“My 8-year-old son was diagnosed with cancer and it left the entire family devastated. I was told the cost of treatment would run into lakhs. I was barely managing to make ends meet and there was nothing I could do to save Swaroop. But the Nargis Dutt Foundation stepped in and took care of all the expenses. I can’t even imagine the consequences had they not been there for my son,,” says teary-eyed Devendra.The helplessness that Devendra felt is not uncommon among low-income families of cancer patients. There are many who helplessly see their dear ones, including children, lose their life in the most painful manner. Nargis Dutt Foundation has ensured that thousands of families don’t see this fate. It’s been a ray of hope for thousands of cancer patients since its inception over 40 years back. You can help save many more patients with cancer. 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). The cost of each chemotherapy is as much as ₹15,000 and a cancer patient can require between 6 to 12 sessions. The hefty cost for cancer treatment is well beyond the reach for poor families that are barely surviving on two square meals a day. Help Nargis Dutt Foundation provide treatment to poor cancer patients and save them from a slow and painful death.Giving hope to cancer patients“I was just 13 when my mother was diagnosed with cancer. When I saw my mother struggling for life it left a lifelong impact on me. Her condition had deteriorated to such an extent she was almost unrecognisable. I know how it feels like to lose a loved one to cancer and I am not alone in my grief. There are thousands of people struggling to save their family members,” says Priya, daughter of noted actress Nargis Dutt, who lost her life to cancer, and in whose name the NGO has been founded. Priya has made it her life’s mission to save as many cancer patients as she can, but she can not do it alone. Nargis Dutt Foundation needs your support. Your donation can not only save cancer patients but can give life to entire families.Need for the fundraiserCancer is often seen as a death sentence. But doctors say that if detected early and if a patient receives essential treatment, the illness can be defeated and the person can return to their lives. “Treatment of cancer often depends on multiple factors including the type of cancer and the stage in which it is detected. Some patients require surgery while some can be cured with just chemotherapy or immunotherapy. “Whatever may be the need, our nonprofit supports patients till the time they are cancer free. We not only take care of the cost of treatment but even assist patients with nutrition which is vital in the fight against cancer. Moreover, we ensure that family members who are already facing immense hardships get proper accommodation and food during treatment so they don’t suffer any further,” says the NGO leader. With your support, Nargis Dutt Foundation can help patients win the fight against cancer and save their families from grief of losing a loved one.Donate to this fundraiser by Give, India’s largest and most trusted fundraising platform, to support Nargis Dutt Foundation in their mission to give life-saving chemotherapy and care to cancer patients who can not afford treatment.

500 cancer patients are fighting for life, help Nargis Dutt Foundation give them urgent chemotherapy

“The Hummingbird School is my only hope to succeed in life. I feel I am trying to swim out of this place (Majuli) and my school stands as a beacon on the other side of the river. If my school closes down, I feel I will drown in this river. Not just me but every child in villages around here and our families depend on this school”, says Roopjyoti, a bright, young student of Ayang Trust’s The Hummingbird School.Majuli Island, where The Hummingbird School is situated is shrinking rapidly, leaving a majority of its residents struggling to survive. For the children of this impoverished tribal community, education remains the only way out of suffering.Your support to Ayang Trust’s Hummingbird School can ensure that its students can have a future different from their parents who are struggling to get even two meals a day. 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).From IIT Kharagpur to Majuli“When I first visited the remote villages of Majuli I was shocked. The extent of the struggles here was beyond my imagination. These villages had no connectivity to the outside world, no healthcare, no education, there was absolutely nothing”, says Bipin Dhane founder of the school. Bipin, who grew up in the small town of Satara in Maharashtra, faced countless financial hardships. Despite his struggles, Bipin secured admission to the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, and then went on to take up a job in Singapore. Owing to his childhood experiences Bipin was always inclined towards helping the less fortunate, and he believed in the transformative power of education. It was in 2016 that Bipin left his lucrative career abroad and moved to Majuli, to provide the children from this inaccessible river island education they were deprived of.“Whatever little money I had saved, I gave it to my parents. I had no money to start the school. It was then that villagers came together to build bamboo huts. Each family donated bamboo, wood, and whatever little they could. It was the parents of our students who erected huts for the school to start”, shares Bipin while talking about the inception of The Hummingbird School in 2017.Help Bipin save underprivileged children of Majuli Island from generational poverty and give them a chance to succeed. Donate now.Donate to save future generations“People of the island value education greatly because they know that their children have no future without it. Parents have vested their faith in The Humming Bird School because they don't want their children to suffer the way they have been”, says Bipin. Bipin says, “Today we have over 280 students in our school and about 90 children live in our hostel. Many of these children are orphaned and have no means of survival. I urge each one of you to come forward and donate to us so we can help hundreds of children escape from the cycle of poverty.”Donate to this fundraiser by Give, India’s largest and most trusted online donation platform, to help children of Majuli Island get an education and break the cycle of poverty.

For tribal children of Majuli Island, education is the only way out. Help Bipin ensure they go to school

“I never set foot in a school and I can’t read or write but today when I see my daughter speak in English, it fills my heart with so much joy. I am a rickshaw puller, I couldn’t dream of sending my child to an English medium school”, says Murtuza, one of the thousands of underprivileged slum dwellers who have found hope at Samaritan Help Mission School.After being kicked out of school in class 7th due to poverty, Mamoon Akthar resolved that he would ensure no child was deprived of education the way he was. He started Samaritan Help Mission for children from slums and today is schooling over 6,500 students. Your support can ensure that thousands of children can escape poverty and a life of suffering. 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).Poverty - an invisible cageThousands of people continue to be trapped in an unending cycle of poverty in slums across the country, where generation after generation struggles for their mere survival. Mamoon Akhtar, who grew up in the slums of Tikiapara, Kolkata, has embarked on a mission to break this cycle through education. “My teachers came and told me your fees are not cleared. And if you don't clear the fees you will not be allowed to sit for the exam. It was that day that I had to leave the school. I thought that I will someday create the opportunity for children from slums which I never got” recalls Mamoon.While talking about the deplorable condition of children in slums, Mamoon shared that each year countless innocent lives are destroyed by abusers and exploiters. “For these children for whom school is a luxury, the only option left is rag-picking. The children are misused and pulled into a life of crime. They remain illiterate and the cycle of poverty never ends”, he further says. Support the Samaritan Help Mission and join the movement“I started with just six students in my thatched roof hut in the slums. But I did not even have the money to buy books and copies for the children. I went around collecting waste paper from office buildings and then sold that to provide supplies for my students. Today I am educating over 6,500 students in our school”, Mamoon added.Mamoon says “If we fail to provide these children the education and opportunities they deserve, these children will lose all hope of a future. They will continue to remain in darkness.I urge each one to come and join me in helping thousands of children from the most backward and impoverished families to break free from poverty, illiteracy and generational poverty.”Donate to this fundraiser on Give, India’s largest and most trusted online donation platform, to help Mamoon shine the light of education on underprivileged children from slums and brighten their lives forever.

Help Mamoon Akhtar give 6,000 kids from the poorest families a bright future through education

Sanjhi Sikhiya started in 2019 to address the problem of ‘lack of learning’ for each and every child in Punjab. At Sanjhi Sikhiya, we believe that foundational learning holds the key to Punjab's resurgence. Our mission is simple yet profound: to empower every child with foundational capabilities in an enabling environment. We believe that lasting change can happen only when we :-   Strengthen the existing structures & processes instead of building new ones  Enable the people closest to the problems to solve the problems Bring people together for a shared purpose.  Thus,  taking a systems reform approach , we aim to strengthen both the demand and supply of quality Public education by enabling teacher leadership & excellence, community participation and effective policies.  Currently we are directly operating in selected clusters of 4 districts of Punjab - Fatehgarh Sahib, Ropar, Patiala & Bathinda; covering 500 Schools, 1454 teachers and 38676 Students. Our vision is to expand our presence across all districts of Punjab.

Education

Sanjhi Sikhiya is a collective movement of young professionals that are working towards the mission to ensure that ‘All children in Punjab attain foundational educational capabilities. We work with the government primary schools, the entire education ecosystem, panchayats, local urban bodies, and the community to create a conducive environment of learning for our children. We work with teachers and officials at all levels- State, District, Block, and Cluster- to ensure that our teachers have the required competencies, feel motivated, and have resources to create meaningful learning experiences and provide ability-based foundational skills to the young children of Punjab.We work with :State/District Leadership (Padho Punjab, Padhao Punjab Team, SCERT, District Education Officers) - Co-creating programs and policies supporting teacher competencies and community partnership Teacher Educators (Block Master Trainers/ Cluster Head)- Competency building to support and mentor the teachers Teachers - Competency building to facilitate ability-based learningCommunity - Dialogue building to support the learning environment for children in and out of school This structure enables all stakeholders in the education ecosystem to ensure access to quality education for students enrolled in the government primary schools of Punjab. We are currently engaged in three districts- Fatehgarh Sahib, Patiala, and Rupnagar and have been able to impact 800+ schools thus far and aim to reach all 12,000 government primary schools in Punjab.

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

Simranpreet Singh

Tanya Sharma

Sanjhi Sikhiya Foundation

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.

Rupinder Singh

Pledge your support – Donate now!Sanjhi Sikhiya was started in 2018 to tackle Punjab's multifaceted crises, including a failing education system, drug abuse, unemployment, and the migration of talented youth abroad. The organization aims to revive Punjab’s future by working at the grassroots level to transform public primary schools into centers of excellence.Our mantra, "Come, Learn, Work, Grow," along with values of Compassion, Curiosity, Grit, Awareness, and Collaboration, guides every step of our journey. Inspired by a 30-year commitment from our co-founders, Sanjhi Sikhiya is dedicated to creating long-term, sustainable change in Punjab's education system.23 Oct, 2024Sanjhi Sikhiya (Learning Together) is focused on building Punjab’s future by empowering primary school students and nurturing youth leaders.Our young team of 80 individuals includes fellows from the Punjab Youth Leaders Program (PYLP), a flagship two-year fellowship for youth from Punjab and across India. These fellows work in rural government schools to improve learning outcomes and make primary schools the pride of the village – Pind da School, Pind da Maan. Our Dual Approach<ol><li>Teacher Collectives: Bringing together teachers from 10-12 schools to brainstorm solutions for students’ academic challenges, plan lessons, and share knowledge to create innovative teaching methods.</li><li>Community Collectives: Engaging villagers to take ownership of their schools and actively participate in the educational journey of their children.</li></ol>Your contribution will directly support these initiatives to improve learning outcomes for primary school students and develop youth leaders dedicated to Punjab's progress. Together, we can ensure every child gets access to quality education and every youth has the opportunity to become a changemaker for Punjab. Pledge your support today – Donate now to build a brighter future for Punjab!

I am fundraising for a cause close to my heart – to transform the future of Punjab by improving the quality of education in government primary schools and nurturing young leaders dedicated to the state's growth. With your support, we can empower children in public schools with better learning opportunities and create a generation of youth committed to rebuilding Punjab’s glory.  Your contribution will directly impact school-going children from underprivileged communities and youth leaders working on the ground to drive sustainable change. Together, we can make education the foundation of Punjab’s revival. Please back my fundraiser to bring this vision to life and ensure every child in Punjab has the opportunity to dream big and achieve their full potential.

Ankit Chhabra

On the last day, we started from Chone and Batala and covered nearly 50 km to reach Amritsar. We had started early at 8 and reached Golden Temple by 1. It was also our fastest ride. As we came closer to the destination, we felt stronger to keep going.  It was an emotional day. Being on the road for 7 days was full of self-exploration, understanding Punjab and connecting with people. At some point yesterday, all the historical trends and futuristic predictions that my mind was continuously analysing stopped making any sense. It was just about being in the moment, feeling all the feelings, and letting go of everything else. Starting the day at a time when children are going to school means you are going to meet a lot of smiling faces. Despite a government school within walking distance, many narrow village roads were jammed with private school buses. When parents don’t feel empowered to challenge the teachers, they change the buildings where their children go. We keep creating infrastructure for more schools without trying to fix the problems in the learning process. The fields that we saw over the last two days were also different. A lot more area was dedicated to growing vegetables, and there were many fruit orchards. It was a refreshing change after seeing endless stretches of rice cultivation everywhere. Potatoes and Peas were the most prominent crops. At the Golden Temple, Gurjit, Tarundeep and Anurag from our Sanjhi Sikhiya community came to welcome us. The joy of meeting familiar friends after a week of connecting with new people is like a homecoming. There was an excitement of completing another Yatra as well as immense gratitude for all that we received on the way. As we meditated together, I was filled with a sense of serenity. We had worked hard to reach here, but it felt effortless. For a few moments, I could feel the journey and the destination to be one.  We loaded our cycles on a bus to Chandigarh and reached our homes post-dinner time. Completing this Yatra felt like a process of renewal. I realise that our life is much like the Yatra we undertook. We don’t know much, yet we hide behind the comforts of certainty and pretence of knowing. I came back with greater awareness and a stronger intention about the life I want to live and the world I wish to create.  On the Yatra, we used to end every interaction with ‘Rab Rakha’ - loosely translated as ‘May God Take Care’. When Inder, Gurpreet and I parted, we said the same to each other. Still immersed in immense gratitude, I repeated the same to myself as well. Day 7: Total Distance Covered - 340 km, Funding Goal - 34,00,000, Funds Raised - 1,30,200 If you would to support our efforts at Sanjhi Sikhiya, you can donate here - bit.ly/CycleYatra

Punjab Cycle Yatra - Day 7

We started from Beas and cycled till Gumana in Gurdaspur district to spend some time with our friends. This detour also took us to to Chone village in Batala where we explored an old haveli in the village. In the evening Inder taught Kabbadi to the children while Gurpreet and I interacted with young people there and documented their stories. We rode around 35 kms and cycled for 3 hours. We are now less than 50 Kms from our destination. Going slow allows for more serendipitous connections within ourselves, with each other and with the landscape and people around. This connection feels immensely satisfying and we more energised at the end of the day even after exerting ourselves over long distances. We also developed greater stamina, increased our appetite and maybe also gained weight! As partners on the journey, I also see a shift in how we are nudging and pushing each other’s limits in a friendly way. Mutual growth is being a reflective mirror to each other while delving deeper within ourselves. We all have our peculiarities that are comforting or irritating to people around. Learning to share the effects we are having on each other sincerely yet lightly is a big thing I have learnt from my fellow yatris.  At Ghumana, we interacted with young students at the school started by Kawal and Pahul. They are both are part of our growing community of  passionate educators in Punjab. Their classrooms clearly reflected their perseverance and creativity. Students studied in mixed age groups, made their own schedule for the day and solved their problems together. It was a refreshing change to witness a classroom where expressions were full of  joy, empathy and curiosity. At Chone, our next stop, we discovered a nearly 150 year old grand monument. While the building stood strong despite the neglect, the story of its origin and importance seem to have been lost. We heard different accounts most of which were hard to believe for me. This is true in many other ways in Punjab. Partition has separated not just the land, it has also broken lineages and spoilt the legacy. Even I have no imagination of my family history from pre-partition times because my grandparents could never recover from the loss and hence never shared their stories with me.  Oblivious of the historical factors, the haveli ground now is a vibrant place where children and young adults from nearby villages come to play sports every morning and evening. We couldn’t meet the coach but it was obvious that his leadership was having a significant impact in the region. We have seen many such sports, music and readings initiatives which are being led informally by a local and kept alive by the participants themselves. As we left the ground late in the evening, everyone came together and wished us goodbyes. It was probably our best moment of the whole yatra.  While I am nearing the end of this exploration, I urge to continue supporting Sanjhi Sikhiya. 100% of your funds will go towards developing young people as leaders and transforming the primary education system.  If you'd like to contribute to this effort please follow this link - https://bit.ly/CycleYatra Day 6: Total Distance Covered - 293 km, Funding Goal - 29,30,000, Funds Raised - 1,27,700

Punjab Cycle Yatra - Day 6

We started day five from Sultanpur Lodhi and travelled 58.5 km to Radha Soami Dera in the evening. As we crossed the Beas River into Amritsar district, we also entered the Majha region in Punjab. The Yatra started in the Malwa region, crossed Doaba and is now in the last phase.  Our mornings are at ease, like home. I wake up early to reflect and write. I then meditate and do yoga before getting ready for the day. Posting on social media daily feels like a hassle. Even after the calm morning, the hour before we begin is always rushed, even though we don’t have anywhere in particular to get to. Every moment of the Yatra makes me more aware of my conditioning.  All three of us feel connected with nature. Many of our conversations over the last few days were about rivers, native birds and trees of Punjab. We become so excited when we spot a native species that now I can identify and name quite a few. We prefer routes next to rivers and canals and stop at every opportunity to immerse ourselves in the soothing presence of flowing water beside us.  Along the route, many people offer us water, tea and food. They ask us curious questions, share their wishes and send us off with smiles and blessings. Some others on their cars and bikes slow down to pace up with us and talk to us. I am becoming so acquainted with Punjab that I can now guess where in Punjab a person is from by carefully listening to how they speak.  A particularly humbling moment yesterday for me was the langar we ate. It was being offered in celebration of Valmiki Jayanti. It was next to a highway and was being served literally on the street. As I shared the meal, I felt a shift within me and many differences were dissolved. The noise, taste or anything external didn’t matter. It was just about being there, experiencing the togetherness of humanity and witnessing the overflowing joy and abundance in celebration. Our evening host was a gracious 81-year-old TS Ananthu at Radha Swami. He completed his engineering in the first batch of IIT Madras, left his career, and has been leading a life based on Gandhian principles for nearly 50 years. He is now based in Beas and dedicated to strengthening his inner work practice and synthesising his learnings. His youthful enthusiasm and child-like curiosity were something I have rarely seen.  We had to submit our electronics before we entered the Radha Soami Campus. Being away from screens for nearly 15 hours felt like a welcome break for our bodies. I couldn’t update my morning note, but I slept for nearly 10 hours. The meticulous arrangements and soothing silence at the campus added to our experience. Experiencing so many ways of being in Punjab and immersing ourselves in it, even though briefly, has been an expansive exercise for all of us.  While I am on this reflective journey, the team at Sanjhi Sikhiya is working hard, focused on working with teachers, community and leaders. To help create the necessary conditions for the younger generation to thrive!  If you'd like to contribute to this effort please follow this link - https://bit.ly/CycleYatra Day 5: Total Distance Covered - 257.5 km, Funding Goal - 25,75,000, Funds Raised - 1,27,700

Punjab Cycle Yatra - Day 5

On day 4, we travelled from Balwa Kalan in Jalandhar district to Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala district. We covered 37.5 km and rode for just around 3 hours. We halted at Seechewal village to meet Balbir Seechewal, who started the anti-river pollution drive in Punjab. Last evening, we were staying at Inder’s home, where his cousin died of a drug overdose precisely a week ago. I stayed in the same room where he spent his last night. On our way, we heard stories from people about the ways the drug supply chain works, we talked directly to addicts to understand their mental state, but witnessing the effects so close became heavy for me. We also wanted to visit the Kapurthala Central Jail to talk to inmates who have been held for drug-related crimes, but we didn’t get permission. When we reached Seechewal, we were witness to a whole different environment. The progressive village has seen three generations of work by Balbir Seechwal and his precedents. There has been an active social movement to provide quality education and sports facilities to children and youth. The narrative of linking spirituality and the environment is working wonders among the followers who are socially sensitive and politically aware. While we were conversing with the Eco-Baba, a group of nearly 25 teachers from Nabha came to greet him. Now that he is also a member of the Rajya Sabha, his influence and the message is spreading. The place is not devoid of its blind spots, but the way it is going strong is something to learn from. We cycled till Sultanpur Lodhi, where Guru Nanak spent his younger days and got enlightenment. After the last cycle yatra, Gurdeep and I had come here during 550th-year celebrations to put up an exhibition of stories that we had gathered. We decided to stay here for the night. We have already covered 2/3rd of the distance and that has brought in some ease. Inder and I broke into a conversation about Sikh Gurus who could challenge the oppressive systems and spread love simultaneously. They did it with so much ease. We wondered at our inability to ask tough questions without becoming tough ourselves. Later in the evening, we observed a group of high school students exercising with tense bodies. I demonstrated the ways I have learnt from my Yoga training on how to release stress from the lower body while keeping it grounded. It was insightful to experience that we already have the answers to the questions we are seeking.  While I am on this reflective journey, the team at Sanjhi Sikhiya is working hard, focused on working with teachers, community and leaders. To help create the necessary conditions for the younger generation to thrive!  If you'd like to contribute to this effort please follow this link - https://bit.ly/CycleYatra Day 4: Total Distance Covered - 199 km, Funding Goal - 19,90,000, Funds Raised - 1,12,700

Punjab Cycle Yatra - Day 4

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The crisis in primary education in Punjab is leading to grave issues like the high unemployment rate, migration, and drug addiction. Poor foundational learning is causing a higher learning gap, drop-outs, and excessive pressure on children as they go higher in the education level. There is hardly any ownership taken by the teachers, parents or the community, which is leading to a decline in the foundational learning of the students enrolled in these government primary schools. While the challenges are largely systemic in nature, we found that current interventions are isolated and focus on symptoms rather than the root cause.  
 Cluster Transformation Program (CTP) is a multi-stage approach to transformation from a systemic lens. The unit of change for us in the public education system is a cluster of government primary schools, which if improved correctly will improve all the schools within it and will directly impact its educational block.The program works at enabling our teachers and school eco-system to provide ability-based foundational skills to the young children of Punjab. We work with the education and local governance system to make sure that our teachers have the required competencies, feel motivated and have resources to create meaningful learning experiences for the children. The program follows the multi-pronged approach : <ul><li>At State- Co-designing State levels programs and training for teachers and teacher educators / Youth leaders providing feedback/ inputs from the schools to the State team for advocacy and policy interventions </li><li>At District- Upskilling sessions for the leadership team and co-designing District-level initiatives </li><li>At Block-Cluster level- Learning collectives of Block-Cluster leaders, Co-planning &amp; implementation of Teacher capacity building</li><li>At the School level- Teachers' professional development circles and on-field support</li><li>Community - Dialogue building to support the learning environment for children in and out of school </li></ul> 
 <ul><li>To create a conducive environment for learning for the students in the government primary schools, to enable teachers to practice ability-based learning, and create a strong foundation in literacy and numeracy.  </li><li>To enable parents, school management committees, and local elected bodies to come together and take ownership of these schools and work together towards creating a conducive environment for the students. </li><li>To reach the goal of expanding the program to all 12,000 schools government primary schools in Punjab.</li></ul>

Cluster Transformation Program (CTP)

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

Cluster Transformation Program (CTP)

500 cancer patients are fighting for life, help Nargis Dutt Foundation give them urgent chemotherapy

For tribal children of Majuli Island, education is the only way out. Help Bipin ensure they go to school

Help Mamoon Akhtar give 6,000 kids from the poorest families a bright future through education

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