"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

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

“They insert a candle in the vagina, fingers are inserted (in the vagina) and tortured, and if children don’t relent even then, they put chilli powder so that children will say “yes” because of the burning of the skin… There are teeth marks on their bodies, and their vaginal parts are burnt. When children stay in these conditions, it is painful even to hear,” says Lalitha SA of Society for Participatory Integrated Development (SPID), in course of talking about many heart-rending stories of trafficked children in red-light areas.In over three decades, the SPID led by Lalitha, has saved over 3000 children from the red-light areas, many from clutches of sex trafficking.Sadly, many more children need to be rescued and in need of a loving home. But Lalitha needs our support to carry on the mission, to move out of her small facility so that she can rescue more children, house them in a permanent location and give them all the love they deserve. Your support can help her give these children 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).A movement to protect vulnerable childrenAs a social worker, Lalitha has worked for decades in GB Road, the red-light area of Delhi and helped many women escape the clutches of being forced into sex. But it was the exploitation of children, many of them hardly ten or twelve or even less. The SPID has focused on rescuing such children and giving them a new life.Lalitha plays a vital role in the survival and safety of vulnerable children in the red light areas. As SPID is almost entirely dependent on donations from the public, we can support and strengthen SPID’s mission to save children. Donate generously.Donation to SPID’s fundraiser on Give.do“I have limited funds and very limited space, and if I had the funds, I would be able to rescue many more children and provide them with more comfort. With folded hands, I plead with you that you help us with funds in large numbers and support us in providing us children with a decent life. Become a part of the mission,” pleads LalithaDonate to this fundraiser by Give, India’s largest and most trusted online donation platform, to help Lalitha give hundreds of children rescued from brothels a life away from violence and abuse.NGO's 80G number: AADAS3217RF20212NGO's 12A number: AADAS3217RE20214

This Navratri, help Lalitha give kids rescued from abuse in red-light areas a safe and loving home. Donate now.

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

Disaster Relief

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Education

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Children

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 Environment For the purpose of testing I will use the word Hunger & HomelessnessHunger & HomelessnessHunger & Homelessness.

Hunger & Homelessness

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Environment

women

Goonj (<a href="http://www.goonj.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">www.goonj.org</a>), founded in 1999 by Magsaysay award winner Mr Anshu Gupta is a multi-award-winning social enterprise that works on poverty alleviation, rural development, and disaster relief and rehab. Goonj uses the cities’ discards as fuel for wide-spread development work across villages in India, creating a barter between two new currencies - one, the urban underutilized material, and second, the efforts of rural communities who work on neglected issues around water, sanitation, agriculture, education, local infrastructure, access, etc. In the last 8 years (2014-2022) itself, we have reached out to more than 12 million people, facilitated 55,000+ development activities and channelized more than 45 million kgs of material across 31 states &amp; UTs of India.

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

Abhinav Dutta

Advaita Parashar

Amarjeet Patel

Priyanka Pandey

Goonj

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.

SHAHZAD HUSENI BARODAWALA

Successful concluded Goonj collection drive focused on collecting ration and stationery at Goregaon (E) at 3 locations - DB Woods- Raheja Residency - Oberoi Garden City (OGC) With Vaibhav Bhandari, Shaina M Tholath, Aditi Gupta, Smita Kapoor, Garima Jindal

Goonj Collection Drive for Dry Ration & Stationery

Jibin Joy

Checkout following links on Goonj Rahat-covid work:https://goonj.org/support-covid-19-affected/ https://goonj.org/dignitydiaries/

The Way Forward is Paved with Dignity

Shahzad Barodawala

As climate change wreaks havoc in all of our lives, paving the way for more disasters, and collapses of the ecosystem, some areas are already facing devastation.. Parts of Bihar submerged We are there.. Need you too.. To get involved: https://goonj.org/donate/

Parts of Bihar submerged  We are there.. Need you too..  #RahatFloods #Goonj

The new wave of Covid has pushed more people into poverty...these already-invisible people are losing their battle for sustenance... In this issue of Ground Report, we speak about their dignity, giving you a glimpse of our ongoing work with these Missed-out Communities on different issues...from hunger, medical needs and livelihood. We are there..Need you too.. Full report here: <a href="https://cutt.ly/Gnj75cj" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://cutt.ly/Gnj75cj</a>

Dignity Diaries- Not Ignoring the Missed Out Communities

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

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Children in urban and rural schools dwell on two opposite spectrum of resource gaps: one blessed in abundance while other grapples for even basics. A small village school's needs are very basic and comprises of only the indispensable components of learning. In most cases, students don't even have basic stationery, uniforms and mats to sit on. The lack of such essentials discourages them to go schools becoming key factor for major dropouts and hindering their learning process. 
 Goonj’s “School To School” initiative is addressing the educational needs of thousands of remote and resource starved village/ slum schools by channelizing under-utilized material of city’s affluent schools, not as things to distribute but as tools to bring about comprehensive behavioral changes. Children take up various creative learning activities for which they are rewarded with carefully designed “School Kits” . All stakeholders in education; teachers, children, parents, local community get involve, be part of problem finding process and collectively find resolution. 
 Apart from fulfilling and continuously catering to material gap, there was positive impact on attendance in schools, learning became more fun with adequate resources and with reciprocal engagement, children learnt about achievement and dignity at young age rather than being exposed to charity. Parents, teachers and community members not only took ownership of what they did but becomes important figures in larger scheme of conducive learning process. In the financial year 2017-18, Goonj has reached out over 39,000 “School Kits” in over 2000 schools and other educational set ups in over 1000 villages

School to School

Climate change is showing huge impact on our environment. Increasing amount of waste and its mismanagement is directly contributing to massive GHG emissions. Landfills, the last resort in the waste hierarchy, is a source of greenhouse gas linked to climate change. The ill-effects of the climate change have been severe in spaces where people’s livelihood depends on natural resources. Thus, the well-being of millions of households in rural and tribal belts of India is getting affected. Dependent on natural resources and climate, the worst hit agriculture and allied sectors employ more than half of the workforce. Majority of farmers in India also have small and marginal holdings. Furthermore, the pandemic has severely affected lives and livelihoods across rural India. 
 Goonj’s flagship initiative Cloth for Work uses the cities’ discard for fueling widespread development work for the most neglected communities in the most neglected geographies in areas that have a long-standing impact on their development such as infrastructure, water, livelihood, sanitation, health, and hygiene, etc.Our work with communities happens in simultaneous cycles across the country :Step 1 - Cumulation of urban surplus headed for discard to the landfills. This discard consists of clothing, footwear, books, stationery, etcStep 2 - Recycling and upcycling of urban discard into different need based customized kits for the rural populationStep 3 - Community Mobilization and Development includes interaction with the communities and grassroots development activities like digging wells, making bamboo bridges, sanitation drives, building kitchen gardens, road repair, etc,Step 4- Channelisation of the need based customised kit of essentials as a reward to the thereby reducing material poverty Contribute to our initiative and let us take forward the mission of reaching out to even the last mile communities forward. 
 <ul><li>Building an ongoing nationwide network of channels of material from the cities to the villages, ensuring a continuous resource available for addressing critical issues in village India </li><li>Bringing the community together, making them socially and culturally stronger about their own resources, wisdom and ideas.</li><li>Bringing the infrastructural changes to make them stronger economically and climatically, helps resolve short term and long term challenges better like migration, health, nutrition, sanitation, productivity etc.</li><li> It involves the masses in development work, turning people from urban cities into a volunteer (isolated from rural realities earlier) and making them more aware about village India. </li><li>Instead of making village communities dependent on outside help or material, it encourages them to use their own resources and capacities to address their problems </li><li>Instead of just talking about issues like health, education, cleanliness and infrastructure etc. GOONJ is demonstrating practical solutions for NGO’s and village communities to emulate and replicate on their own.</li></ul>

School to School

Rural Community and Household Development

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

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

This Navratri, help Lalitha give kids rescued from abuse in red-light areas a safe and loving home. Donate now.

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