As a business, we are in a fortunate position to be able to support some incredible organisations doing real humanitarian work that is making a difference to people’s lives. One such organisation is Vidya Dhan, a small Indian charity set up in 2012 by a group of family and friends to support girls from impoverished families in India break the cycle of poverty through education.
According to the charity, the problem for many of these girls is:
“[They] become victims of a vicious circle where their parents, especially their mothers, are not educated. Economic benefits of education and the costs involved in undertaking such educational attainment have been perceived differently for boys and girls. The perception was that parents who bore the private costs of investing in schooling for girls failed to receive the full benefits of their investment. This was largely true because much of the payoff in educating girls was broadly social in nature rather than economic.
Such perceptions still endure and we at Vidya Dhan believe that it is our collective duty to break this vicious cycle and free our girls of the shackles of ignorance.”
Evidence suggests that the girls who can access long-term education and stay in school tend to get married at more appropriate ages, have children later and can take care of their own health and children’s nutrition. They are also able to contribute to the economic improvement of their families.
Operating in and around rural areas of Bangalore, India, Vidya Dhan is focused on:
- Contributing towards the school fees of children
- Contributing towards the costs of school uniforms, shoes and stationery
- Reimbursing children's medical costs if parents are unable to afford them
- Counselling parents in order to provide a safe and nurturing home environment
- Providing after school tuition and help with homework
At UK Care Team, we’re passionate about supporting women and girls, and believe that every girl should have access to a full education, her potential realised and the chance to contribute to the economic improvement of her family. That is why we proudly work with Vidya Dhan to provide monthly sponsorship for two girls’ full education fees. We also have plans for further fundraising for this wonderful and inspiring charity, so watch this space.
In the meantime, to learn more about the lifechanging work it does and to donate for yourself, please visit: https://www.vidyadhan.org.uk/. As the charity’s strapline outlines, with strong girls, together we can build a strong world.
