To celebrate our more than 40 years of service, we are sharing 40 of our beneficiaries’ powerful stories with you — stories of hope, compassion, and determination. We hope these stories inspire you as much as they inspire us.
When Kailash Gajjar lost her husband to a heart attack, she wondered how she would take care of her family on her own: “I was worried as to how I was to live my life with two kids.” Read more
Saroj Gurjar is a 21-year-old woman from a rural area of Rajasthan. Her family of seven is supported only by her father’s farm work, and their financial needs often go unmet. Saroj has been interested in creative activities since childhood, and she learned about the Grameen Vikas Shodh Evam Takniki Kendra (GVSTK) program, supported by Share & Care, in November of 2021. Read more
Muskan’s parents are her biggest inspiration. They reside in Pune, where her father is an electrician and her mother is a homemaker. Throughout her childhood, Muskan watched as her family struggled to make ends meet due to her father’s unstable income. Read more
Farukh Menon is a Lokmitra, or “friend of the people,” serving with the Environmental Sanitation Institute (ESI), supported by Share & Care, in the village of Chadotar in Gujarat. As a Lokmitra, Farukh strives to sow the seeds of connection, cooperation, and compassion to uplift his village. Read more
Women in rural India are often relegated to strict gender roles, limiting their ability to use their talents and enjoy independence. Nauka Ben is a Lokmitra serving with ESI, supported by Share & Care, in the Kada village of Gujarat. Read more
Upasi Devi, currently living in the Singhpur village of Uttar Pradesh, wanted to attend school when she was younger. However, due to family circumstances, she was unable to and was married at 12 years old to Akhileshwar Mahto. She worked with Akhileshwar in agriculture, but after they had four children, their financial situation became strained. Read more
Born in the remote Walke village of Maharashtra, Sarvesh Janardan Mhatre saw many of his peers drop out of school, face addiction, and struggle to earn a living wage. Read more
Lubna Qazi, from Srinagar in Kashmir, was a shy college student lacking confidence. She courageously enrolled in the Saamarthya Leadership Misaal Program, supported by Share & Care and Oasis. Read more
One mother gave birth in the SEWA Rural Hospital in the Aanjoli village of Gujarat, which receives support from Share & Care. The child was underweight, so she was admitted to the Sick Newborn Care Unit. Once she had begun growing more normally, the baby and mother were sent home. Read more
Mr. Santosh Telawade is a teacher at the ZP school located in Pune in Maharashtra, where the Y4D Foundation has established a digital lab with the support of Share & Care. Initially, like many of the teachers, Mr. Telawade was unfamiliar with the digital resources and online teaching practices. Read more
Tejal is a determined woman living in the Kada Village in Gujarat. She graduated from college with many ambitions, but marriage and children prevented her from finding full-time employment. The pandemic only exacerbated these hardships. Read more