Mid day Meals for Disabled Children

Balajothi Centre for the Disabled is a registered charitable trust, located in the city of Bengaluru, India.  Founded in 2004 we work with intellectually challenged children of all ages, including those with Autism, Mental Retardation, Cerebral Palsy and Multiple Disabilities.  Most children come from poor families. We provide them special education, therapy, rehabilitation and training, pre-vocational and vocational training.

Sunitha, aged 11, is an intellectually challenged girl with vision and speech disabilities as well as cerebral palsy. She was unable to be looked after by her aging grandmother (parents live in a different state and work as laborers in the fields) who worked as a domestic worker in a few homes, leaving the child unattended at home. Or else she had to be carried to her work place.  This posed safety risk as well as danger from anti-social elements and this further worsened the child's condition.

Sunitha was brought to Balajothi in an undernourished condition with poor health and was readily admitted into the centre where she was instantly surrounded by warm and friendly caregivers and was given a rousing welcome by the other children.  Within a very short time Sunitha became the favorite of the centre.  She started reaching out without fear to others around her, happy in the knowledge that she was in a safe environment. Her health also started improving due to the nutritious and timely food that was provided at the centre.  Gradually a remarkable change took place and Sunitha's life changed dramatically for the better.  Her eyes had a sparkle in them, she had a sweet and shy smile, and with all the physiotherapy being provided to her she became an entirely different person within a year.

Sunitha can now walk without support, chatter excitedly with others, respond when called and has endeared herself to others.  The change was mainly due to the good and healthy food and the warm and affectionate environment that she now lives in.

Call to action

Balajothi thanks you for your generous contribution which has transformed Sunitha from a sickly child into a lovely butterfly.  We have till date received $8,025 which is being used to provide nutritious and tasty mid-day meals to all of our special children.  We can help many more children if you can share Sunitha's story with your family and friends circles. A regular contribution every month, however small the amount may be, will go a long way in seeing more Sunithas with beautiful smiles !!  Won't you be a part of it ?