Help Smile Trust visits Navkshitij – Home for Mentally Challenged

Help Smile Trust team visited the campus of Navkshitij, a charitable organisation (http://www.navkshitij.org/en/) in Pune (India) on Saturday, 23rd December 2017. Navkshitij aims to look after mentally challenged adult individuals by providing them with a nourishing and encouraging environment full of constructive activities.

The main purpose of the visit was to take a tour of the entire campus and see various activities carried out by mentally challenged people (special friends – term used in Navkshitij). We had a chance to meet Dr. Neelima Desai (president and founder of Navkshitij) along with her staff, who informed us about the challenges faced by special friends and how Navkshitij was formed and the various activities carried out by such special friends at the campus.

We had an opportunity to observe the special friends making candles, jewellery and paper bags as well as enjoy the dance performance performed by them. The special friends also participate regularly in fitness activities such as gymnasium and yoga.

Help Smile trust has decided to contribute towards Navkshitij’s mission of giving special friends a life of happiness and dignity. Help Smile Trust managed to raise £10,000 this year through the British 10K run held in July, 2017. The trustees of Help Smile have decided to support Navkshitij in their following projects:

  1. Installing new Prefabricated metal roofing sheets for three homes
  2. Annual Sponsorship for Special Friend Kunal Shinge

Thanks and Regards,

Help Smile Trust team

Dr. Neelima Desai showing us Navkshitij campus
Special friend Kunal Shinge.
Dr Neelima Desai telling us about the challenges faced by mentally challenged people.
Special friends preparing handmade paper bags
Special friends preparing jewellery
Whole team of Navkshitij posing with us

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