The situation:

In an organization like ours, the more physiotherapists we have, the better. Physiotherapy is one of our most crucial rehabilitation tools, without which, our children have no chance of getting back on their feet and becoming self-reliant. The ideal ratio is 1:5, i.e. 1 physiotherapist to 5 children in a day’s treatment. This ensures that the child receives adequate personal attention. 30 of our children require daily physiotheraphy, but with just two therapists, the going is slow.

How you can help:

By sponsoring a physiotherapist’s salary for a month, or a year, we can get more professionals to help with our child development program. This translates to:

• Less interruption to a child’s development regimen
• More personalized attention
• Quicker rehabilitation and self-reliance

[Required: Rs. 15,000/-]

The situation:

Mentally challenged children have special need of a speech therapist. They need to be able to converse and relate to people around them so that they don’t end up feeling isolated. But, the length of time spent in speech therapy depends on the severity of the problem and the frequency and consistency of therapy. Speech therapists are difficult to retain especially on minimal government funding. Besides, donors more often prefer to fund for basic amenities – food, clothing and shelter – rather than for sustainable programs such as this one.

How you can help:

By sponsoring a speech therapist’s salary for a month, or a year, you’ll be helping our children improve their ability to communicate with others and develop better social skills, which will increase their level of self-esteem and make them more self-reliant.

[Rs. 20,000/-]

The situation:

You know that keeping children clean is no easy matter! They just love to frolic and play – the messier the better! Children will be children and that’s why they need their daily baths. But there’s another reason why we need a solar water heater. Many children suffer with convulsions and fits and it is essential that they bathe in warm water so that they don’t fall ill. At present, we heat water on a gas range for all 115 of them, which is both time-consuming and wasteful.

How you can help:

By sponsoring a solar water heater:

• The children can have warm water for bathing – even multiple times a day, if required
• You can help make bathing a comfortable experience for those suffering with epilepsy, convulsions and fits
• You will help the home save on fuel which could be put to better use
• You will help the home achieve sustainable green goals and become environment friendly

The situation:

At present, organic residue from our centralized kitchen is disposed into a vermiculture project. In addition, we want to install a small Biogas plant which can produce clean fuel as a replacement for LPG and assist in our green goals. (Apparently, 200 kgs of organic waste can contribute one LPG cylinder daily!) If our organic residues can be sensibly utilised and not wasted, the home stands to gain on many fronts.

How you can help:

By sponsoring a small Biogas plant:

• We can effectively recycle the home’s daily organic wastes into a clean fuel that could replace LPG and our dependence on it! This project would become economically feasible both for cooking and power generation.
• Capturing biogas will help us reduce emissions from our organic waste (especially methane which is 25 times stronger than carbon dioxide) and help us maintain a cleaner, greener environment
• Biogas manure can replace the mineral fertiliser we sometimes need to use for our vegetable garden.
• Long-term savings on this project will be ploughed back into more essential development projects for the children

[Required: Rs. 83,500/- Cost Estimates will be produced]

The situation:

Keeping a special child’s attention on school work can be quite challenging for a teacher. Many of our children have malformed limbs, decreased muscle tone, and a constant need for movement, which makes it tough for them to engage in learning. Quite often the solution is a simple one. In this case – customized classroom furniture is all it takes to minimize the disruption.

How you can help:

By sponsoring special education classroom furniture, you help the children in very important ways:

• You help them improve their posture and muscle tone because good furniture allows for frequent postural adjustments which help strengthen their core abdominal and trunk muscles – which ultimately promotes motor control in using pencils, scissors and other classroom tools.
• The furniture will allow them to burn off any excess energy through moving and adjusting themselves in a non-disruptive way. You are thus helping them become more attentive in class.
• The more a child moves the better his/her overall health through increased circulation, which means more oxygen to the brain. This allows for improved focus and better knowledge retention.

The situation:

Our vocational center is in need of good furniture (6 work benches and 25 chairs) designed to support an active lifestyle. Active or unsupported sitting helps increase core muscle and spine strength. Our youngsters spend many hours a day binding books, painting diyas, making candles, paper bags and jewellery. Active seating and work benches can encourage better posture and concentration. Presently they do much of the work on the floor.

How you can help:

By sponsoring active seating and work benches:

• You provide them with opportunities for controlled movement which will help them focus and attend to tasks more comfortably.
• You ensure their safety, help them reduce fatigue, improve their fine motor skill development, facilitate longer periods of concentration, improve their behavior and promote socializing. This allows them to overcome barriers and feel less isolated.
• All these positive attributes allow them to achieve their highest learning potential!

[Required: Rs. 1,62,500/- Cost Estimates will be produced]