Deepalaya - Enabling Self-Reliance

Inspired by the encouraging response of last year, Deepalaya is for the 2nd time participating Phir Se this year in the Hutch Delhi Half Marathon 2006 for the cause of ‘Challenged Children’. The world sees them as ‘disabled’, but for us they are ‘Differently Abled’.

The much awaited Hutch Delhi Half Marathon (HDHM)
is happening again on 15 Oct. 2006 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi. The event in its inaugural year had been quite successful in mobilizing people and funds for different charities.

Deepalaya strongly believes that ‘Every Child Deserves A Chance’ and strives towards making that possible. At present, Deepalaya needs funds to support its over 600 special children, so as to provide them various rehabilitative services like special education, physiotherapy, vocational training and mobility aids.

A unique feature of this year’s marathon is that Deepalaya’s children have decided to carry the flag ahead. Mukta Mandal and Shyam Narayan Verma, both alumni of Deepalaya will be participating in this year’s Marathon as Dream Runners and raise funds for Deepalaya’s work. This means that they will have to raise a minimum of Rupees One lakh to be able to participate in this category. Coming from an economically marginalized family from a slum cluster in South Delhi, both Shyam and Lata have been associated with Deepalaya since childhood. Today both of them after completing their schooling are pursuing professional courses. Inspired by the Deepalaya’s vision “Lighted to Enlighten”, Shyam and Mukta have taken it upon themselves to help Deepalaya reach out to many more like them especially the physically and mentally challenged. Together with many other Dream Runners, Shyam and Mukta will cover a distance of 7 km and spread the message of Deepalaya and its programs.

Deepalaya had also successfully participated in the event last year for the cause of the ‘Girl Child’. The main highlights of Deepalaya’s participation in HDHM 2005 are the following –

• The only NGO to have 05 Dream Runners running for Deepalaya in the Dream team. The Dream Runners were the following -
  • Ms. Annie Koshi, Principal of St. Mary’s School
  • Ms. Sharon Lowen, Eminent Odissi dancer
  • Mr. T.K Mathew, Secretary & Chief Executive, Deepalaya
  • Admiral R. Bhalla, A long time friend of Deepalaya
  • Mr. Y. Chackochen, Board member of Deepalaya
• Through generous donations from many friends and well-wishers, Deepalaya was able to raise little over Rs. 11 lakhs
  from the event.
• The fund raised was utilized for admitting more girl children to the Deepalaya schools thereby reaching an enrollment rate of 52% of girls across all its project locations.

We are thankful to all our supporters and friends for bringing this positive change in the life of the girl children through Deepalaya.