"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.

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

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Healthcare

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Women Empowerment

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women

Swasthya Swaraj is a secular, not-for-profit, organization working towards making health a reality for the poorest. Swasthya Swaraj has set up a model community health programme called the Swasthya Swaraj Comprehensive Community Health Programme in the tribal-dominated Thuamul Rampur Block of Kalahandi district in Odisha, India. Our focus areas are health and education. We dream of a people’s movement for SWARAJ in health – a just and equitable society, free from the shackles of ill health, illiteracy, and poverty.

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

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Dr Aquinas Edassery

Dr Viswanath Jagannath

Dr Ajay Kumar Meher

Swasthya Swaraj Society

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.

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Gross undernutrition, illiteracy and poor health status of children of 0-12 yrs in remote tribal-dominant villages where particularly vulnerable tribal groups live.63% children are stunted indicative of chronic undernutrition, 49% are underweight and 13% having sever acute malnutrition. There is an urgent need for improving their health and nutrition along with their education status through tribal-friendly, creative means.  
 <ol><li>community mobilization in 80 tribal-dominant remote villages. I </li><li>formation of mothers committee in each village with regular meetings.</li><li>training of literate mothers and adolescent girls as per-school educators informally.</li><li>having one trained mother in each village and hamlet who is made competent to provide preschool education and motivate mothers to Send their children regularly to the anganwadi or mini-anganwadi</li><li>nutrition training and hands on training to mothers and adolescent Girls on child nutrition in the villages on a regular basis by Swasthya Swaraj staff.</li><li>Regular Underfive Children’s Clinic’s in each village once in 2 months by the team of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff.</li><li>Intervention in 15 Government Primary Schools iin 2/tribal-dominant gram panchayats transforming them as health And nutrition promoting schools.</li><li>school nutrition garden in each school and maintaining it with the help of village community and school community.</li><li>Nutrition supplements to children.</li><li>Regular community monitoring of all activities in each village.</li></ol> 
 <ol><li>Community’s awareness And participation in child nutrition will improve </li><li>Children living in remote hamlets will benefit as much as children in main village.</li><li>Children deprived of nutrition supplements and pre-school education will benefit from nutrition supplements as well as intellectual stimulation.</li><li>Number of Drop outs of primary schools will come down.</li><li>School education will become enjoyable and activity-oriented.</li><li>Health, education and nutrition of children studying in15 Government primary schools will improve.</li><li>Children will become health communicators in their families and village.</li></ol>

Support vulnerable tribal children from remote villages to improve their health nutrition status and education.

Extremely high maternal and newborn mortality is observed in the Adivasi-dominated Thuamul Rampur block of Kalahandi district in Odisha, India. Some of the contributing factors include:·         Lack of awareness on the importance of antenatal(before-birth) care·         Lack of availability and accessibility of good quality antenatal care services·         Lack of transportation facilities and infrastructure·         Low levels of literacy·         Gross poverty- 97% live below poverty line.·         Dysfunctional and unorganized community based institutions and schemes. 
 <ol><li>Training traditional birth attendants and mid-wives to detect high risk pregnancies and subsequently impart basic heath awareness and precautions during pregnancy and lactation period.</li><li>Training mid-level health volunteers or 'Swasthya Sathis' within the community to assist primary health practitioners.</li><li>Community based participatory learning and action.</li><li>Nutritional support to pregnant mothers and infants in grassroot level antenatal clinics.</li><li>Regular attendance of high quality doctors, nurses and paramedics of the organization, reaching out to previously inaccessible locations.</li><li>Educating and empowering adolescent tribal girls on nutrition, sexual and reproductive health.</li></ol> 
 1. Reduction in maternal deaths and newborn deaths.2. Improved nutrition levels of pregnant mothers.3. Early detection of high risk pregnancy and adequate referrals to .4. Reduction in high-risk home deliveries.5. Awareness and collective responsibility amongst the community for antenatal care. 6. Regular checkups of at least 80% of the pregnant women at antenatal clinics during pregnancy.

Reducing Maternal and Infant mortality through community empowerment, initiatives and participation.

Swasthya Swaraj is working in 76 villages of Thuamul Rampur block of Kalahandi district of Odisha. These villages are predominantly tribal populated. The important health indicators of any region include those of the most vulnerable groups, particularly women and children. The infant mortality rate is 107 per 1000 births and 62% of this high mortality is because of high newborn mortality. Early marriage, illiteracy, absence of health education and antenatal care facilities are important causes for this. Malaria is the number one killer in the region. 42% school children tested positive for malaria in mass screening. 50% of the underfive children are underweight and 60% of children are stunted. Prevalence of TB is also high in this area. Lacks of infrastructures - roads, public transport facilities and communication, have been major hindrances in allowing development to take place in this block. The geographical terrain is thickly forested and hilly, restricting reach to the interior areas. 
 1) Run 24/7 health clinics in remote villages (Kaniguma and Kerpai)2) Organise outreach health camps for pregnant women and children in far villages 3) Training of at least one woman per village as the village health worker and training of traditional birth attendants 4) Community health awareness activities with the help of community mobilisation and meetings 5) Training of educated tribal girls (minimum class 12) as community health practitioners under diploma in community health practice in local setting, in collaboration with Centurion university, Bhubaneswar 6) Health promotion as an initiative to improve education, health and nutrition in 15 government primary schools in 2 gram panchayats 7) Wholistic empowerment programme for tribal adolescent girls (TULSI programme) 8) Setting up community based nutrition centres (Gaon Poshan Gharo) for management of severe acute malnutrition in children in 10 locations. 
 Improved health seeking behavior is evident by the number of persons attending the out-patient department at the health centers. The numbers have increased from 120-150 per month in 2014 to 1200-1500 per month in 2017. Detection of malaria in its early stages has increased by 60%. The organizations’ health centers are the only two in the block equipped to manage medical emergencies such as severe malaria. The health centres have saved many lives. Skin diseases such as scabies used to be more than 60% of the patient load in the early years.This has come down to

Support tribal people from remote villages in availing quality healthcare services 

Undernutrition in pregnant mothers is a serious problem in tribal areas. This leads to poor weight gain during pregnancy and low birth weight babies. The average weight gain of a pregnant mother is found to be 5.5 kg in this area, whereas the expected weight gain in a pregnant mother is 10-12 Kg. 58% of babies born are low birth weight (&lt;2.5 kg) and 5% very low birth weight (&lt;1.5 kg).              The causes for the poor weight gain during pregnancy is undernutrition and extensive physical work in the fields coupled with poor food intake. Mostly, food intake is only twice a day, with hardly any protein components. Poverty, lack of transportation and communication modes makes it difficult for pregnant mothers to access the much-needed healthcare. This makes it necessary for our organisation to reach out to them. 
 Swasthya Swaraj works to improve the nutritional status and weight gain during pregnancy of pregnant mothers, by providing them good nutritional support and nutrition education along with antenatal care, in Kalahandi, Odisha. The means of our process is as follows; -<ul><li>Regular antenatal clinics, where medical care is given to pregnant women, are conducted in remote villages. These clinics are conducted in 10 hard to reach locations, once in two months. The team consists of doctors, nurses, lab technicians, community nurses and support staff.</li><li>Detailed physical examination, anthropometry, blood tests, risk assessment, treatment and health education are done at these antenatal clinics.</li><li>Each pregnant mother is encouraged to visit the antenatal clinic at least 4 times during the course of her pregnancy.</li><li>Nutritious snacks, lunch, and take-home nutrition supplements are provided at the clinics.</li><li>We also combine the antenatal clinics with under-5 clinics, as young children often accompany their mothers.</li></ul> 
 <ul><li>Reduction in percentage of babies born with low birth weight, from 58% to 10%.</li><li>Increase in the average weight gain of pregnant mothers, from 5kg to 10kg.</li><li>Pregnant women complete minimum 4 antenatal visits. They receive better care along with health &amp; nutrition education.</li></ul>