There4U – Working for Underprivileged Children

TISB Grade 10 student, Camelia, have as part of her 1M1B Future Leaders programme, been working with four child care homes for children. The work has been centred around fulfil the children’s basic needs, for example, a place to live, food and groceries, medicine and laptops for online education during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Since 2019 Camelia has reached and impacted the lives of 145 girl children, including 80 mentally and physically challenged girls. The organisations that she has been working with are the SATH Foundation, Madhu Orphanage, Swanthana and Cottolengo Special School for Mentally Challenged and Gifted Children. “I have raised funds for their mid-day meals, groceries and medicines. I could fund the rent deposit for a room for their better living. I also helped to raise funds for the spine surgery of a girl who needed it immediately”, says Camelia who has donated drawing kits to the children and encourages them to do art work and printing these to raise funds.

“In SATH Foundation, the underprivileged and neglected girls minors of the age 4-12 years were brought from footpaths, slums and railway stations. They were never sent to school and used to work for their families”, says Camelia and explains that the organisations has offered the children a home and that they now study in a Government school, where they get their mid-day meals. However there are still many challenges and needs. “All 30 girls used to stay in 2 small rooms, there was no fund for medical emergencies and due to the COVID-19 situation, as the government school was closed and they were not getting their mid-day meals”, says Camelia, who has reached out to people via Social Media and WhatsApp to share the story of the childcare homes to raise funds.

The Madhu Orphanage has around 40 minors, including boys and girls. They have all been deprived and neglected, and Camelia have funded their groceries. “In 2020, during Christmas, I was able to raise funds for a new dress for all 25 girls and recently donated 2 laptops for their online education”, says Camelia who visit the childcare home very often and spend time with the girls. “This helps me create a strong bond and personal connection with them”, she explains.

Swanthana focuses on the complete well-being of around 50 girls, between the ages eight months and 15 years. Cottolengo Special School for mentally challenged and gifted children is a home for about 15 mentally and physically challenged girl minors. “These girls are mentally challenged and often have multiple disabilities”, says Camelia who’s project has been selected by the United Nations as part of Sustainable Development Goal Number 1 – ‘No poverty’. She will be visiting the United Nations Headquarters in New York to present her project in 2021.

To learn more about the project watch Camelia’s YouTube video.

Read more about the organisations that Camelia is working with on SATH Foundation’s website, Madhu Orphanage’s website, Swanthana’s website.