VSSM appeal to come and support every nomadic child.

Parvati Rameshbhai Saraniya, a girl child belonging to the most neglected communities of the country the Saraniyas of Dist. Banaskantha village Vadia. 

Parvati getting ready for School

The situation is worse for the nomadic girl child in northern region of Gujarat, they are often marginalized and at a disadvantaged position in the family, due to cultural factors and religious misinterpretations. The nomadic girl-child is doubly disadvantaged, given her gender, age and ethnicity. Circumstances around her deny her right to education.

Under such stigma lived our little Parvati along with her parents and four siblings. Father Rameshbhai owned a small piece of land, to cultivate with less irrigation facility was challenging his financial conditions. Other source of income was the small shop in village.

Worst phase in his life was when he was diagnosed with kidney failure, he was advised to undergo transplant, was it affordable ??? how can this man survive, who would look after his family?? all these worries was brought to us. We helped him to get free medical treatment of Kidney transplant, his wife donated her kidney. 

Now physically Rameshbhai was fragile, his shop used be closed for most time, his ailment demanded huge medical expenses, worries were unlimited while earning limited. VSSM understood his plea , suggested his elder son Rano to run the shop, under our Livelihood program we granted him interest free loan, this helped him to put the shop in working condition , gradually shop yield good, economic conditions  improved, life again came on track.

Parvati is the fourth child in this family, bright and cheerful. The future looks good nevertheless in education as schools were there, but teachers were absent, books were present but teaching was lacking. Parvati’s younger brother Rajendra was equally bright student, VSSM has so far educated him in renowned schools in Ahmedabad, seeing the remarkable changes in his son, Rameshbhai requested us to enrol Parvati in our Unnati Girls Hostel, Ahmedabad. Rameshbhai’s endeavour that his children should understand the importance of education & be role model in his community.

Though education has always been on high priority for the ruling government in our country.  This is evidenced by the important reforms that the country has initiated in the last few years, including the introduction of new education laws, policies, planning, and increased financing for the sector. Despite commendable results, Banaskantha still faces significant challenges such as a lack of access to quality education for certain groups of children including migrant, rural, and poor children. For these children, going to school is more difficult than for other groups, because of distance to schools and the often nomadic lifestyle of their families.

Presently Parvati is studying in 5th grade in H.B.Kapadia  School, Ahmedabad.  She is enthusiastic and passionate to do better which reflects in her all round development and her participation in various co-curricular activities.

Remarkable & appreciable!! The new era in Saraniyas  is rising, the first educated generation is emerging. 

VSSM’s outstanding efforts are appreciated by people like Shri. Vinodbhai Ambavat. 

Under our Child sponsorship program Shri Vinodbhai has sponsored entire education expense of Parvati, until she wants to study.

Right of every nomadic child to be educated - A mission of VSSM

Priyanka Bajaniya : a Sponsored child by Shri
Sanjay R. Shah Charitable Foundation

Child Name : Pinky Kanubhai Bajaniya
Sponsor: Shri. Sanjay R. Shah Charitable Foundation.

The extremely lively and inquisitive Pinky Bajaniya is a 5th grade student staying with VSSM’s Unnati girls hostel. Pinky hails from one of the most marginalised nomadic communities the 'Bajaniya'. Crumbling livelihoods, ignorance, illiteracy, child -marriages, medieval mindsets and orthodox social practices are some of the factors plaguing this community that continues to survive in shackles of extreme poverty. Under such conditions there are girls like Pinky who have began receiving education and promise of a better tomorrow.

Pinky’s father Kanubhai Bajaniya could study till 4th grade only. Like all in their community, he and his wife too have lived a wandering life finding refuge on footpaths or pavements, working as labourers through the day to raise their 4 children. The daily toil Kanubhai undertook,  made him realise the importance of education. He had decided very early to educate all his 4 kids and give them a better life then his. So determined was he that inspite of his wife’s resistance he enrolled all his 4 children in VSSM hostels. The opposition by his wife was so intense that the couple would end up fighting on the matter. Kanubhai too has been victim of the practice of child-marriage and the couple had four kids very early into their marriage. He was aware that had his parents made different choices his fate would have been different and hence  was determined  not repeating the mistakes his parents had made and provide better opportunities to his children.  He went against the will of his entire family and enrolled his two daughters  Pinky and Varsha at Unnati hostel.

Kanubhai has always been a hard worker. He consider the problems of other as his own. Looking at his dedication and compassion  we asked him to join the grassroots team of VSSM. At present he works with the nomadic communities settled in Rajkot. VSSM cannot afford to pay competitive salaries to its team so as an organisation we take care of the education of the children of our team members. Hence, all 4 kids of Kanubhai study in VSSM hostels.

We talked about Pinky to our dear friend Shri. Atulbhai Ambavat. He referred us to   Shri. Sanjay R. Shah Charitable Foundation. The trust agreed to sponsor educational expenses of 3 girls as long as they continue to study. Pinky is one of these 3 girls.

Pinky has been enrolled in H. B. Kapadia High School one of the leading private schools of Ahmedabad. She dreams of giving a better life to her parents once she completes her study.

“I want my children to study well and be role models in our community. They should inspire other children from our community to receive education and help eradicate practices like child-marriages from our community. Only then will my community really shine,”  Kanubhai’s opinion.

We are thankful to Shri. Sanjay R. Shah Charitable Foundation for the support they have extended to help Pinky and us to realise her dream…..

Yash - Little Feet. Big Strides For Nomads.

Yash Nayak Sponsored Child By
Shri. Vinodbhai Bhagat

Yash Kanubhai Nayak is the eldest son of Kanubhai, our truly dedicated field worker. Kanubhai’s family belonged to Vanod village, Tal. Dasada, Dist. Surendranagar. 

This village has huge settlements of bajaniya community, children below 10 years had almost stopped going to school, government schools are far from their reach.

Kanubhai tried helping and supporting the organisation in the manner he could, most of the times spending his own money to support the organisation. He also spread the word on VSSM amongst his community. In 2008 when VSSM received money to form a team it asked Kanubhai to be a part of the team. He readily joined the team accepting whatever little remuneration VSSM than offered. 

Once he began to get actively involved and absorbed the principles of VSSM he understood the importance of education and focused on sending his children to school. Kanubhai dreams of educating Yash all the way and make him a role model in their community. 

Kanubhai’s earlier life was full of hardship, to meet daily requirements he had done all odd jobs, but still the essence for education was strong, with bare minimum wages he has managed to pay school fees of Yash. Till 2nd std. Yash studied in Govt. school at Vanod, then after he was admitted to Swaminarayan Gurukul Hostel at Kheda, which accommodated our nomadic children to  stay along with their local students.

Currently he is studying in 9th Std. at N.V.School at Naroda & stays in our Vatsalya Hostel campus along with other Nomadic community children. 

Yash is brilliant student & very disciplined child. He has 3 siblings, all sisters Priyanka, Varsha & Neha. Priyanka & Varsha are acquiring their education in one of the renowned school of Ahmedabad H.B.Kapadia School & stays at our Unnati Girls Hostel, while the youngest amongst these Neha stays at our Vatsalya Hostel. 

Yash is a bundle of joy!! Happy and cheerful, must to say very helpful to others hostel mates. 

Shri. Vinodbhai Bhagat, our well-wisher & donor from Mumbai, has sponsored Yash under our child sponsorship program, for his complete education expense, until he wants to study.

Nirjala - A Hope of Nomadic Community - as path setter for next generation.

Nirjala Raval, Sponsored Child by
Sanjay  R. Shah Charitable Foundation

Nirjala studies in class 4th , Father Naranbhai Raval,  Raval community is mainly engaged in carrying loads on camel carts. Many Raval community brothers earns livelihood by loading goods on their back in the ganj bazar (wholesale grocery market).

In the new scenario many community people have started cultivating land on fixed terms basis while some are also involved in livestock breeding. Still prevailing socio – economic condition & education awareness of entire community is feeble.

Naran originally belongs to Kuvawala village of Deodar taluka. Financially family condition very pathetic, so his father was unable to send him to higher studies, still he managed to study till 12th  standard. He left his studies and coped with existing situations & started working with the minimal wages & continued staying at Deodar.  Raval community also carry the tradition of child marriage. Hence Naranbhai got married at very young age, and he became a father of small Nirjala & a son at very young age.

He has strong desire to educate his kids. Very humble & caring by nature , readily helpful to all, considering his dedication & desire to devote his work towards the upbringing of society , VSSM chose him as our field worker. With the handful of salary he managed to meet his family requirements.  VSSM understood his plea & took entire education responsibilities of his children, permitting him to devote more time towards our common aim.

Naran faced family oppose  towards his decision to send Nirjala to hostel & that too so far away from their village, Naran was confident , he and his wife stood firm with their decision & sent Nirjala to stay in our Unnati Girls Hostel .

Today Nirjala is studying in studying in 4th Std. in H.B. Kapadia Primary School, Ahmedabad. Little bit shy but innocent, she is just adorable! to draw & to tell stories is something she enjoys a lot. Her wish to become a Teacher. 

Nirjala is joyful and playful !! her smile will make you forget all worries.

Here we would like to express our gratitude towards Sanjay R. Shah Charitable Foundation, Mumbai with reference to our well-wisher, donor and friend Shri. Atulbhai Ambavat, under our child sponsorship program, sponsored Nirjala for her complete education expense, until he wants to study.

AS NOMADIC GIRL RAZIYA PATHAN AIMS FOR THE SKY...…..

Raziya Pathan : A sponsored child by Shri Sanjay
R. Shah Charitable Foundation

Raziya’s mother Heenaben hails from Saraniya community and  married into a muslim family. Hence it is Raziya Rafiqbhai Pathan.  Heenaben happens to be Rafiqbhai’s second wife. While Rafiqbhai stays with his first wife in the town of Vav Raziya and her two brothers say with their mother in the city of Palanpur. There is no bitterness between two families. Rafiqbhai runs a garage but sustaining two families on the limited income that he earns from a  motor garage has always been difficult. Heenaben has been left to single handedly raise her children by working as domestic help in Palanpur. She has always desired to educate all her children well, so inspite of staying in a shanty near a highway she ensures her kids  go to school by not thrusting  them to earn and support the family. She has always desired to see Raziya studies really well and gets to lead a better life. VSSM’s Shardaben has always stood by Heenaben. Thus last year when Raziya reached 4th standard she was brought to Ahmedabad where she is  enrolled in H. B. Kapadia School and stays with VSSM’s Unnati hostel. A calm, focused and studious Raziya has adjusted well to the hostel life and is doing good at the school too.

Raziya with her medal - a winning
child of school sports competition

A couple of months back in March 2016, a well-wishing friend of VSSM  took the girls of Unnati hostel for an exposure trip to Mumbai. All the girls flew to Mumbai, it was one jolly good trip for them, a life changing trip that offered them life time of experiences. It was for the first time the girls had experience of visiting such large large city, experienced flying and  travelling on a train.  But the experience of flying also ignited some aspirations for Raziya who  now aspires to be an Air hostess. This little bundle is so determined that she has also began inquiring further on  what will she have to study to become an air hostess!!! And she has began putting in her efforts to attain her dream to fly high!!

Shri. Sanjay R. Shah Charitable Foundation has taken up the responsibility to support Raziya's complete educational  expense.

VSSM also wishes Raziya lives her dream and is able to proudly take her mother and brothers for an airplane ride…….