Since it’s inception in the 1960’s BRT2 has undertaken a large number of socially responsible projects. From blood typing to building homes for the mentally challenged, from contributing to the visually challenged to helping educate tribal children in the villages of Maharashtra, we have always been a fore runner in our motto of Service Through Fellowship. This Year we will be taking up the extension of the Tamarind Tree School for tribal children in Dhanu & Be providing for education of Visually Impaired Children under the NAB’s Integrated Education Program. For details on these, please visit our 2011 Projects Page.

The following are some of the highlights of the work done in the past few years.

• Building of the Women’s Shelter at Mentally Disabled Children Home (MDC Home), Mankhurd. (click here for further details)
  
• Renovation of the SOSVA Tribal Children’s School at Dhabon (click here for further details)
  
• Building the RTI-RZP School at Lonivali Village which is located between Mumbai & Pune
• 120 Free Cataract Operations in association with the People’s Hospital Worli & AOL
• Building an enclosure for the severely disabled and a laundry room at MDC Home, Mankhurd
• Donation of braille kits, braille press, computers & braille typewriters to NAB (National Association for the Blind)
• Arranging various events such as Taare Zammen Par (a painting competition), magic shows etc at the MDC Home, Mankhurd
• A Dental clinic for the Mentally Challenged Children at the MDC Home.

The RTI RZP Lonivali School built by BRT2

Painting Competition - Taare Zameen Par at The MDC Home

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A picture made by a child during Taare Zameen Par

For details of Primary Education related projects undertaken by Round Table India please visit http://www.FreedomThroughEducation.org

Girls Hostel at MDC Home, Mankhurd

Upgradation and provision of sufficient space for the girls of the Mentally Disabled Children Home at Mankhurd, Mumbai was a dream which began 12 years ago and was cherished by every member of BRT2. After a struggle of more than a decade and constant persuasion we finally received permission to create extra space for the ladies hostel.

Children at the MDC Home

MENTALLY DISABLED CHILDREN (MDC), Mankhurd is the largest home in the state of Maharsahtra for children who are mentally unfit and abandoned by their families. It is houses more than 400 children..

The ladies hostel was built almost 30 years back with a capacity of 85 girls, however it now has 190 girls and the numbers are ever increasing. There was extreme shortage of space and there was urgent need to upgrade the infrastructure. Also the basic necessities like drinking water and repair of drainage system was required.

The repair work at the MDC Home

The first phase of the project was built at a cost of Rs. 10 lacs and it consisted of the following:

• Built Dining Section (3000 sq ft)
• Built Court Yard shed (2500 sq ft)
• Repair of drainage system
• Drinking water fountains

Children at the MDC Home

The inauguration presented a very touching moment when we received a vote of thanks from Mentally Disabled Girls who could barely speak properly.

One of the structures built at the MDC Home

We are also in the process of building an extra wing to the hostel which is budgeted at Rs. 20 lacs as soon we receive the necessary permissions.

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The SOSVA Tribal Children’s School at Dhabon (Near Dhanu)

The SOSVA Trust (Society for Service to Voluntary Agencies) school at Dhabon is located at a distance of 33 km from Dahanu Road Station, Maharashtra

The SOSVA School at Dhabon

This school is located in an area surrounded by several small villages and agriculture is the only means of livelihood. It is in a forest area with very poor roads and is quite inaccessible. The population is made up of uneducated farmers who are below poverty line and there is a large degree of alcoholism. Most people do not own land and they work as migrant labor and travel for over half the year, to all parts of the country. As children travel with their migrant parents, they are devoid of schooling.

Tribal Children at the School

The SOSVA Trust has thus set up a residential school having 300 residential students, including 80 girls. In addition to this they have 50 day students. The numbers are increasing every year as this is the only school in the surrounding area. It is a free residential school with separate residence for boys and girls. Presently it is running till the 6th Standard with 10 residential teachers. The school provides students with free clothing, 3 meals a day and vocational education.

There is extreme shortage of space as the original school was made for half the current number of students and it is at a point where they are unable to take further students due to non-availability of space. BRT2 has thus extended their support to the school and ensured to build a new building with classrooms and other necessary amenities. BRT2 has been working very closely with the Trust and Government agencies to get the necessary permissions. We hope to get the permissions in the next 4-5 months.

Before

After

While we wait for permissions even the existing infrastructure was very weak and it was urgently required to renovate the same. The present 3000 sq feet of building did not have any tilling and the existing flooring was completely destroyed. The conditions were unhealthy and also unsafe for the children. We thus decided to take up tilling of the present 3000 sq feet of the structure immediately. The before and after pictures bear testimony for the work done and the comfort provided to these children

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