Amar is a budding journalist who likes to meet people, interview them and upload the videos on his Youtube channel. He is currently on a project where he interviews news anchors and questions them about their journey in the world of media.
Amar is a Divyang. He cannot walk without assistance.
Some days ago, Amar met eminent journalist from Doordarshan, Ashok Shrivastav, and interviewed him. Later, Shrivastav posted a tweet requesting support from people to buy Amar an electric cycle to commute.
The journalist said that Amar rode his bicycle for two hours to meet him, which left him shocked. Amar did have a bicycle but it had broken.
“Can any NGO help Amar?” Shrivastav asked.
This is Shrivastava’s post:
ये यूट्यूबर @Breaking_Amar 2 घंटे तक हाथ साइकिल चलाकर मेरा इंटरव्यू लेने आए थे,फोन पर मुझे नहीं पता था कि दिव्यांग हैं। इनका साहस देख कर चौंक गया था।अभी इनका ट्वीट देखकर पता चला कि साइकिल टूट गई है।गरीब परिवार से हैं। इलेक्ट्रिक साइकिल दिलाने में कौन सा NGO इनकी मदद कर सकता है ? https://t.co/5VYYsjEnblpic.twitter.com/gLdG3CeTgY
Amar told us that the electric cycle he needed would cost Rs 95,000. Seeing Amar’s enthusiasm for doing field work in journalism despite being handicapped, we agreed to bear the cost.
A few days ago, a resident of Jharkhand named Prem Das approached Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation through social media. Much to our amusement, he introduced himself as ‘Kapil ka fan Prem’.
We soon learnt that he is a die-hard fan of a stand-up comedian named Kapil Sharma. Nevertheless, Prem Das turned out to be a passionate social worker.
Prem Das giving a Divyang a ration kit on behalf of Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation
Prem requested us for funds so he could distribute winter blankets in a particularly impoverished village in Jharkhand – Amba village in Khunti area. He offered to carry out the sewa work on our behalf.
We were more than pleased to be able to give respite to the poor residents in the ongoing chilly month of December. We distributed about 150 blankets in this drive. Prem informed us that many beneficiaries were physically challenged. Many others did not have a roof over them.
Prem Das distributing blankets on our behalf.
It was nothing less than a dream-come-true opportunity for our team as we strive to reach to the poorest and the most needy. We hope that someday, we grow in size and resources to be able to provide such families with roofs over their heads too.
Prem has carried out two other drives for us. In Biru village of Simdega district in Jharkhand, several Divyangs were struggling with funds to buy ration. We readily gave out the funds. He istributed ration kits to at least ten such needy people.
Each kit had wheat flour, rice, dal, oil and vegetables that could last a week. Prem carried out the drive taking help from his local friends.
Prem Das distributing ration kits among needy
After the distribution, the group shared a video with us in which a sense of relief could be clearly seen on the faces of beneficiaries. The Divyangs thanked us profusely, and it was no less than bliss for us.
We, at Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation, are on constant lookout for self-motivated individuals such as Prem Das who can take our sewa to areas where our existing small team struggles to physically reach.
Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation recently distributed winter blankets to residents of a Jharkhand village. Here is our volunteer Prem Kumar, who carried out the distribution on our behalf
A big thanks to all our supporters who have helped us bring a smile on so many faces pic.twitter.com/FjwVxdZJ35
We, at Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation, feel blessed to have been able to help many poor and downtrodden families.
A substantial number of people have been able to bounce back in their lives with our support, and more continue to do so. Our help has taken multiple forms and addressed myriad needs and we have been egged on by the passion of our founders and the zeal of our volunteers, who have sought to ensure that no family in need of help is deprived of that help.
The following cases show the extent that we have gone to pull individuals and families out of trouble.
Meena Devi had lost her husband several years ago. She was facing extreme hardship during the Covid-induced lockdown as markets and offices were closed down and people were forced to stay back home. Meena was struggling to access even the most essential items. One of our volunteers, Kartikeya, met her during our lockdown rehabilitation drive, and after getting to know about Meena’s plight, we immediately made arrangements for essential items to be provided to her. Meena has never ceased to thank us for the timely support that we had offered.
Meena Devi lost her husband last year. She was facing extreme hardships during lockdown when our volunteer Kartikeya met her. We immediately provided essential items to her
Kartikeya’s own family suffered losses during Delhi riots, but went around in lockdown for helping others pic.twitter.com/nLgIj5RInT
The people of Harkhadi village in Uttar Pradesh also found us standing strongly behind them whenever a need arose.
We helped the villagers in getting a hand pump installed, which made the availability of water in the village smooth and easy. Considering how several villages in the country face a terrible water crisis and how people are forced to travel long distances to fetch water, installation of hand pumps is often considered to be a major rural development measure. The foundation also undertook a blanket distribution drive in the village, helping needy families.
The best part about this initiative was that the villagers readily volunteered to facilitate the distribution drive and the blankets reached the intended beneficiaries even though we had never met them one on one.
What is more cruel than being without an adequate blanket in this chilling weather?
Our volunteer in Harkhadi village in UP’s Balrampur distributed blankets to 20 needy people, sponsored by us pic.twitter.com/oTR1SjgsBo
Then we had Devandita Mishra, a law student who had a major leg surgery. She approached us for help for travelling from Ghaziabad to Gorakhpur following her surgery. She said she had booked tickets for general class, but after her surgery, she realised she needed better coach and seats. She said she had run out of money.
We were more than happy to assist her.
We wish Devandita Mishra, a law student who recently had a major surgery in leg, all the best for her upcoming exams in November. She approached us as she needed help for travelling from Ghaziabad to Gorakhpur post surgery. We are glad we could help, dear @devvanditapic.twitter.com/1lRETqKIO1
A family from West Bengal came under duress as their minor daughter was kidnapped and brought to Delhi. The girl was rescued after intervention of national child commission. While our co-founder Swati Goel Sharma was covering the case for Swarajyamag.com, the girl’s father revealed he was very poor and struggling to make ends meet. He said he did not have enough money to even make rounds of the police station for formalities.
We immediately helped the father with an amount.
A resident of West Bengal thanks @sewanyaya for timely help as he ran out of savings and income.
The poor family is also mentally strained as their minor daughter was recently kidnapped. Thankfully, she was rescued from Delhi. Read about the case here: https://t.co/9oNAL69g35pic.twitter.com/539eM2H70O
We undertook extensive campaigns to support the underprivileged sections with ration and food during the lockdown. Ankur Kumar was one such individual whom we helped. The differently-abled hails from the scheduled caste community.
A road accident had badly damaged his spine. During the lockdown, Ankur and his family were finding it difficult to make ends meet. We made arrangements for essential items and also approached the ministry of social justice and empowerment on Ankur’s behalf with an appeal for medical aid.
We @sewanyaya sent support to Ankur Kumar during lockdown. Ankur is a physically-disabled, poor person from an SC family who suffered spinal injury in an unfortunate road accident. We have also taken his case to Min of Social Justice & Empowerment, with an appeal for medical aid pic.twitter.com/sr4Cjb9gxK
Another one of our lockdown beneficiaries was Ashok Mishra, a labourer. He was hit by the disappearance of day-to-day earnings during the lockdown. Our volunteers met him during our lockdown rehabilitation drive and provided him with ration. Even after that initial help, our volunteers stayed in touch with him and his family.
Ashok Mishra is a daily wage laborer with family of five in northeast Delhi. He thanks @sewanyaya after our volunteers Kartikeya & Vandana visited him in his hour of need with essential ration pic.twitter.com/wsc5uSqR0I
Our sewa also involved monetary assistance to the kin of a murder victim as the compensation provided by the government was taking a long time to arrive.
This refers to the infamous Loten Nishad murder case, in which a youth in Uttar Pradesh was killed by his neighbours for his comments blaming the Tablighi Jamaat for the spread of the coronavirus in the initial stage of the pandemic last year. Loten’s elder brother Birju told us that the family was in urgent need of money as the compensation of Rs 5 lakh announced by the government was not immediately available.
Our founders, who were closely tracking the case, decided to lend their support. Accordingly, Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation transferred a small amount to Birju’s wife so that the family could survive till it received the government compensation.
You must be aware of the tragic Loten Nishad murder case. The decreased's elder brother told us he needs money urgently. Compensation of 5 lakh announced by govt will take time. So we @sewanyaya transferred a small amount to Birju's wife so the family survives the time until then pic.twitter.com/7Gmr8LuICZ
Our sewa during the lockdown involved crucial support to migrants, who were stuck away from home with employment and livelihoods quickly vanishing. Nithya, a Tamil migrant living in Delhi, contacted us as her family was struggling to access basic and essential supplies.
We made arrangements for ration and other essential items to be provided to her. The video she sent expressing her gratitude would remain with us as our biggest earning.
Unemployed since lockdown, a Tamil migrant to Delhi Nithya contacted us for help
She sent this after getting essential supplies for her family of 4
We thank all our supporters for their support,& showing that together we can help all vulnerable sail through #lockdownpic.twitter.com/WCuDYA6AdF
Today, we can proudly say that the tales of service rendered by us have spread far and wide, and many individuals, impressed by our record, have approached us for help.
The recently-widowed Pushpa was one such individual. A resident of the riot-hit region of Delhi, Pushpa had lost the breadwinner of the family. The lockdown brought about more troubles and her family was struggling to make arrangements for essential supplies.
Looking at how we had supported families in her area, she contacted us in the hope of receiving support. We made sure that she did not go empty-handed as part of the riot rehabilitation and lockdown rehabilitation drives.
Then there was the case of Kaila Devi‘s family going tlhrough severe financial hardship following her death. When we learnt about the family’s misfortunes, we rushed to provide whatever little help we could. We also shared the case with the appropriate authorities so that the family gets some relief.
The foundation thanks all its volunteers for working selflessly to realise the dream of our idols to wipe the tears of as many needy families as possible. Do support us so that we can carry on in our endeavours with vigour.
Vedika is special. Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation is proud to have contributed in whatever little way possible to set her on the road to realising her dreams.
The seven-old-old from Rajasthan is differently-abled. Her legs do not support her and she struggles to walk. Her parents had taken her to various doctors, who had suggested that an operation was the only way to cure her. However, the financial position of Devika’s parents was not strong enough to fund her operation. They were helpless and other than praying, nothing much could be done to help her walk.
Vedika, however, has continued to forge ahead. The positivity shown by her even at such a tender age has been phenomenal. Her parents also deserve credit for not letting the clouds of misfortune be the precursor to a storm.
Devika is good at studies. Despite her physical difficulties, she is passionate about dancing.
When we learnt about Vedika’s story from one of our volunteers, we decided to put the wind in her sails. We provided her with an immediate grant for her operation. Her parents told us Vedika has undergone the operation and is recovering well.
We also told Vedika about the legendary Sudha Chandran, who had to have a leg amputated at the age of 16, after a road accident, but still went on to become one of the biggest Bharatnatyam exponents of the country. We told her that much like Chandran, she had been provided with a divya shakti (divine power) and could dance her way past all difficulties.
The foundation has always strived to make the lives of divyangs (differently-abled) better and help them in achieving the success they deserve. Do support us so that we are able to, in turn, support the hopes of the underprivileged sections of society and prevent their dreams from getting crushed under the weight of hardship.
Meet Vedika Nagar, a 7-year-old from Rajasthan, who loves to study and dance but struggles to walk and stand for long. We have helped the poor family with an initial grant of Rs 20k, and are committed to making the girl fulfil her dreams and lead a normal life. pic.twitter.com/SntpDhb3UY
Suresh Chand was an emotional wreck when we met him. The small pan shop that he used to run was in shambles and items from the shop lay strewn across the street. Suresh, an elderly and differently-abled man, had his only source of income snatched away from him.
That is what the riots that erupted in Delhi last year did to Suresh and many like him. People lost their belongings and lives as mobs ran amok. Years of savings were consumed by the flames of rage as the capital was going through one of the worst crises in recent memory. The environment was heavy with fear and tension, and danger lurked at every step. The government assured of rehabilitation, but most of those assurances remained hollow.
Suresh ran his shop with the help of his wife Saraswati, who is also a divyang (differently-abled)। Neither can walk without support.
Suresh narrated to us the events on that fateful day when his shop was vandalised. He was sitting at the counter, as he did every day, minding his business and selling his wares when a mob went on a rampage. People around started running helter-skelter. Suresh was worried about his wife. He asked her to move to a safer place. Then the mob started pelting stones. With the situation quickly going out of control, Suresh had no option but to leave his shop at the mercy of the hooligans and leave.
When the storm passed, it left devastation in its wake. Suresh had lost everything. He was driven to destitution.
Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation then took it upon itself to help Suresh in piecing his life back together. We made an immediate transfer of Rs 25,000.
After a year, when we met Suresh again, he had bounced back admirably. He was sitting at the counter of his shop that he had rebuilt with our support. He lamented that except for our foundation, nobody else came forward to help. Hardships have not totally vanished from his life, but at least he has his shop back.
Doing whatever little we could for Suresh made us happy too. It was another case in which we could live up to our aim of helping the underprivileged and vulnerable sections of society. Do support us so that we can continue our mission.
Suresh Chand and Saraswati are a physically-challenged couple. Their paan kiosk was completely burnt during Delhi riots last year
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, goes an age-old saying. Indeed, there are hundreds of problems that life throws at us, and we always end up cursing our fate for it. Humans tend to cry for what they do not have, rather than being grateful for what they have.
Life has been far from easy for Vikas Singh, a student of Class 11 from Panipat in Haryana. He is differently-abled but possesses a lion’s heart. Vikas made his family, village and his Sikh community proud by scoring 94% in the Class 10 examinations, topping his class without any significant support.
However, his financial frailties threatened to hinder his progress. Vikas wanted to study further, but his family, which had gone through considerable financial hardships, did not have the wherewithal to fuel Vikas’ dreams.
That is where we stepped in. We were mighty impressed by Vikas’ dedication, hard work and passion for studies, and we extended him an education grant.
Vikas may just be a schoolboy, but his life is a lesson for all of us. Life has been terribly unkind to him, but rather than cribbing about it and wallowing in sorrow, Vikas decided to turn adversity into opportunity, and that never-say-die attitude has made him an achiever. It is people like him who make our work worthwhile.
The motto of the Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation has been to help people like Vikas in overcoming their difficulties. Often all that is required is a small help, which turns out to have a big impact on the lives of the poor, needy and downtrodden. Our volunteers have been going to the remotest corners of far-flung villages and helping people who are deprived of cakes and ale. Do support us so that we can make the lives of the underprivileged sections of society a little easier.
Vikas Singh is bright at studies, but struggles with a physical challenge and financial constraints at home
We gave him an educational grant as a token of appreciation. We wish Vikas the best in life and all support in future pic.twitter.com/Uv0whrwSYi
