Genesis of Gharkul
Gharkul’s work began in 2006 to provide education to children from the lower socio economic groups. In the process the team at Gharkul identified an alarming number of children with special needs who were neglected and doubly disadvantaged due to lack of parental awareness about their needs, social stigma and poor financial access to special education and therapy. Gharkul’s program was therefore birthed in February of 2007 and designed to give these children an opportunity for a brighter future.
Gharkul was founded by Sunil Satpute, a Social Worker who has been working with children from lower income groups and street children since 1993. He observed that the children with special needs that he came across were denied their right to an education due to parental lack of awareness and their inability to afford the fees for special education.
Passionate Volunteer
Convinced that the need for a facility to provide special education to children from lower income groups was the need of the hour, Sunil started a day-care center for children with special needs in 2007. Gharkul thus comprised of a group of 8 enrolled children with special needs from slum communities in Santacruz, a location in the Suburbs of Mumbai.
In those initial days, all Gharkul had was a strong will to improve the lives of special children. It was not long before help poured in, friends generously gave whatever they knew could be of use. They sponsored various facilities like food, stationery, medical aid, uniforms, bags, and shoes making the Gharkul dream a reality.
Gharkul has been and still is a joint effort towards improving the lives of children with special needs and their families.
Donate Now via Bharat Pe QR Code
Varshita – A modern-day Mother Teresa (Norway)
She put the real India out there for foreigners to see through her goodness and sublime humaneness. She compelled one and all to question the misconceptions they harboured in their mind about India and …..
Varshita, the exemplary Indian, for whom every human being she met provided an opportunity for her to help, may not be a famous person in the conventional sense. However, she had friends hailing from over 35 countries, and the people who had come over to pay their last respects on the 16th of January 2020 in Trondheim would, by far, be the most cosmopolitan lot – she had touched the lives of all of them in one way or the other. She was a modern-day Mother Teresa, and her story has to be told, written and shared for posterity. Readers may wish to read the tribute article published a few days after her sad demise at https://www.theintegrativepost.com/death-be-not-proud/
Royalties from the sale of Venkatesh’s novella That Cup of Hot Coffee, are directed to the Varshita Venkatesh Children’s Fund. You can support the Fund by buying a copy of the book at www.amazon.in/THAT-CUP-HOT-COFFEE-VENKATESH
Vision
A world where all children with special needs access quality education and employment.
Mission
We enable children with special needs to become self-reliant by catering to their needs of education, vocational training, life skills, therapy and treatment in a supportive, nurturing environment, and create awareness in society about their unique needs.
Error! You must specify a valid width to use this shortcode!
Challenge
-Children with special needs from lower socio economic groups lack access to free special education because of low social and familial acceptance and awareness, depriving them of their right to development, future employment and a quality life.
In the 10 years that Gharkul has worked with special children from lower income groups, we have identified that our beneficiaries have a host of challenges to overcome that are potential barriers to their optimal growth and development. Our beneficiaries all who stem from lower income groups are prone to malnutrition, neglect or harsh parenting due to parental apathy, unawareness or inability to support them. A sizeable number of parents have low levels of education and fail to see the value in educating their child with special needs. These and many other factors develop a sense of unwillingness in the parent/s to invest their meagre income on education. Moreover, parents are victims of social stigma resulting in shame and low self-esteem. These social elements inculcate a sense of helplessness which effects their ability to promote the wellbeing of their child with special needs.
Pooja’s Story
Pooja was diagnosed with Autism at the age of 12. Her family, unaware of what to do or how to care for her approached several schools with a hope for help, guidance. However they were disheartened to hear that the school would only enroll Pooja if a member of her family accompanied her during the school hours. The reason for this was that Pooja was hyperactive and not yet toilet trained.
The school’s condition was not a possibility for Pooja’s family who belonged to the lower socio economic group where each family members’ income was essential to make ends meet.
Pooja’s family received such responses from several schools leading them to conclude that keeping Pooja at home was the option they have. The family locked Pooja at home while they were at work and one of them returned in the afternoon to feed Pooja and left for work again. Pooja’s family was unaware of how to deal with her symptoms like screaming, biting, crying and her inability to communicate verbally.
It was only when Pooja turned 15 that her family heard about Gharkul through one of Gharkul’s awareness generation programs.
Values
Right to Live with Dignity
Each Child has a right to live with dignity. Gharkul believes that a quality, strength-based education will help them secure this right.
Right to a Safe & Quality Life
We strive to create an environment in school and at home that exuberates freedom and happiness for each of our beneficiaries.
Right to a Nurturing Environment
Each child at Gharkul is a recipient of unconditional positive regard, their strengths and interests are watered. They are accepted and in a safe place.
Beneficieries
Children with special needs and their parents are Gharkul’s beneficiaries. We enroll children into our program regardless of how severe their impairment is. We cater to children with…