Four year old Samir Ansari hails from Reay Road, one of the innumerable poverty stricken slum pockets in Mumbai. His father, Shaukatha Ansari, is a tailor and his mother, Aisha, works as a maid. Samir has one brother and two sisters as well! Both his parents are illiterate. The family income is barely enough to make both ends meet.
Children like Samir, from Mumbai slums, face educational deprivation in terms of generational illiteracy, physical access to education and quality of education as well. Though Samir hails from such a disadvantaged background, he can dream of a stable future with a good education because he studies at the Reay Road study center, run by Sahaara. Being close to Samir’s house, the balwadi is a potent vehicle for transforming his future through quality education.
Sahaara’s balwadi has a systematic curriculum wherein children are equipped in the following subjects over the period of a year: English and Hindi: alphabets and poems, writing skills, general knowledge (colours, animals, flowers, personal hygiene etc), colouring, games and activities such as counting and recognition.
Samir is a quiet child and has the hunger to learn more and more from teachers. He is mischievous and has a very cheerful demeanour. He loves to draw and enjoys playing with colours. He is sociable and loves to share things with other children.
Sahaara Charitable Society believes that every person has a dream, and their work centers around ensuring that marginalized persons are able to articulate and work towards achieving their dream. Sahaara’s early childhood education program gives children like Samir, get a start which will help him break out of the poverty cycle and fulfill his dream of a stable future.
Your generous donation, Explorers, Akiko, Ravi and Sarah, will enable Sahaara to provide a year of pre-primary education to Samir.
Thank you so much, Explorers, Akiko, Ravi and Sarah, for your gift to Samir!
 

Four year old Dadu Telenge hails from Mankhurd, one of the innumerable poverty stricken slum pockets in Mumbai. His father, Vishwas Telenge, is working at a construction company and his mother, Archana, is a housewife. Dadu has two sisters. Both his parents are illiterate.

Children like Dadu, from Mumbai slums, face educational deprivation in terms of generational illiteracy, physical access to education and quality of education as well. Though Dadu hails from such a disadvantaged background he can dream of a stable future with a good education because he studies at the Mankhurd study center, run by Sahaara. Being close to Dadu’s house, the balwadi is a potent vehicle for transforming his future through quality education.

Sahaara’s balwadi has a systematic curriculum wherein children are equipped in the following subjects over the period of a year: English and Hindi: alphabets and poems, writing skills, general knowledge (colours, animals, flowers, personal hygiene etc), colouring, games and activities such as counting and recognition.

Dadu is a live wire who is energetic and lively in class! He loves playing with colours. He is sociable and very friendly towards other class mates. He loves his toys and enjoys sharing his toys and things with other children as well.

Sahaara Charitable Society believes that every person has a dream, and their work centers around ensuring that marginalized persons are able to articulate and work towards achieving their dream. Sahaara’s early childhood education program gives children like Dadu, get a start which will help him break out of the poverty cycle and fulfill his dream of a stable future.

Your generous donation, Ravi, will enable Sahaara to provide a year of pre-primary education to Dadu.

Thank you so much, Ravi, for your gift to Dadu!

Four year old Aradhana Sabre is a student in Sahaara’s balwadi in Mankhurd. Her father, Vijay Sabre does odd jobs, and mother, Ovitra, is a housewife. Aradhana has one brother and one sister as well. The family income is barely enough to make both ends meet.

Sahaara’s balwadi is situated near Aradhana’s house and this is a boon to Aradhana because majority of slum children are deprived of quality and accessible education.

Sahaara’s balwadi has a systematic curriculum wherein children are equipped in the following subjects over the period of a year: English and Hindi: alphabets and poems, writing skills, general knowledge (colours, animals, flowers, personal hygiene etc), colouring, games and activities such as counting and recognition.

Aradhana loves to attend the balwadi as apart from studies, there are several playtime activities to engage the children as well. Aradhana is a live wire who is energetic and lively in class! She is naughty by nature and thoroughly enjoys drawing and playing with colours.

Sahaara believes that a helping hand of love and a continuum of services and opportunities is the key to transforming the dreams of the poor into their realities. Sahaara facilitates fulfillment of dreams to around 4000 helpless and marginalised people every year.

Your generous donations, Ravi will enable Sahaara to provide an entire year of education to Aradhana, thereby ensuring that she has the opportunity to a stable future!
Thank you, Ravi, for your support of Aradhana!

Four year old Arun Kuppaswami hails from Mankhurd, one of the innumerable poverty stricken slum pockets in Mumbai. His father, Ganesh Kuppaswami, is a contractor and his mother, Analaxmi, is a housewife. Arun has one sister. Both his parents are illiterate.

Children like Arun, from Mumbai slums, face educational deprivation in terms of generational illiteracy, physical access to education and quality of education as well. Though Arun hails from such a disadvantaged background he can dream of a stable future with a good education because he studies at the Mankhurd study center, run by Sahaara. Being close to Arun’s house, the balwadi is a potent vehicle for transforming his future through quality education.

Sahaara’s balwadi has a systematic curriculum wherein children are equipped in the following subjects over the period of a year: English and Hindi: alphabets and poems, writing skills, general knowledge (colours, animals, flowers, personal hygiene etc), colouring, games and activities such as counting and recognition.

Arun is a live wire who is energetic and lively in class! He loves to play and enjoys singing action songs. He has a hunger for learning more and more from the teachers. He is sociable and enjoys sharing his toys and things with other children.

Sahaara Charitable Society believes that every person has a dream, and their work centers around ensuring that marginalized persons are able to articulate and work towards achieving their dream. Sahaara’s early childhood education program gives children like Arun, get a start which will help him break out of the poverty cycle and fulfill his dream of a stable future.

Your generous donation, Ravi, will enable Sahaara to provide a year of pre-primary education to Arun.
Thank you so much, Ravi, for your gift to Arun!

Thirty-one year old Shantharam, is a balwadi (kindergarten) teacher at one of the study centers run by Sahaara, in Chapewadi.

‘Chapewadi’ is a village located on the hills between Kharghar and Belapur, Mumbai. Populated by the underprivileged, the only source of early childhood education in this village is the Sahaara balwadi where Shantharam is the teacher.

Shantharam hails from a modest family and lives with his wife and three children. His wife assists him in cooking the meals for the children in the balwadi and two of their children go to school, while the third is too young to be enrolled into education. The incomes that Shantharam and his wife earn together are vital to make ends meet and pay for the education for their children.

Coming from a modest family, he did not complete his education and has studied only up to the ninth grade. With not much qualifications to his credit, he knew he had few choices. In 2005, when one of his friends suggested applying for a teacher’s position at Sahaara, he went for it and soon became a staff of Sahaara.

Shantharam teaches children between three to five years of age, at the Chapewadi center. He loves his job where he gets to impart knowledge to disadvantaged children.
Teachers at Sahaara are equipped to teach pre-primary education covering areas of math, hindi, general knowledge and art. Once a week, Sahaara conducts Training for Teacher’s where they are trained in lesson planning, curriculum development and implementation, teaching methodology: methods and teaching aids, classroom environment, discipline, maintenance of registers, Parent teacher meetings, conducting tests and student assessments.

Here is a first person account from him on why he started teaching and what it means to him –
”Knowing that I am the only source of early childhood education for these children gives me a deep sense of purpose. It has been 6 years that I’m working in Sahaara. I love my job and find it very fulfilling!”

About the Teacher’s Training sessions, he says:
“It has helped me a lot. Without TTC it would be very difficult for me to know how to teach children. TTC has equipped me and I now teach the children with ease and confidence”.

Shantharam values early primary education and believes that every child ought to get an opportunity to study and realize their dreams. She believes in their potential and wants to continue teaching children living in slums and see them get a good start in life.

Your generous donations, Bahareh, Shreeya, Erik, Howard, Mike and Suzanne, Mark and Lynn, Molly, Michael, Katherine, Ritesh, Chris and Emily, and Dean and Julie,,will enable Sahaara to pay for Shantharam’s training and monthly remuneration for a period of three months, thereby ensuring that he continues imparting valuable knowledge to disadvantaged children, who deserve it the most.

Thank you so much, Bahareh, Shreeya, Erik, Howard, Mike and Suzanne, Mark and Lynn, Molly,
Michael, Katherine, Ritesh, Chris and Emily, and Dean and Julie, for coming together to support Shantharam, thereby giving children from the underprivileged community of Chapewadi, a chance to break out of the poverty cycle.

Three year old Karishma Chauhan is one of three children. Her father, Raju Chauhan, and her mother, Chauguna, work at a construction company. They are a family of five that includes Karishma, her sister, her brother and parents. Pranali hails from Mankhurd, one of the innumerable poverty stricken slum pockets in Mumbai. The family income is barely enough to make both ends meet.

Sahaara’s balwadi is situated near Pranali’s house and this is a boon to Pragati because majority of slum children are deprived of quality and accessible education. Sahaara’s balwadi has a systematic curriculum wherein children are equipped in the following subjects over the period of a year: English and Hindi: alphabets and poems, writing skills, general knowledge (colors, animals, flowers, personal hygiene etc), coloring, games and activities such as counting and recognition.

Karishma is a quiet child but has a hunger to learn more and more from her teachers! She enjoys physical activities like running and hopping. She relishes having good food. She is sociable and enjoys sharing her toys and things with other children as well.

Your generous donations,Corina, Kowsilliya (X2), , Chris, and Ritesh, will enable Sahaara to provide an entire year of pre-primary education to Karishma thereby ensuring that she has the opportunity to a stable future!

Thank you,Corina, Kowsilliya, Chris, and Ritesh, for your gift to Karishma!

Four year old Pragati Londhe is one of five children. Her father, Dyaneshwar Londhe, is a gardener and her mother, Vijaymala, is a housewife. They are a family of seven that includes Pragati, her three sisters, one brother and parents.

Pragati hails from Mankhurd, one of the innumerable poverty stricken slum pockets in Mumbai. The family income is barely enough to make both ends meet.

Sahaara’s balwadi is situated near Pragati’s house and this is a boon to Pragati because majority of slum children are deprived of quality and accessible education. Sahaara’s balwadi has a systematic curriculum wherein children are equipped in the following subjects over the period of a year: English and Hindi: alphabets and poems, writing skills, general knowledge (colours, animals, flowers, personal hygiene etc), colouring, games and activities such as counting and recognition.

Pragati loves to attend the balwadi as apart from studies, there are several playtime activities to engage the children as well. She is a quiet child but has a hunger to learn more and more from her teachers. She is helpful and is a good listener.

Your generous donation, Deepthi, will enable Sahaara to provide an entire year of education to Pragati, thereby ensuring that she has the opportunity to a stable future!

Thank you, Deepthi, for your support of Pragati!

Five year old Rimpa’s mother was a victim of the sex trade and has been working in the Turbhe red light area in Mumbai since 2010. Rimpa was in severe physical and psychological peril, vulnerable to abuse, trauma and second generation prostitution. Sahaara counseled her mother and persuaded her to admit Rimpa to Anandalay,­ the shelter home run by Sahaara for daughters of trafficked women. Anandalay houses these children who are brought up by house-parents, in a loving and conducive family environment.

Rimpa came to Anandalay on 11^th January 2011. Initially, she was sullen and struggled to communicate as she knew only Bengali. She struggled to cope in school too as her foundational skills were poor. With encouragement and guidance from her houseparents and tutor, she worked hard. Being studious and diligent by nature, she obtained excellent results in the examination. She is now very talkative and has become comfortable in communicating in hindi and comfortable in understanding English too.
Currently she is enrolled in Sr. K.G. in St. Xaviers’ School, one of the top schools in the locality. Rimpa is now bold and confident in various skills like singing in front of an audience, social skills such as making friends, drawing and coloring.
Your generous donations, Catherin, Chris and Emily, Mike and Suzanne, Kandace, Alice and Brad and David, will cover the cost of Rimpa’s education for half an academic year, thereby paving the way towards a self-reliant and bright future!

Children like Sakhubai, from Mumbai slums, face educational deprivation in terms of generational illiteracy, physical access to education and quality of education as well. Though Sakhubai hails from such a disadvantaged background she can dream of a stable future with a good education because she studies at the Mankhurd study center, run by Sahaara. Being close to Sakhubai’s house, the balwadi is a potent vehicle for transforming her future through quality education.

Sahaara’s balwadi has a systematic curriculum wherein children are equipped in the following subjects over the period of a year: English and Hindi: alphabets and poems, writing skills, general knowledge (colours, animals, flowers, personal hygiene etc), colouring, games and activities such as counting and recognition.

Sakhubai is a quiet child but has a hunger to learn more and more from her teacher. She loves playing with her toys. She works well in group activities and loves to draw and do art and craft activities. She is a keen student who has always been eager to attend the study center. She knows to recite and write the alphabets well and also recites rhymes like Baa baa black sheep, Humpty Dumpty and Hindi rhymes confidently. To any first time visitor, Sakhubai’s cheerful nature and skills in reciting rhymes and alphabets belies her background and family’s utter poverty!

Your generous donations of three months of tuition each, Susan, Chris and Ritesh (x2) will enable Sahaara to provide a year of pre-primary education to Sakhubai.

Thank you so much for your gift to Sakhubai!

Twenty seven year old Rekha, was born blind to a poor family in Mumbai. She has five siblings: one brother and four sisters. Rekha used to stay with her parents, but when they both passed away, she applied for and was granted admission into the Government hostel for blind women (Andheri), where she received free food and accommodation for four years.

However, being a temporary accommodation, Rekha was asked to leave the hostel in the end of 2007. Being illiterate, orphan and visually impaired, she was destitute. She was visibly weak and vulnerable when the Sahaara staff met her and needed much counselling.

Rekha was welcomed into Jyoti Home, a residential home run by Sahaara for vulnerable and blind women, and has been staying here since the end of 2007. She is well looked after by a house parent and a maid who take care of her needs in an environment where she receives love and personal care. She now enjoys stable accommodation, nutritious food and vocational training assistance in a family environment.

Jyoti Home has enabled her to pursue and complete the course of a masseuse successfully! Since June 2010, she has been working as a masseuse and earning a decent income. Within the family environment, Rekha, hitherto withdrawn, has blossomed into a friendly, trusting person and looks forward to a great future.

Your generous donations, Jason (x2), Chris and Emity, Mike and Suzanne, Marc and Akiko, will enable Sahaara to give Rekha  three meals a day for six months.

Thank you so much, for gifting safety and security to Rekha.