Hunger and malnutrition have become a reality for thousands of elderly parents abandoned by their own children, in villages and slums across India. Seeing the rampant distress among the elderly, a team of selfless heroes from our NGO partner Mitti Cafe, though disabled themselves, have taken up the responsibility of providing cooked meals and dry rations to over 5,000 elderly in urgent need of support. Setting aside their own struggles, Mitti Cafe’s team, led by Ayesha Alam has been relentlessly fighting to free elderly from hunger and malnutrition through its Karuna Meals initiative. The need for nutrition support is growing with each passing day and Mitti Cafe is struggling to fulfill this enormous need. With your support, the NGO and its team of persons with disability can put food on the plates of hundreds of more elderly parents. Donate generously.Donate easily through UPI, all debit/credit cards and net banking. Charitable donations to this fundraising campaign are tax exempted under 80G of the Income Tax Act (India), &amp; 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (USA). Elderly deserve love, not neglect and hunger“There have been countless senior citizens, in extremely backward villages of the Sundarbans in West Bengal, who had not had a proper meal in days when we found them. We have seen people picking food from the garbage out of extreme hunger.”, recalls Ayesha of Mitti Cafe, while talking about the extent of hunger faced by senior citizens. According to Ayesha, there are thousands of elderly who have been either chucked out of their homes or have been left behind in villages by their children. “Our elderly don't deserve this life and it is our responsibility to come to their aid. If we come together we can ease the suffering of hundreds of people battling hunger and starvation. Donate now Our heroes’ war against hungerPersons with disability who were once discriminated against by society are today at the forefront of the fight to save abandoned elderly and children from hunger. The Karuna Meals team, comprising only of persons with disability has been able to cook and serve over 10 lakh meals. They have also distributed over 1 lakh packets of dry rations. ”They overlook their own struggles and suffering just to reach the elderly and provide them with the food they need,” says Ayesh. But their job is not yet done. “There are still many villages which have many malnourished and hungry seniors and we have not been able to reach them. But with your support, we can collectively end starvation,” she says. Donate now. Donate to this fundraiser by Give, India’s largest and most trusted online donation platform, to help the elderly fight hunger and malnutrition.

Support Mitti Cafe’s team of disabled heroes end hunger and malnutrition for thousands. Donate now

“What will happen to them after me? I am 80+. I spend sleepless nights,” worries ex-Air Force officer, Group Captain AC Barua while talking about the future of the 28 destitute women under his care. “They have nobody in this world, sometimes they don’t remember their own names. They are absolutely alone,” he informs us as he goes from one room to the other meeting all the women who live at Seneh, the only home where they are loved and taken care of. After fighting for his country all his life, this octogenarian is now fighting to rescue homeless and abandoned women from dying on the streets. But he cannot do it alone. “Everyday I keep on getting calls from here and there. ‘Oh! there’s a woman lying here. Can you help?’ But I don’t dare to go and help because I don’t have the money. I don’t have the resources, our resources are very limited,” explains Gr. Capt. Barua who is lovingly called ‘Sir’ and ‘Deuta’ (father in Assamese) by the residents of Seneh. With your help, 80-year-old Group Captain Barua can fulfill his mission of rescuing abandoned and homeless women from dying on the streets, alone. Donate nowDonate easily through UPI, all debit/credit cards and net banking. All donations to this fundraising campaign are tax exempted under 80G of the Income Tax Act (India), &amp; 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (USA).Seneh- a home filled with love, care and hopeThe residents of Seneh often don’t remember who they are, where they have come from. Many times these are women with mental health conditions and considered being a witch due to superstitious beliefs and beaten up as a result. They are victims of domestic abuse or widow mothers who are considered to be a burden on the family. Group Captain Barua has not only rescued them from critical conditions, he has provided them with urgent medical care, food and above all, a free safe shelter where they can live with love and care. Among these residents is Sarala Kalita who fled to save herself from the tortures of her alcoholic husband only to face neglect and trauma from her brothers- and sisters-in-law. “Both my brothers and their wives urged my father to leave me somewhere as they didn’t want to take care of me anymore. One day my brother’s wife didn’t even let me have food at home. She just wanted me to leave and go away. So that’s why, my father got in touch with Seneh through someone, and handed me over to Sir to take care of me,” says Sarita who has found joy in living at Seneh. “Coming to Seneh, it felt like I got a new life altogether. Sir has given me a harmonium. I love singing. It makes me forget everything and takes me to someplace else entirely,” she adds. More women like Sarala can find their way to a loving home like Seneh. All they need is a little bit of your kindness. “It is difficult to make both ends meet”To sustain their daily expenditure, Capt Barua needs approx ₹3 lakh a month and arranging the funds is a mammoth challenge for the NGO. “Our expenses are growing day by day. Residents are growing older, their sicknesses are increasing. At times we have to give them special food. They require more care so we have to get more employees. About half of them require leading around, 1-2 has to be fed also. It will be very difficult to sustain it unless we get help,” he added. One act of your kindness can save these abandoned women, with no one in this world, from struggling on the streets to survive. At 80+ Gr. Capt. Barua cannot sustain Seneh on his own. “With folded hands, I appeal to all. Please come and please help us. Let us help these people, these old people who have nobody in this world. They are dying. They will die on the streets,” he urged. Donate to this fundraiser by Give.do to support retired Air Force officer, Group Captain Barua in his mission to rescue abandoned and homeless women from dying on the streets.

After fighting for India, former Air Force officer is now fighting to save abandoned women. Help him, donate now

"My son used to kick me when he was in my womb. Why make an issue when he kicked me in my old age?" reasons a very forgiving Shakti Dasi. The widow travelled 2300 kms from Tripura to Vrindavan after her only son violently beat her with a burning plank of wood and broke her knee one evening. She had to leave behind the business she had built with her husband who had died a few years back. Shakti ended up on the streets of Brindavan begging for food and shelter. But when Winnie Singh of Maitri saw Shakti in a frail state in tattered clothes, she brought her to the shelter home where Shakti gets food, care and medicines. What more, with Maitri’s intervention, Shakti reconciled with her son - and daughter-in-law, and now travels home to Tripura twice a year to spend time with her grandchildren. But she is not leaving Maitri, as this has become her family.Not every elderly widow who comes to Vrindavan after being abandoned by her family gets as lucky as Shakti. Many of them often end up living a lonely life and begging to survive on the streets. Maitri aspires to take care of every widow in need of help.<img src="https://cfstatic.give.do/ce101369-528c-4d37-bc1d-1118b9925af3.jpg" />Maitri’s Project Jeevan to the rescueAbandoned, elderly widows are the amongst the most vulnerable in India. After being thrown out of their often abandoned by their own children and are forced to beg for food and shelter. “Through Project Jeevan, Maitri houses aging widow mothers in two ashrams in Vrindavan and Radhakund (Mathura), providing them with wellness and well-being. The programme also reaches out to widow mothers beyond the ashrams with fruit, milk and healthcare services,” explains Winnie Singh, co-founder and executive director, Maitri India.Save homeless elderly widows from begging on the streetsMost widows who make their way to Vrindavan are abandoned by their families, often after years of abuse. They come here hoping they will spend the rest of their days in prayer and devotion. But most live in impoverished conditions on the streets and in dingy rooms. Since poor living conditions often cause a wide range of health ailments, including respiratory infections and chronic conditions, Maitri comes to their rescue through its Project Jeevan.The project aims to:<ul><li>Provide meals leading to improved health and wellbeing</li><li>Make physical and mental health services accessible</li><li>Offer necessary quality aged care and assisted living support</li><li>Increase awareness on and engagement around the struggles of abandoned widow mothers</li></ul><img src="https://cfstatic.give.do/1abfb906-563b-4747-85b8-8af2071a2856.jpg" />Project Jeevan needs your support to help those in need of food, healthcare and well-being. Donate now.“Maitri urgently needs your support to provide food, clothing and healthcare to sustain these widow mothers who are prone to more illnesses as they age,” appeals Winnie.Maitri believes in a woman’s right to dignity in life and death, more so a mother. Our help will enable Maitri to save hundreds of abandoned widows from a life of begging, and restore the respect, dignity, and identity they deserve.

Save abandoned, elderly widow mothers of Vrindavan from begging on streets

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Differently Abled

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Community & Rural Development

Fellowship with Mentally Retarded (FMR) India, Asha Niketan was founded in April 1970 as a Society under the Mysore Registration of Societies Act of 1960. It has obtained an 80 G exception under the Income Tax Act of 1961 and has been granted the facility for the receipt of foreign funds under the FCR Act of 1975. FMR India is an affiliated member of L’Arche International which is made up of 154 communities spread over 5 continents and was founded in France in 1964 by Jean Vanier as a response of the poor’s cry. These communities offer homes, workshops, day programs and networks of support depending on the needs of their members and the availability of local resources. People with intellectual disabilities and the assistants who live with them develop relationships that go beyond helping and working. They build a life together: doing chores, making decisions, reflecting and evaluating, participating in meetings, get-together and celebrations - all this with regard for each other, especially for the most vulnerable. Each member is invited to participate fully in community life according to his or her abilities and desires. L’Arche grows naturally as a result of the mutually transformative relationship between people with intellectual disabilities and those who helped them.Asha Niketan is a small community that believes that all people are bound together in common humanity and that each one, whether handicapped or not, has a unique value in the love of God. Currently, we are active in five states as communities; Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, Nandi bazaar (near Calicut) and Asansol (West Bengal) sharing home-life and work with people with intellectual disabilities. Residential Project: While, at the Residential Unit, people with disabilities live in a family environment, they live and work with residential assistants, who live with them and take care of them as brothers and sisters. They live and work together as normal as possible in a secure environment adapted to the needs, wishes and abilities of people with disabilities. The main goal is to help them to be as independent as possible.Day Care Centre: The Day Care Centre is a place where children and teenagers up to 18 years are learning basic daily life skills, sensory skills, fine and gross motor skills, physical exercise, emotional and social life skills, literacy and counting skills, arts, advocacy, spirituality, games, etc. We accept and respect people with intellectual disabilities the way they are.Workshops: At the Handicraft Workshop Centre, we give them a place where they can work in a sheltered environment. There are two groups, one is care group and the other is the production group. The Care Group gets the simplest tasks and additional meaningful activities such as music class and more physical exercise. On the other hand, the Production Group works on more complicated tasks and has fewer activities. All members get a monthly incentive for their efforts. In order to meet their needs, wishes and capacities while giving them work facilities; different productions are processed like phenyl, candles, doormats, greetings cards.Garden: We even believe that the Garden is a place where our members can experience nature and the effects and results of their work reflect immediately. This promotes their connection to the environment and inculcates self-awareness in the minds of the core members. We also conduct different activities at a different level to create better mental understanding and physical ability in a healthy way. In the Garden, our members develop abilities and learn new skills, experience physical exercise and thus satisfaction is gained through working in nature.Self-Advocacy: In and through the various activities, weekly meetings are held in which the members with disabilities review the week. They are welcome to reflect on their own work or activities, communicate ideas, complaints and desires. This feedback is fixed in minutes and taken seriously. One member with a disability is part of the Community Council, which gives advice to both the Local Governing Council and the Community Leader on matters such as evaluation of staff, holiday-planning, admission of members with disabilities, concepts of programs, etc. With the help of these meetings and other initiatives wherever applicable, the members with disabilities are involved in the decision-making on all matters which concern them directly.Medical Assistance: Members with disabilities are provided with necessary medical and hygienic care; regular doctor check-ups with general physicians as well as with specialists such as ENT, Eye, Dental and Neurological are performed and dietary best practise are followed. Special needs like allergy or diabetes are taken care of, and special diets are prepared accordingly. Physiotherapy is provided in-house weekly by a professional physiotherapist, performed on a daily basis by trained Assistants.Celebrations and other Events: The community is full of regular celebrations for birthdays, national or religious holidays. On the weekends, Core Members enjoy going to churches, temples, beaches, tea shops and other similar outings with the Assistants.Outreach: Outreach work is a very important way of serving children and their families living in the neighbourhood of an Asha Niketan community. Asha Niketan Assistants help family members see their loved ones in a new light, honour their gifts, and recognize their abilities. They also offer practical support such as medicine and physiotherapy.

Donations through Give Foundation, registered under section 80G of India's Income Tax Act, 1961 are tax-deductible.

FMR India

Bharathi G

Fellowship with Mentally Retarded (FMR India)

This nonprofit is registered as a charitable trust under section 12A of India's Income Tax Act, 1961.

This nonprofit is registered under section 80G of India's Income Tax Act, 1961. This means you can deduct 50% of the donation you made through your tax return.

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Empowering Minds through Vocational TrainingWe are reaching out to invite you to join us in an impactful initiative aimed at transforming lives and fostering independence for individuals with intellectual challenges. Our vocational training unit, situated within the Asha Niketan, specializes in crafting candles, handmade handicrafts, and pen stands. We believe in the power of vocational training to empower these individuals and provide them with valuable life skills.Objective:The primary objective of our vocational training unit is to create a supportive environment where individuals with intellectual challenges can develop practical skills, gain a sense of accomplishment, and contribute meaningfully to society.Projects:<ol><li>Candle Making: Our participants engage in the art of candle making, producing a range of beautifully crafted candles. This not only hones their creativity but also provides a marketable skill.</li><li>Handicrafts: Through various handicraft projects, participants create unique and artistic pieces. This not only enhances their fine motor skills but also fosters a sense of pride in their creations.</li><li>Pen Stand Manufacturing: The production of pen stands not only provides a practical skill in woodworking but also contributes to the creation of functional and aesthetically pleasing items.</li></ol>Budget Breakdown (Rs 10 Lakh):<ol><li>Materials and Tools: Rs 7,00,000</li></ol><ul><li>Procurement of raw materials for candle making, handicrafts, pen stand manufacturing, mats, pillow covers.</li><li>Purchase of necessary tools and equipment.</li></ul><ol><li>Workshop Infrastructure: Rs 1,50,000</li></ol><ul><li>Renovation and maintenance of the workshop space to create a conducive learning environment.</li></ul><ol><li>Marketing and Sales: Rs 1,50,000</li></ol><ul><li>Promotional activities to market the products created by the vocational training unit.</li><li>Participation in local markets and events.</li></ul>How You Can Help:We are seeking your support through a crowdfunding initiative to raise Rs 10 lakh for our vocational training unit. Your contribution will directly impact the lives of these individuals, providing them with skills, confidence, and a sense of purpose.Donate Today:Benefits for Donors:<ol><li>Regular updates on the progress of the vocational training unit.</li><li>Recognition on our website and promotional materials.</li><li>A heartfelt thank-you from the participants whose lives you've touched.</li></ol>Your support will make a significant difference in the lives of individuals with intellectual challenges, empowering them to lead more fulfilling and independent lives. Together, we can create a community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.Thank you for considering our proposal and being a part of this transformative journey.Warm regards,

"Crafting Bright Futures: Supporting Vocational Training for Inclusive Independence"

Support Mitti Cafe’s team of disabled heroes end hunger and malnutrition for thousands. Donate now

After fighting for India, former Air Force officer is now fighting to save abandoned women. Help him, donate now

Save abandoned, elderly widow mothers of Vrindavan from begging on streets

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