"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

For a mother who has spent her entire life loving and raising her child, being beaten and mercilessly thrown out onto the streets by her own son is too heartbreaking to overcome. But this is a common story among the elderly residents of the Guru Vishram Vridh Ashram. “I’ve seen mothers in old and torn clothes, their bodies smelling and their hands and feet rotting and covered in maggots,” shares Dr. G.P. Bhagat, founder of the ashram. These abandoned elderly men and women lay starving on the streets hoping for someone to rescue them from their suffering. But most people walk past them without a second glance. “Like this”, Dr. Bhagat explains, “many elders die on the roads.”Since 2003, SHEOWS (Saint Hardyal Educational and Orphans Welfare Society) has rescued over 10,000 elderly people from the streets and given them a home with care and support. The elderly staying at the ashram have all been abandoned by their families and have nowhere else to live. Your support can give them comfort after their abandonment. Donate now.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). Safe and loving homeFor 20 years, SHEOWS has been providing free shelter, nutritious food three times a day, clothing, medical care, recreation activities and emotional support to abused and disabled elderly people rescued from the streets of Delhi. The Guru Vishram Vridh Ashram has a dedicated rescue team that saves the elderly from the streets and gives them immediate medical care upon their arrival at the home. To tend to the multiple health complications of the seniors, the home has a medical facility with doctors and nurses, a physiotherapy unit, a pathology lab, a digital X-ray monitoring machine and a pharmacy to provide 24-hour care to older adults anytime they require assistance, even during emergencies. Dr. Bhagat prioritizes the health of the seniors and ensures that they receive three balanced meals a day based on their precise health requirements. Need for the fundraiserThe humanitarian mission of SHEOWS is making an impact in the area, as more and more people are being rescued and brought to Guru Vishram Vridh Ashram. To meet the financial costs of running the home, SHEOWS needs support to continue providing the residents with all the facilities that they need. This includes constant care and round-the-clock medical attention, nutritious food and maintaining a hygienic environment to keep the seniors in comfort and good health. Dr. Bhagat explains that as the number of residents is increasing, SHEOWS needs support for food and medicines. “I request you to help these elderly parents lead a peaceful life.”Donate now to help Dr. Bhagat continue caring for the 500 destitute elderly and giving them shelter, food, medical care and the will to carry on living despite their tragic abandonment by their families. Your support will enable SHEOWS to keep serving abandoned senior citizens and help them recover from the trauma of abandonment and life on the streets. “I have been serving these elderly as if they were my own parents”, shares Dr. Bhagat. “I want only one thing - their tears should vanish and they should have a smile on their faces.” To help Dr. Bhagat achieve this dream, your support is critical. Donate now to help SHEOWS care for more abandoned elderly. Donate to this fundraiser by Give, India’s largest online donation platform, to support SHEOWS in their mission to rescue the abandoned elderly from the streets and give them shelter, food, medical care, recreational activities and emotional support.

This Diwali, help Dr. Bhagat care for 500+ elderly parents rescued from abuse and homelessness

In the dark and dingy alleys of red light areas, injustice, pain and suffering run rampant. And the worst affected are the children who grow up in red-light areas and are subjected to constant abuse and violence. “The sight of a 12-year-old girl being gang-raped by a group of men near a house l haunts me to this date. I was filled with anguish and resolved to do something,” says Girish Kulkarni who has made it his life’s mission to rescue children from red light areas and give them a safe and secure childhood. In the last 3 decades Girish has saved over 1100 girls from a life of abuse in red-light areas, giving them a loving home, education and medical care. He has further supported over 20,000 children with a better life.Sadly, 250 of the children rescued from abuse and exploitation are HIV positive. The high cost of medication has left Girish struggling for funds. Your support can help him provide these children with the care and upbringing they need. Donate now.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). A movement to protect vulnerable children“Growing up in Ahmednagar, the experiences I had as a child witnessing the horrors of sex trade defined the path of my life. I had even seen my friend’s 15-year-old sister and 70-year-old grandmother being forced to do sex work for the price of a cup of tea”, recalls Girish. “I started by merely feeding and teaching children of sex workers initially with the intention of giving them some respite from the horrors of life of abuse in red-light areas. Gradually more and more mothers started coming to me and asked me to take their children away, even if it was just for a couple of hours,” he further adds.The work that Girish started in his youth gradually grew to become a movement, with many more joining his cause. His NGO Snehalaya to date has transformed the lives of millions. Girish’s work is crucial for the survival and safety of vulnerable children of sex workers. Snehalaya is almost entirely dependent on donations from the public and your support can strengthen his mission to save children most in need. Donate generously.The horrors of life in red light areas“The cruelty and abuse that children as young as 6 or 7 years of age face is something that I can’t explain in words. Young daughters of sex workers are made to watch their mothers being raped, are brutally assaulted and forced into sex work. No child deserves to grow like this, Girish says in anguish.Sad reality of life for children growing up in red light areas is that they are deprived of even the most basic needs like proper food, safety and education. Moreover, a majority of children rescued by Girish are diagnosed HIV positive. The task of securing medication, providing them quality education and much needed nutrition is one that requires constant support from donors. Moreover, the increase in healthcare cost has left Girish struggling to keep his home for children going. But your support can enable him to give his children a loving environment and save many more who still remain trapped behind closed doors.Donate to this fundraiser by Give, India’s largest and most trusted online donation platform, to help Snehalaya give hundreds of children rescued from red-light areas a life away from violence and abuse.

Help Girish give 250 HIV+ children, rescued from abuse in red-light areas a new life

This is a sample description for Women Empowerment. For the purpose of testing I will use the word Women EmpowermentWomen EmpowermentWomen Empowerment.

Women Empowerment

This is a sample description for Healthcare. For the purpose of testing I will use the word HealthcareHealthcareHealthcare.

Healthcare

This is a sample description for Children. For the purpose of testing I will use the word Childrenchildrenchildren.

Children

This is a sample description for education. For the purpose of testing I will use the word EducationEducationEducationEducation.

Education

This is a sample description for Community & Rural Development. For the purpose of testing I will use the word Community & Rural DevelopmentCommunity & Rural DevelopmentCommunity & Rural Development.

Community & Rural Development

This is a sample description for Disaster Relief. For the purpose of testing I will use the wordDisaster ReliefDisaster ReliefDisaster Relief.

Disaster Relief

This is a sample description for Livelihood. For the purpose of testing I will use the word LivelihoodLivelihoodLivelihoodLivelihood.

Livelihood

This is a sample description for Elderly Care. For the purpose of testing I will use the word Elderly CareElderly CareElderly Care.

Elderly Care

Sabuj Sangha is a non-government civil society organization working in an integrated and sustainable approach towards the betterment of the lives of disadvantaged communities in West Bengal, India. It adopts a participatory process and focuses on the empowerment of local communities, especially women. Sabuj Sangha evolved out of a social club initiated in 1954 in the village of Nandakumarpur in South 24 Parganas, West Bengal. In the initial years, Sabuj Sangha became involved in local efforts to enhance the wellbeing of communities living in the region. In 1975, the organisation was registered under West Bengal Society Registration Act, 1961. Since then, it has grown into a state-level organisation working intensively in three districts in development programmes and continuously expanding its reach in terms of geography and focus areas. It addresses a wide range of interlinked developmental issues faced by poverty stricken communities and their children. The organization is also registered under Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act 1976, Section 12A &amp; 80G of Income Tax Act 1961; empanelled with NITI Ayog, Government of India, National CSR Hub of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences and accredited by Credibility Alliance.The organisation has grown significantly since, spreading North throughout South 24 Parganas, Kolkata, East Medinipur and into Alipurduar district also Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation &amp; Kolkata Municipal Corporation of West Bengal. Our Vision is to secure a society where all people enjoy equal rights and access to equal opportunities. Our Mission is the sustainable development of marginalized and vulnerable people to improve quality of life through empowerment, education, information, infrastructure development, healthcare provision and economic self-reliance through convergence of services provided by local self-governments.

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

Donations through Give Foundation, Inc. a registered US 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization, are tax-deductible.

Donations through GIVE, a registered charity in UK, are covered under Gift Aid

Arunabha Das

Sabuj Sangha

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.

This nonprofit is registered under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), 2010. This means it can accept donations from foreign nationals.

Create change with NGOs on Give.do! Explore 3,000+ NGOs dedicated to causes like human rights, animal welfare and healthcare. Your contribution matters!

Find the best NGOs in India on Give.do and Donate to Fundraisers

NGOs Listing page

Globally, 285 million people are visually impaired, 90% of which are from developing countries[1]. Uncorrected refractive errors are the main causes of visual impairment with cataracts being the leading cause of blindness in developing countries. Other causes of blindness include glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, corneal opacities, diabetic retinopathy, trachoma, and eye conditions in children. Age-related blindness is increasing throughout the world, as is blindness due to uncontrolled diabetes. However, three-quarters of all blindness can be prevented or treated. 8.5% of Indian people above 50 years of age are blind with 2 million going blind as a result of cataract. This accounts for 81% of all cases of blindness in the country. Other causes of blindness include Refraction error (7%), Corneal opacity (3%), Glaucoma (2%), Infections (0.2%), Vitamin A deficiency (0.04%). Further causes include Retinopathies (Diabetes, Hypertension), Retinal Detachments and Tumours[2]. The Need for Eye-Care in the Sundarbans In the Sundarbans, due to a lack of food, many families do not have a balanced diet and they are often deprived of necessary vitamins and other nutrients that are important for maintaining healthily eyes. They work long hours in physically demanding jobs such as agriculture and fishing. They are exposed to harmful UV radiation from direct and reflected sunlight for long hours. Students study in homes or hostels under low light, such as kerosene lamps or candles.  There are no eye-care facilities in the Sundarbans and as a result, people have no choice but to ignore eye complaints. A simple foreign body injury to the cornea (which is common in the locality), can render a person unable to work, reducing food security for the whole family. Every year thousands of elderly men and women have to travel to Kolkata for cataract or dacrocystitis/ ptrygium/ chalazion surgery or even simple syringing. This is expensive and is only an option for the very few. Thousands more cases are untreated and as a result, these people lose their sight. Particularly the poor and very poor population suffers most, as they cannot afford to travel and get treated in distant places. In a survey of the project area we have found that 29% of the patients simply wait for natural cure – whenever they realize they have some sort of Health problem. Others go for cheap traditional remedies – including witchcraft / faith healing. ‘Modern treatment’ is available, on credit, through untrained quacks, who make a fortune by fully utilizing the vacuum. Children are also at risk. Inadequate diet and a lack of nutritional supplements results, in Vitamin A deficiency, a leading cause of blindness among children. In addition to this, several hundred children go blind from accidental injuries to the eye.  
 In every month, approximately 1000 people are expected to be reached through the vision centers &amp; Health center OPD. From these 1000 people and from OPD services at the hospital, it is expected that an approximate no. of 60 patients every month will be referred to the hospital for surgery. Number of patients will increase over time, as the coverage increases and spreads to adjacent blocks. 
 We wish to provide below mention services through the vision centers &amp; Health center OPD·        Outreach camp through Vision Center·        Surgery  of Cataract, Squint, Pterygium, Chalazion, Glaucoma surgery·        Surgery of DCR, DCT, Enucleating Services is provided with a low-cost rate, ensuring that they are affordable and accessible to communities. For Above Poverty Line (APL), there will be no subsidized rate.we expect to provide services below:1.      12,000 people access OPD facility per year2.      11,000 people attend eye-care camps per year3.      600 cataract patients per year4.      2000 non cataract ophthalmic cases

Help a senior Citizen for Cataract Surgery

53% of children in India under the age of 10 do not receive any formal education. In the majority of cases this is because families simply cannot afford to send their children to school. Children who do manage to receive non-formal education are treated unequally and fall behind when it comes to job opportunities compared with students who attend formal school. 
 Since 2008, we have been running the National Child Labour School. The school was initiated under the Government of India's National Child Labour Programme (NCLP) and prioritises placing child labourers into formal schools. All children receive monthly allowances, vocational training, and midday meals. We also provide regular health check-ups. 
 From our last group, 16 students were tutored and admitted into formal school. Rs. 1200 is all that it takes to give a child labourer a new positive direction.

Help child labourers get back into education

The vast majority of West Bengal depends heavily on rain-fed agriculture for their livelihoods. The availability of water and quality of soil therefore dictate their economic health. In the deeper parts of West Bengal people faces various challenges due to climate change. With rising sea levels, islands are disappearing and the increased salinity in the water and soil is severely affecting the crops. There have been serious disturbances of hydrological parameters and change in fishing patterns, resulting in disastrous consequences for the fishermen community. Frequent cyclones and erratic monsoon rain pattern are giving serious threat to the livelihoods of thousands of people. The soil deprived of moisture, caused crop failure year after year, plummeting people to extreme poverty or migration. If the current trends in terms of loss of bio-diversity, degradation of natural resources and increasing vulnerability to climate risk continue, the eco-region will be severely damaged within few decades. Several habitations will be sub-merged under sea water, thousands of people will be homeless, wild life will be destroyed, and overall, the entire area, including the city of Kolkata will be prone to frequent cyclones. 
 The right resource management, agricultural techniques, various livelihood development programme along with necessary skilling and training, vulnerable communities can be better placed to tackle the vagaries of nature. i.   Livelihood and Skill Development, introduction of various livelihood opportunities i.e. poultry farming, kitchen garden, honey collection, pisciculture (fishery) etc. and also skill development programmes. ii.   Ensuring education and promotion of SMART Schooliii.   Providing support in terms of Sanitation and hygiene at community level and school leveliv.   Awareness programmes on maintaining basic hygiene and sanitation v.   Construction of safe drinking watervi.   Extend handhold support to farmers’ community of Sagar Island for sustenance and enhancement of their product and productivity through demonstration and dissemination of skill, knowledge and modern agro technology;vii.   Analysis of Climate Change impact and build up all possible solutions;viii.   Build the capacities of and promote entrepreneurships among the rural youthix.   Promote practice of Organic Farming at micro level;  x.   Set up saline tolerant Seed Banks for Agriculture, Horticulture and Mangroves;xi.   Set up various Agricultural Models for widespread knowledge dissemination on high utilization of all available Natural Resources among the Rural Agrarian Communities e.g. Cultivators, Fishermen etc.xii.   Set up an Agro – Equipment Bank and finally xiii.   Create a community based institution that continues to work as source for knowledge and needed resource support and build strong climate resilient community.xiv.   Construction of Climate resilience community 
 The Integrated Development programme seeks to bring about dignified and healthy living among the rural communities and strengthen community self-governance. This programme attempts to provide rural communities, with tools and means to grow and prosper. In short this programme aims to create a society where all the people will enjoy equal rights and access to equal opportunities.

Integrated Development  for ensure quality life of the Marginalized people

The Super Cyclone Amphan has impacted large number of people who are in distressing situation. There is no electricity in the South 24 Parganas district and the internet connectivity is very poor due to the low mobile network connection. Numerous trees have fallen, which have caused extensive damage to infrastructures and also blockages of roads. There has been extensive damage to standing crops. Livestock have been perished in huge numbers. Hundreds of trees were uprooted as the storm gathered intense speed by evening.Residents of the Sunderbans said Amphan had been far more destructive than Aila in 2009 and Bulbul in 2019.A jetty on the Buriganga river collapsed at Kachuberia village.District officials said several river embankments in the Sunderbans had been washed away or breached, and several areas were flooded. As per the preliminary assessment by the officials at ground; "It’s difficult to assess the loss of property and crops right now. But according to reports, the entire Sunderbans have been affected."A preliminary assessment indicates that over 2,000 thatches dwellings have collapsed in Bakkhali, Frasergunj, Namkhana, Sagardwip and Diamond Harbour. 
 Restoration of village level local economy by creating approx. 4,000 workdays in the target villages through cash-for-work. This will help in generation of opportunities of work for daily wage earners to develop / improve the existing community resources for disaster resilience within the village and pay cash in return. - 20% of total beneficiaryLivelihood activities of target families revived through the support on next crop planning, treatment &amp; improvement of Fisheries/Pond based integrated farming, regeneration of livestock (Poultry farming), etc. This will also include activities and support on Agriculture in terms of skill &amp; capacity building and material supportto develop Pond based integrated farming, Kitchen garden, betel vine - 40% of total beneficiarySupport on Animal Husbandry (Goatery, poultry etc.&amp; Fisheries) in terms of skill &amp; capacity building and material supportto develop poultry and other livestock rearing like goatery, etc – 15-20% of total beneficiarySupport on Trading &amp; Medical in terms of skill &amp; capacity building and material supportto develop small scale business, handicrafts, Pisciculture, rice production and selling - 10% to 15% of total beneficiary.Target families enabled to access their rights and entitlements from the government, and also mitigate risks from future disasters through DRR and awareness activities  
 <ul><li>Restoration of local economy as well as damaged infrastructure in 4 project Blocks</li><li>Mobile medical camp will organized for affected community.</li><li>over 1000 men and women revived their livelihood activities </li><li>Community will clean through providing lime &amp; bleaching</li><li>Conduct meetings with government officials on better dissemination of weather forecast and crop planning </li><li>1000 families are expected to have better understanding of their entitlements from the government  </li></ul>

SUNDARI; An Early Recovery Programme for Livelihood Restoration and Build back Support to Super Cyclone Amphan Affected People in South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal