MUMBAI: A city-based NGO, Save The Children India (now renamed Vipla Foundation), that has been a beacon of light for underprivileged kids nationwide, is celebrating 35 years this month.
The saga began when founder Vipula Kadri spotted a bunch of street children huddled together under driving rain. Three decades after it was registered May 12, 1988, the NGO’s umbrella has expanded to include women too.
Pramod Nigudkar, CEO, Vipla Foundation, said, “Our work involves four verticals namely inclusion, education, early years intervention and anti-human trafficking. We run a programme called Dhvani for hearing impaired children from poor families, providing hearing aids and helping them seek funds for cochlear implants. An implant costs up to Rs 7-9 lakh so we are unable to finance that ourselves.” The NGO also plans to launch a missed call helpline shortly.
Apart from running its own schools and balwadis, Vipla Foundation provides mentorship and training to teachers of BMC-run balwadis in slum localities across Mumbai, Palghar, Mira-Bhayander and Pune. “Under our Patang programme, we offer remedial education to civic school students who are unable to read or write according to their age or grade level,” said Nigudkar.
There have been moments that make the struggle seem worthwhile. Young Vipul Jain is the son of a small time shop owner of Kamani, Kurla. Under the foundation’s tutelage, the mentally challenged student expended his aggression through sports. His brother Hardik said, “We were so proud when Vipul was selected by Special Olympics to represent India at the international level World Games at Los Angeles. He was felicitated by our community also.”
Perhaps the most impactful intervention by Vipla Foundation is its anti-human trafficking initiative. “Outside of rescue and running our own shelter homes, which we feel is the goverment’s task, we do everything else,” said Nigudkar.
Jyoti Nale Tajane, senior director of this programme, explains the genesis. She said, “In 1996 Mumbai Police had conducted a massive raid in the red light district of Kamathipura and rescued 400 women and children. Of these, 200 were from Nepal. The authorities sought Vipula Kadri’s assistance to repatriate them, and she sent them back in a respectful and dignified manner. That is how our anti-trafficking programme was launched.”
The foundation provides trauma counselling and livelihood training to rescued women in government shelters — including former Devdasis — and focuses on prevention of trafficking in rural areas.
Among the beneficiaries is Vatsala Deshpande (name changed) of Ambernath. She told TOI she was held in a Mankhurd shelter for 47 days after being arrested for working in a clinic which performed the outlawed sex determination test for expectant mothers. She said, “I was a mere worker and did not know what activity the doctor carried out. I had to support three children including twin boys and an adopted daughter who is mentally challenged. But the silver lining was that I came in touch with this NGO which offered vocational courses. They also provided seed capital of Rs 50,000 to me to start a shop which I opened on March 18, 2020. But a week later on March 25, the Covid lockdown was imposed, and business wound up immediately.”
Today Deshpande is employed as a youth engagement officer with Vipla Foundation, counselling women in distress and creating awareness about human trafficking across slums in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. “Impressed by the way this NGO changed our lives, one of my sons has taken a Masters degree in Social Work,” she said.
Founder Vipula Kadri passed away April 24, 2007 but her family including her husband I M Kadri, son Rahul, daughter Mana (Monisha) and son-in-law actor Suniel Shetty take active interest in managing and overseeing the NGO’s welfare.
The saga began when founder Vipula Kadri spotted a bunch of street children huddled together under driving rain. Three decades after it was registered May 12, 1988, the NGO’s umbrella has expanded to include women too.
Pramod Nigudkar, CEO, Vipla Foundation, said, “Our work involves four verticals namely inclusion, education, early years intervention and anti-human trafficking. We run a programme called Dhvani for hearing impaired children from poor families, providing hearing aids and helping them seek funds for cochlear implants. An implant costs up to Rs 7-9 lakh so we are unable to finance that ourselves.” The NGO also plans to launch a missed call helpline shortly.
Apart from running its own schools and balwadis, Vipla Foundation provides mentorship and training to teachers of BMC-run balwadis in slum localities across Mumbai, Palghar, Mira-Bhayander and Pune. “Under our Patang programme, we offer remedial education to civic school students who are unable to read or write according to their age or grade level,” said Nigudkar.
There have been moments that make the struggle seem worthwhile. Young Vipul Jain is the son of a small time shop owner of Kamani, Kurla. Under the foundation’s tutelage, the mentally challenged student expended his aggression through sports. His brother Hardik said, “We were so proud when Vipul was selected by Special Olympics to represent India at the international level World Games at Los Angeles. He was felicitated by our community also.”
Perhaps the most impactful intervention by Vipla Foundation is its anti-human trafficking initiative. “Outside of rescue and running our own shelter homes, which we feel is the goverment’s task, we do everything else,” said Nigudkar.
Jyoti Nale Tajane, senior director of this programme, explains the genesis. She said, “In 1996 Mumbai Police had conducted a massive raid in the red light district of Kamathipura and rescued 400 women and children. Of these, 200 were from Nepal. The authorities sought Vipula Kadri’s assistance to repatriate them, and she sent them back in a respectful and dignified manner. That is how our anti-trafficking programme was launched.”
The foundation provides trauma counselling and livelihood training to rescued women in government shelters — including former Devdasis — and focuses on prevention of trafficking in rural areas.
Among the beneficiaries is Vatsala Deshpande (name changed) of Ambernath. She told TOI she was held in a Mankhurd shelter for 47 days after being arrested for working in a clinic which performed the outlawed sex determination test for expectant mothers. She said, “I was a mere worker and did not know what activity the doctor carried out. I had to support three children including twin boys and an adopted daughter who is mentally challenged. But the silver lining was that I came in touch with this NGO which offered vocational courses. They also provided seed capital of Rs 50,000 to me to start a shop which I opened on March 18, 2020. But a week later on March 25, the Covid lockdown was imposed, and business wound up immediately.”
Today Deshpande is employed as a youth engagement officer with Vipla Foundation, counselling women in distress and creating awareness about human trafficking across slums in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. “Impressed by the way this NGO changed our lives, one of my sons has taken a Masters degree in Social Work,” she said.
Founder Vipula Kadri passed away April 24, 2007 but her family including her husband I M Kadri, son Rahul, daughter Mana (Monisha) and son-in-law actor Suniel Shetty take active interest in managing and overseeing the NGO’s welfare.