Rehabilitate 250 disabled children in India

Hi…

I am very thankful to present our eighteenth report of the project - Rehabilitate 250 disabled children in India via GlobalGiving. Let me give you a brief narrative of some of the activities took place in the last quarter. Even if the pandemic is playing its role, we don’t hesitate to fulfill our duties towards the people in need.

World Disability Day Celebration

On the occasion of the World Disability Day celebration, the AASTHA project conducted multiple rallies in 15 project villages. The objective of the rally was to make society aware of the Persons with Disabilities and treat them with equity and dignity towards an inclusive society.

Christmas Day Celebration

AASTHA celebrated Christmas with the Children with Disabilities in its 15 working villages with the great support of the Gram Panchayath of each village. It was a golden opportunity for the Children with Disabilities to display their talent in front of the public audience. This also gave an opportunity to share the love and compassion with the marginalized people. Fr Joby Njalliyil and Fr Anish conveyed the message of Christmas throughout the 15 villages. AASTHA also gifted 403 Thermoses (vacuum bottle) to the children as a Christmas gift.

Children’s Day Celebration

AASTHA, made it possible for the less-privileged children of their respective villages to celebrate Children’s Day with full spirit and enthusiasm. AASTHA conducted various cultural competitions like Dance, Mono Act, Essay Writing, Poem Recitation, Rangoli Competition, etc. The prize distribution ceremony was conducted during the Christmas celebration and the prizes were given away by the Gram Panchayat members of their respective villages.

Livelihood Program

AASTHA allocated financial assistance to 26 poor families for starting some Income Generating Activities (IGA) like poultry farming, purchase of a sewing machine, etc. This was a great help for the poor families to meet their basic needs and bring financial stability.

Pratiksha Special School, Watul

Tarun Bharath, a renowned newspaper in Western Maharashtra honored Prtiksha Special School with ‘Tarun Bharath Sanman 2022’ on its anniversary for the selfless service rendering for the Intellectually Disabled children in the rural area of Vilavade. The Director of Pratiksha Special School, Fr Augustin expressed his gratitude towards the Ratnagiri edition for their generosity and thoughtfulness.

World AIDS Day Commemoration

World AIDS day was commemorated by Vihaan Ichalkaranji by organizing a Health Camp on the 1^st of December 2021 for 108 PLHIVs at IGM Government Hospital, Ichalkaranji. A candlelight ceremony was organized by Vihaan CSC Miraj at the DPO office and the staff from the ART Centre Miraj too participated in the event.

I have no words to express my immense happy and joy for the love you show every day by supporting our activities. I remember you each day with gratefulness. Wish you all a happy and healthy New Year 2022. Let us come together again. Please feel free to visit the page- https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/rehabilitate-250-disabled-children-in-india/

Hi…

I am very thankful to present our seventeenth report of the project - Rehabilitate 250 disabled children in India via GlobalGiving. Let me give you a brief narrative of the monsoon flood run through the lives of the people in Maharashtra of India in July 2021.

The death toll reported in Maharashtra due to heavy rain was 213 in the last week of July. With more than 90 casualties, Raigad was the worst affected district. The coastal Konkan region and the Western districts of the state have suffered the most. Among the 213 fatalities, the Satara district reported 46 deaths, followed by 35 in Ratnagiri, 15 in Thane, seven in Kolhapur, four in Mumbai, three in Pune, four in Sindhudurg and two each in eastern Maharashtra's Wardha and Akola districts (as per the statement issued by the disaster management department). Incessant rains and discharge of water from dams gave way to swelling of rivers forcing the evacuation of people.

Sangli Mission Society is known for its humanitarian services in Western Maharashtra, India. The Western districts witnessed its second monsoon flood in a span of three years in the third week of July 2021. You might recall, we reported 2019 flood and its aftermath in the lives of the people at that time. In 2020, when COVID-19 pandemic hit globally, its repercussions were nothing less in our rural villages. Before the people could rise up from the losses of 2019 and 2020, they had to confront with another natural disaster, and it is too hard for any human being to withstand without the support of the other as Jesus reminded us to love  the neighbour.

From 28^th July, Sangli Mission Society started doing flood relief, in collaboration with several organizations and like-minded people. The organization conducted a need assessment survey in the flood affected villages to identify the beneficiaries who are in dire need. We concentrated in the worst hit areas of Sangli, Kolhapur, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts. The major rivers in Sangli and Kolhapur got flooded on and above 55 Ft. high. When 1.45 lakh people were shifted to safer places in Kolhapur district, more than 1.28 lakh residents got shifted in Sangli district. 14,000 families from Walva and Palus blocks of Sangli district shifted with their livestock, shows the severity of crisis they underwent during this monsoon mayhem. Due to flood many families lost their shelter, farmers lost their crops and livestock, self-employed lost their working capital, and students their study materials. Those families whose houses were completely flooded, lost everything they earned in their life time, and of cource their precious life is saved. They have to begin anew!

We tried to extend our helping hand this year too by providing with supplementary food material, personal hygiene kits, clothing, medication, income generating support and educational support for children in different villages of Kolhapur and Sangli districts like Ingali, Kanwad, Ghalwad, Rajapur, Rajapurwadi, Khidrapur, Kurundwad, Arjunwad, Aurwad, Gaurwad, Ramanmala, Dhavali, Haripur, Dudhgaon, Padmale, Mauje Digraj, Vaddi, Mhaishal, Ankali and Juna Dhamni.  From 20 villages, 2125 people got benefited with flood relief.

Maharashtra is now dealing with twin disasters; floods and the ongoing pandemic really thwarted the lives of people. It will take years to heal the wounds, only if the nature gives time to heal.

All of us know, God has given us the capacity to get through these difficulties, if only we help each other. I take this opportunity to thank everyone who supported us all these years, and specially our recurrent donors for their continuous sacrifice and love for the marginalized. Let us help each other.

Please feel free to visit the page- https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/rehabilitate-250-disabled-children-in-india/