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For thousands of children of coal miners in Singrauli going to school is a far-fetched dream. Children are constantly exposed to coal dust and polluted water, leading to breathing issues. They also regularly fracture or injure their hands while handling coal. Many kids carry coal as heavy as 20 Kgs on their heads to earn only Rs. 50.
“In these areas, I’ve seen 8-year-olds sniffing glue (a cheap drug) or drinking alcohol as they believe that will cure their lungs. The dusty air has particles floating from the coal mines. Inhaling this air causes them to have deadly diseases like tuberculosis, asthma and other respiratory ailments.” - Divyanshu, Hope Welfare Trust.
Having grown up in such areas, Divyanshu saw that many kids resorted to eating from trash. The kids here had no means to buy food or get educated. They never had the chance to dream for a bright future. Shocked, he started a mission that aims to change the lives of thousands of children.
Today, through his organization, Hope Welfare Trust he’s feeding and providing and giving free education to over 1,000 children daily.
Children face daily risks such as explosions, landslides, and collapsing mines, putting their lives in constant danger.
“There’s a 3-year-old girl who lost her parents due to tuberculosis. When I met her she was malnourished to the core. At one point, I thought that she wouldn't survive. But today, she runs to my arms, calling me bhaiya.” - Divyanshu
Divyanshu and his team have built multiple learning centers throughout the area. Through which they aim to educate these children and eradicate illiteracy. Each center is staffed with a community teacher responsible for providing education, life skills training, and nutritious meals to the children. Efforts are made to address the health needs of children, including regular check-ups and access to healthcare services.
They need your support to continue caring for them as they are currently facing a major challenge “Affording daily ration has become a challenge now, we have to often wonder how we will feed these children tomorrow without taking a loan from the local grocery stores. I spent hours on calls everyday to find out sources of funds that can help us” - Divyanshu
Source : The Wire Challenges Faced By Children Who Work As Coal Miners
1. Eating Trash To Survive: Many children reside amidst garbage, and eat out of garbage cans.
2. Lack of Healthcare: Tuberculosis and other diseases are prevalent due to unsanitary living conditions and lack of access to healthcare.
3. Educational Barriers: Limited access to education and resources limit or stop the children's academic development and future opportunities.
4. Victim To Criminal Activities: Many kids have lost their parents, and have no guardians. Often making them victim to gruesome crimes like rape, abuse, theft, forced begging
Your Support Matters:
Your contributions to the Ujjwal Bhavishya Pathshala initiative will help provide education, meals, and support to children in coal and stone mining communities. You can save the futures of these children, and break the cycle of poverty and exploitation.
Click here to contribute.
Registration Number - AAOCM6666MF20229
EIN 20-5139364
