About NGO:

SANGOPITA was established by Mr. & Mrs. Sugwekar who personally experienced the plight, trauma, frustrations and practical problems in raising a mentally disabled child-their son Akshay. The experience led them to provide a facility where such children could be taken care of and brought up with love and affection and relieve their parents of anxiety.

Starting with 2 children in 2003, today it has 43 residential and 34 daycare children who get shelter, personal care education, medical aid, entertainment, vocational training in a commune type environment. Developmental projects are an ongoing process subject to fund availability through philanthropic organizations and committed individuals.

Sangopita being run without any regular grants, gap between income (through marginal fees) and expenditure is huge and this deficit is filled by regular fund raising efforts. SCMM is one such avenue which apart from seeking pledges provides a platform for spreading awareness of this much neglected underprivileged section of the society.

Fund Usage:

The population of mentally challenged children across the world is about 15 TO 20% of the total citizens and in Maharashtra it is 16%. In and around the city of Badlapur the number of such children run into 250 plus. This section of the society:- families with such children, suffer in silence due to general ignorance and neglect by the unaffected normal section. Sangopita has taken up their cause and takes care of such 77 children by providing multilevel help for their possible development.

Monthly expenses on such one child comes to about Rs. 5000/-. As our children come from poor and lower income financial status, their parents hardly can afford to pay this amount. Support from socially committed individuals and organizations sees us through this financial malady. The funds generated through SCMM would give us a precious helping hand in filling our financial deficit which for a year runs into Rs. 35 Lacs. The components of the expenses are Food, uniforms, Medicine, special education, Physio and speech therapies, staff salaries and professional charges of doctors, psychiatrists and other administrative expenses.

Make the life of our children endurable and enjoyable: Run for these who cannot Run.

Impact:

Preeti suffering from Down syndrome has her Father, Mother and brother in her family. Her father is a "Painter" and her mother works as a Tiffin Carrier for neighboring people working in various offices. Their financial condition is very critical.

Physically she is stout and walks very slowly. She is unable to take bath and go to toilet on her own. For this caretakers have to help her. She cannot speak clearly but can speak properly if undergoes speech therapy. To make Preeti self-dependent, treatment has to start from basic toilet training, bathing on her own, identification and putting on her dresses etc. Education has to start from recognition of letters and numbers, practical trainings like identification of plants, greenery, fruits etc. She also needs Physiotherapy and speech therapy.

She has the potential for improvement and learning vocational courses such as paper craft, candle making, screen printing etc. Thus in the long run we can hope for her attaining self-dependency and a earning member of the family.

Running such an organization as Sangopita requires huge financial standing in lieu of which financial Backing which came to us in the guise of SCMM 2011. The funds donated by our pledge supporters took care of Preeti's food and medical expenses for the current 2010-11 year.

Page Url :
http://www.unitedwaymumbai.org/ngo40_sangopita.htm

Founded Year: 2003

Cause category: Disability