I have a desk job and am by no means a runner. I have decided to run the Pittsburgh Half-Marathon (all 13 miles of it) because I want to support the good work that AID-Pittsburgh is doing in the most impoverished communities of India. Although all of AID’s projects provide much-needed assistance in critical areas, I would like to specifically request readers to donate to the Parivartan Sikshan Sanstha, a project that focuses on educating children age 4-12 in the slums of Mumbai.
Unlike children in America who seem to be most concerned with whether they have the latest cellphone or designer outfit, these kids just long for a hot meal and warm clothes. These children are from families below the poverty line. Their families are uneducated and have not been able to provide them with the opportunity to go to school – undoubtedly the best way to break the cycle of poverty and exploitation. I believe every dollar spent educating these youngsters will help them eventually get jobs that pay a living wage and care for their families. In turn, they will be able to educate their own children and hopefully break the cycle of poverty and hopelessness so prevalent in these communities.
Donate at: http://www.runforindia.org/runners/kamanam
Read my marathon training blog at http://www.runforindia.org/runners/kamanam/blog
Hi Kamana
Congratulations to you for participating in the marathon for worthy cause. My sincere admiration for completing it. Since you have specifically asked readers to donate to educating the children in Mumbai slums, let me add a personal note, if I may. As you know I have volunteered with AID since moving to Pittsburgh in 2004. It was by chance that I saw on the AID database, a project that was already supported by AIDPennstate, in Wadala. I grew up in highly educated , middle class family not far from there and attended a school in Wadala. Within 5 Km of this slum are some of the well known schools and colleges in Mumbai. So, I think it is a disgrace that with so much of quality education within a stone’s throw away , we find kids like these who are yearning to learn and better their lives , but due to circumstances are not able to. So I am delighted that AID PGH has taken up the cause of providing education to these kids in Mumbai slums in Wadala. I visited them when I was in Mumbai recently and others from AIDPGH have been actively supporting this as well.
I greatly appreciate the efforts to better the lives of these kids and let us all join hands in making this project a success.
Kanak