INDIA SHAHABAD DAIRY COMMUNITY CENTER Delhi, India A Mothers Plea - - PDF document

INSPIRING

CHANGE

INDIA

SHAHABAD DAIRY COMMUNITY CENTER Delhi, India

Shakila is only 26, but she bears a heavy burden

• n her slender shoulders. Shakila, like many young

women in India, was given little schooling and was married off by her family at a young age. Now a mother to four young children, she survived years of abuse from her husband only to be abandoned by him after the birth of their youngest child. The children are too small for her to work outside the home, so she earns a few rupees by sewing for neighbors. Two of her children attend Children International’s early childhood-development programs, which has been a big help for her. But they all need so much more. “Is there anything else you can help me with?” she asks. Once the Shahabad Dairy center opens, Shakila’s children – Aarish, Abdul Shariq, Arnish and Aalim – will have access to regular medical care, school supplies, clothing and encouraging role models who will help them grow up confident and prepared for the future. It can’t come soon enough for this desperate mother.

A Mother’s Plea

Thank you for inspiring change in India! To donate to our community center campaign, contact our Development Team at 800-888-4089.

2000 East Red Bridge Road, Kansas City, MO 64131 Development Department: 1-800-888-4089 • www.children.org

Dear Friends, Even though I now call the United States “home,” part of my heart still lives in India. Every time I visit there, my heart breaks to see so many young children living in such pathetic conditions. I’ve supported Children International for more than 25 years. After visiting the Tilden Keller Family Community Center in Bawana, Delhi, I was quite impressed with the way CI is helping the lives of so many children. When I learned that they were planning to build another center in Delhi, I knew I wanted to be a part of it! I am hoping you will be a part of it, too. My wife, Anita, and I have committed to being the lead donors for the center, but we need concerned people like you to help match my gift and fill its rooms with staff, equipment and hope. Anita and I know this center will be an oasis for the children and their families in the middle of the slum they call home. We feel that, through this center, we are building a legacy for ourselves and

• ur family. You, too, can create a proud legacy for yourself and future generations.

When the children of Shahabad Dairy visit this new center, their smiles will carry a silent blessing to donors like you who made it possible for them. Let’s change Shahabad Dairy together! With pride and anticipation, Bhupendra K. “B.K.” and Anita Ahuja Lead Donors Shahabad Dairy Community Center

Three Floors of Hope

First Floor: Medical, Dental and Nutrition Services

*This list reflects available opportunities at the time of printing. Please contact our Development Department to confirm your preferences. Multiyear pledges are available; additional areas are available upon request.

Second Floor: Educational Services Tiird Floor: Youth Programs and Services

Create a Meaningful Legacy in India

Naming rights are available for the following spaces in the Shahabad Dairy Center. Naming Opportunities*

Computer Center $50,000 Community Enrichment Hall $50,000 Dental Clinic $25,000 Kitchen & Nutrition/Feeding Room $10,000 Community Board Room $25,000 Youth Career Readiness Center $75,000

Life in Shahabad Dairy

A dismal habitat Shahabad Dairy is a slum in the northwest part of Delhi. It is home to more than 21,000 families crammed into a six-block area. The colony was formed over 25 years ago when residents were evicted from government and private lands in Delhi. The colony’s name refers to the concentration of dairy production in the area. Limited opportunity Because they live so far from the central city, employment opportunities for residents are limited. The average monthly salary is US$100, which is well below the amount needed to provide shelter and two meals per day for a typical family. Lives at risk Only one public health facility exists in the colony, and it is only open for a few hours each day. Residents are often forced to rely

• n illegal practitioners.

An educational abyss The student-to-teacher ratio in Shahabad Dairy is an abysmal one teacher per 100

• students. Children are in dire need of

educational support to increase their learning

• pportunities.

Five Reasons Why

Why build in Shahabad Dairy? This center is needed for five critical reasons: 1. Poor hygiene and health practices. Lacking knowledge and resources, residents suffer high rates of intestinal parasites and disease. 2. A scarcity of proper facilities for formal education.

• 3. High unemployment.

4. CI’s established presence in the

• community. Our existing pre-primary

education center currently offers early- childhood development programs. 5. Desperate need. Children deserve a better lifestyle and positive influences.