Impact

The children’s school calendars are smattered with remarks like: “fees outstanding” • “assignments not submitted” • “homework not done”

Comments that are neither shown to nor understood by the parents whose major concerns are providing for the next meal or filling water from the community taps. Many families like these living in shanties or cramped tenements approach us for financial assistance. Thanks to our generous donors, we extend educational sponsorship grants twice a year to nearly 400 deserving children. We realize that a regular financial contribution motivates the parents to send their child to school/college instead of considering education an unnecessary burden.

Once we ascertain that a family is deserving of aid, we continue with the grant until a child completes his/her graduation or vocational course and can supplement the family’s meagre earnings.

Another regular activity of TOS Mumbai Region is our four-day Annual Colloquium – Educational Training Camp – convened in an invigorating environment.

The delegates at these Colloquiums are our members, sponsored children and their families. Irrespective of their economic background, education, age, religion, the delegates are encouraged to imbibe altruistic values, lead a disciplined life, gain confidence, nurture talents and cultivate pleasing habits.

Our members and sponsored students are periodically encouraged to visit other facilities that provide institutionalized care to children without family support or differently abled children or seniors in old age homes.

Our confidence building activities like promoting art and appreciation of nature gave an opportunity to our sponsored students from Std II to Std XII to express their creativity. The exercise taught them with practice and imagination they could create remarkable artworks.

Instead of turning a blind eye to the litter and neglect around us, our members and sponsored children were encouraged to join in beach cleaning activities. Even after engaging in this activity for a couple of hours we learnt that our efforts were just a drop in the ocean considering that the majority are not inclined to inculcate good civic habits.