Dear Friends,

Education has always been an important part of my life. From a young age, my parents taught me the value of education. An education could open doors. My parents also taught me the value of hard work and that life would present me with opportunities—opportunities that others would not have and that previous generations of my family had not been granted. Those lessons, taught to me as a child, paid dividends. I seized the opportunity to attend college. I had to work two jobs to help pay for it, but when I graduated I became the first person from my mother’s side of the family to earn a college degree.

Today, I am blessed with another opportunity. I have the chance to give something back, and to open the doors of education to others. I can help the communities of Anand and Kheda by providing the children of these communities with the means to continue to pursue their education. I know from personal experience that education is a worthy pursuit–a pursuit that will pay dividends, not just to the recipients, but to the community as a whole.

About Hamare Bachche
In 2002, a train in the city of Godhra in Gujarat, India was set ablaze by a mob, sparking a massive riot that resulted in the deaths of over a 1,000 people. The dead were mostly the male breadwinners of these poor communities. According to official accounts, 900 women were widowed and over 600 children orphaned. Many of the children were severely shocked by the brutality of the Gujarat riots, and often witnessed their parents being burnt alive by mobs. The widows and children of these victims not only suffered deep psychological trauma; they also lost their means of livelihood and lack the education and support to restart their lives.

The Self Employed Women’s Assocation (SEWA) started the Hamare Bachche (“Our Children”) Program aimed at rehabilitating children who lost one or both parents in the riots and placing them back in school to finish their education. Children between the ages of 3-18 years are enrolled in Nursery, Primary and Secondary Schools.

Ed's Project
The psychological trauma faced by the children requires special care and attention. Regular meetings with teachers and guardians are held to monitor the children’s well-being and education; teachers were instructed to deal these children with patience and utmost care. Special tutoring and test prep are also given to needy Hamare Bachche students to inspire confidence and improve performance.

The psychological trauma faced by the children requires special care and attention. This program covers the costs of education for the Hamare Bachche children, in addition to:
∙Trauma Assessment and Counseling
∙School fees and supplies
∙Uniforms
∙Room and Board (if necessary)
∙Health Care Services
∙Childcare Services for Younger Children
∙Vocational Guidance and Trainings
∙Extra-curricular Activities and Field Trips
∙Organizing special programs like Summer Camps, Workshops, and picnics
∙Exam Preparation and Tutoring

Ed's has supported Hamare Bachche education and funding for 11 students to complete their education, providing them with the resources to achieve self-reliance and seek more prosperous opportunities.

Join Ed and partner with Mehsana District to provide orphaned children with the opportunity to complete their education.