AARAMBH
SUCCESS STORIES
At AARAMBH, we believe in helping people help themselves. Nothing gives us greater satisfaction
than seeing someone use our help to pull themselves out of dire straits and put themselves on the
road to a bright and successful future.
- With assistance and encouragement from AARAMBH, the first batch of students in the
community have reached the final year of college education. We stress the importance of
“giving back” to the community. So these youths spend 4 hours each day tutoring and
mentoring younger children in the AARAMBH centers.
- AARAMBH presently supports about 20 children with special needs as they attend school
to get an education, make friends, and generally enjoy being kids! We provide them with
special aids, counselors, financial support, and encouragement to help them realize their
dreams of getting an education and becoming productive members of society.
- We encourage women to enroll in our vocational training centers so that they can learn skills
that can help them earn a living and help support their families. This program has helped
several women achieve gainful employment, and has also taught them “life skills” such as
operating a bank account, saving for a rainy day, and supporting their children through
school.
- Over 30 of the 90 young adults who have completed the basic computer courses from
AARAMBH’s training centre, have gone on to obtain jobs and are supporting their families.
AARAMBH has assisted with the placement of several other individuals (as trainees and
interns) with professional organizations.
Here are a few success stories that make us particularly proud:
Vikas Banpatte, Raju Kharat, Siddharth Gavali, Vishal Sasthe & Rahul Dawle dropped out
of school in 1997-98 at age 10. They came to AARAMBH in 1998. Working with our teachers and
with financial support from AARAMBH, these five youths are working towards Bachelor’s degrees,
and are presently in the final year of college. Vikas Banpatte now manages his family's small
construction business. His earnings help support his family, and his brother's college education.
Vijay Ranbavle, Vikrant Padgan, Vishali Padgan, Udaya K, and Seema Gupta are now in
college and studying very well. They spend a few hours each day with children at the AARAMBH
centers in their communities.
Mangroo Gupta is 12 years old. Due to financial problems, he was forced to
spend his day selling vegetables to earn money to help support his family.
Consequently Mangroo was unable to attend school. After meeting his mother
several times, AARAMBH staff convinced the mother that a good education
was important if Mangroo was to change his life for the better. His mother
has taken a more active role in supporting her family financially, allowing
Mangroo to attend one of the best schools in the area. Mangroo is a good
student and he has now ensured that his younger brother Pappu and sister
Laxmi also attend school
Bhavana Pagare spent most of her childhood years taking care of her siblings while her mother
went to work. AARAMBH met Bhavana in 2003 when she was 9 years old and encouraged her to
attend our study classes. We made arrangements for her siblings to attend study classes at
AARAMBH as well. Seeing her enthusiasm and intelligence we convinced her parents to enroll her in a
regular school and offered to admit her siblings in school, too. Today, Bhavana and her two siblings
attend school regularly and enjoy learning new things everyday.
At age 14, Sunil Suryavanshi lost his father to cancer. His mother’s earning of Rs. 800
(approximately US$20) a month was not sufficient to keep her 3 children fed, clothed and educated.
So Sunil gave up school to take up a job and support the family financially. Sunil came to AARAMBH
in 1998-99. We encouraged him to complete a part-time course in screen printing. Today, Sunil is a
skilled screen printer. He earns a steady income to help support his family, and plans to attend night
school to obtain a college degree. Sunil comes back to AARAMBH to volunteer for a few hours each
week.
Shekhar Manjulkar, a visually impaired child, comes from a very poor family and
could not enroll him in expensive schools for children with special needs. AARAMBH
approached administrators from several regular schools in the area. St Mary’s High
School admitted Shekhar. The school also helps Shekhar learn Braille, participate in
extra curricular activities, and enjoy school life like other children do.
Maya Gavale is aged 12 and hails from a very poor family living in a shanty town in New Bombay.
Maya is unable to speak or hear. With help from AARAMBH, Maya attends the Hellen Keller
Institute for the Deaf & Deaf-Mute in Bombay. She is a brilliant student and excels in extra-
curricular activities, winning prizes in sports and cultural activities.
info@aarambh.org
