Raja was abandoned by his parents, and he would have normally wound up as a child laborer, and would have spent the rest of his life on the brink of poverty. He was lucky enough to come in contact with the social workers of Sahaara, and was taken into Mahima Home.

Raja now receives English medium schooling in one of the top schools in the locality,  quality accommodation and wholesome nutrition within a loving family environment afforded by dedicated  houseparents. Within this nourishing environment, Raja has emerged a confident and  talented singer who is learning to play the drums as well!  He is a good student in school and overall,  Raja has blossomed into very cheerful and vivacious person who spreads joy with his smile and personality.

Your generous donation, Joel, will enable Sahaara to provide three fresh and nutritious meals to Raja for three months, thereby ensuring that he remains healthy and continues doing well in his studies.

Thank you so much, for supporting Raja!

Forty-six year old Prabha, is a balwadi (kindergarten)  teacher at one of the study centers run by Sahaara, in Dharavi. She hails from a middle class background and lives with her husband and daughter. Her husband works as a driver and their daughter is studying BSc in college. The husband’s  income alone does not suffice to meet the needs of their family and pay for the education for her daughter.

Prabha realized that the financial position of the family was  precarious and that a medical emergency could wipe out all their savings. She wanted to take up a job, so she could save some money to tide the family over unexpected emergencies. Since she was not well educated, she had few employment opportunities, and started taking tuitions for children in the neighbourhood.  In 1996, When one of her friends suggested applying for a teacher’s position at Sahaara, she went for it and soon became a staff of Sahaara.

Prabha teaches children between three to five years of age, at the Dharavi center. She loves her job where she gets to impart knowledge to disadvantaged children living in slums.

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 her on why she started teaching and what it means to her –

”My husband is a driver and to help family income I took up the job at Sahaara. It has been 15 years that I’m working in Sahaara. I teach children from the age group of 3 to 5 years basic English and Maths, Environmental Studies, Hindi and also undertake coaching for municipality schools. I love my job and find it very fulfilling when the children answer my questions correctly!”

About the Teacher’s Training sessions, she says:

“It has helped me a lot. Meeting with the other teachers and sharing best practices encourages and motivates me to try innovative approaches in my own class.  Also TTC gives me practical, hands-on and  easy-to-apply ideas on reaching the children more effectively”.

Prabha 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, Kyley, Alice and Brad, Erik, Mike and Suzanne, Neil (x2), Craig, Sanjiv-Rajani, Janet (x2), Susan and James and Dean and Julie, will enable Sahaara to pay for Prabha’s training and monthly remuneration for a period of three months, thereby ensuring that she continues imparting valuable knowledge to disadvantaged children, who deserve it the most.

Thank you so much, for coming together to support of Prabha, thereby giving children from the slum community of  Dharavi a chance to break out of the poverty cycle.

Ujwal hails from Golaghat, Assam, and was detained in the Central (Arthur Road) prison in Mumbai. When the social workers from Sahaara came in contact with Ujwal in April 2011, a few months before his release, they realized that while Ujwal feared that he would be stigmatized for his stint in prison, he was determined to seek a job and start life afresh.

Sahaara helps rehabilitate newly released prisoners by providing physical and emotional support, giving vocational training and helping them find good jobs. Sahaara also runs a home called Mukti Niwas (Place of Freedom), where former prisoners get wholesome nutrition and quality accommodation, till they are emotionally and financially self-sufficient, and ready to take their place in society.

Ujwal was welcomed into Mukti Niwas in June 2011. Ujwal would be receiving training in housekeeping, nursery training and basic life skills. He desires to become a chaueffeur and take care of his mother who resides in Assam.

Ujwal would soon be starting a new life, and once he is financially able to do so, he has pledged to help other newly released prisoners like him to make a fresh start in life.

Your support, Sanjiv and Rajani, Subash, and George (4 months), of a month of nutrition each will enable Sahaara to provide three meals to Ujwal for six months. By the end of six months, Ujwal is determined to learn a skill, and take up a job that will make him financially independent.

Thank you, Sanjiv and Rajani, Subash and George, for your support. Ujwal appreciates the faith you have put in him, and is determined to make a fresh start in life.

Two and a half year old Muhilan Mariappan hails from Dharavi, one of the innumerable poverty-stricken slum pockets in Mumbai. His father, Mariappan, works as a salesman and his mother, Bela, is a housewife, he has one elder brother as well. The family is poor and struggles to make ends meet, and they find it very difficult to cope with medical emergencies.

Muhilan studies at the Dharavi study center run by Sahaara. He is a keen student who has always been eager to attend the study center. He is quiet but confident by nature. He knows to recite and write the alphabets well and also loves to play with his cars! To any first time visitor, Muhilan’s cheerful nature and skills in reciting rhymes and alphabets belies his background and family’s utter poverty.

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.

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

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

Thank you so much for gifting a dream to a vulnerable slum child like Muhilan!

Two and a half year old, Akash Balraj hails from Dharavi, one of the innumerable poverty-stricken slum pockets in Mumbai. His father, Balraj, works as a driver and his mother, Ratna, is a housewife, he has one elder sister as well. Though his parents have not studied beyond the tenth grade, Akash can dream of a stable future with a good education.

Akash studies at the Dharavi study center run by Sahaara. He is a keen student who has always been eager to attend the study center. Akash is a live wire who is energetic and lively in class!  He thoroughly enjoys physical activities like running and hopping. He loves playing with toys and is very attentive in class. He is also always very neatly dressed for class.

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.

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 Akash get a start which will help him break out of the poverty cycle.

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

Thank you so much for supporting Akash, thereby paving the way to a self-reliant and brighter future!

Mahima Home is a home for  orphans/ semi-orphans of terminally ill parents who lived in poverty and squalour. Unschooled, neglected and employed in child labour, the children lived in dire circumstances. Through the rich environment of Mahima Home, the boys have emerged School leaders, Award-winners, Sportsmen, Musicians and Public speakers!

Timmy is one such boy whose life has been transformed through Mahima Home.

Here, Timmy receives English medium schooling,  excellent accommodation, wholesome nutrition in a loving family environment. Within this nourishing environment, Timmy has emerged a confident and talented singer and dancer who is learning to play the keyboard as well! Also, he does not miss the opportunity of a good game of  chess with the houseparents and the other boys when it comes up! He is a good student in school and overall,  Timmy has blossomed into very friendly person who spreads joy and cheer with his smile and bubbly personality.

Your generous donation, Joel, will enable Sahaara to provide three fresh and nutritious meals to Timmy for three months, thereby ensuring that he remains healthy and continues doing well in his studies.

Thank you for supporting  Timmy!

Mahima Home is a home for orphans/ semi-orphans of terminally ill parents. Unschooled, neglected and employed in child labour, these children lived in dire circumstances before coming into Mahima Home. Through the rich environment of Mahima Home, the boys have now emerged School leaders, Award-winners, Sportsmen, Musicians and Public speakers!

Rahul is one such boy whose life has been transformed through Mahima Home.

At Mahima Home, Rahul is looked after by house parents and a maid, who help him achieve all round development in a loving family environment. He also enjoys excellent accommodation, access to English medium education, good clothing, wholesome nutrition, health care and emotional care.

Rahul is an energetic , physically fit and active seven year old boy today. He loves playing frog jump and has won prizes in school for that as well! He loves the outdoors and does not miss the opportunity of picking up football skills from the other Mahima Home boys when it comes up! He is a good student in school and overall,  Rahul is blossoming into a secure child, not fearing, but looking forward to his future!

Your generous donation, Joel, will enable Sahaara to provide three fresh and nutritious meals to Rahul  for, thereby ensuring that he remains healthy and continues doing well in his studies.

Thank you for supporting Rahul!