio-economic status. A few local school teachers took the initiative to set up a platform where they could render help to poor and needy people in distress; thus Bani Mandir was established in 1945 August. 69-year-old Somendra Nath Mandal graduated from Calcutta University and has working for the poor since 1965. He became General Secretary in 1973. Almost all the developmental work done by Bani Mandir is in remote villages of West Bengal and through his efforts. He believes that service to the poor and helpless is the service to the nation.Bani Mandir focuses on developing the potential of women and girls to drive long lasting equitable changes. They emphasize on promoting quality healthcare, inclusive education, gender equitable and sustainable livelihood opportunities, disaster relief and preparedness. Their efforts are focused on fighting against underlying causes of poverty and ensuring a life of dignity for all women and girls from marginalized and vulnerable communities, especially among Dalits and Adivasis. Bani Mandir also works with the elderly by providing them nutritional support because they are largely ignored by their families. In 2016, NGO was awarded the Award of project ASTITVA by the Helpage India Significant achievement in the services to the elderly persons.No of rural youth helped for one year/six months computer training programme - 19No of secondary students who received books - 942No. of poor students who received tutorial support - 236No of children below 5 years supported in 4 Creches -100No. of elders who got free eye check up - 1136No. of poor people assisted through Ambulance service - 215No. of elders provided with Spectacle - 225No. of children getting sponsorship for health, education, nutrition and family assistance - 1046No of adolescent girls covered in 1 day health education & counselling - 140No of poor elderly people covered in medical clinic - 851No of orphan/needy children who received food & health care support - 1046No. of elders helped for cataract operation and free spectacles - 123No of pregnant woman who are supported with nutrition and health checkups - 24No. of able elders who joined in elders ESHGs and benefited with Saving & Credit scheme - 791No. of Women empowered through 378 SHGs - 4536No of poor villagers who received a cycle rickshaw for a livelihood - 11No of aged persons who are receiving monthly supply of grocery & medical care - 333