Nurturing the dreams of little hearts
 Children's
lives are filled with laughter, smiles, dreams, tantrums,
love, innocence and happiness. While most are fortunate enough
to experience the carefree existence that childhood represents,
there are numerous children living in unfortunate circumstances.
To help such kids Dream a Dream, a non governmental
organisation was born in November 1999 in Bangalore.
"Vinod, a cancer patient had tiny wishes like - to play with
a parrot, and a toy car and learn computers," says Neha Shah,
Secretary of Dream a Dream. They, along with members
of Project Dhristi tried to fulfill the boy's wishes as doctors
had given up hope for his chances of survival. "We got
him a remote controlled toy car. He was very delighted to
see the parrot when Project Dhristi provided him one," Ms
Neha recalled when bangalorebest.com contacted her.
Vinod was too sick to avail of the computing facilities kindly
offered by Futurekids, a computer institute near his
house.The members of the NGO contribute their leisure time,
love and compassion to the terminally ill, physically challenged
and underprivileged children.
Brinda Jacob, President of Dream a Dream says
that the NGO has young adults from different fields like marketing
officers, management graduates, software engineers, chartered
accountants, a contemporary dancer, an advertising professional
and several more interesting individuals as members. All the
members aim to serve underprivileged, terminally ill and physically
challenged children. The NGO has worked towards tying up with
various organisations for the deprived children of Bangalore.
Dream a Dream also collaborates between NGOs, which
need help in terms of manpower or funds. DRISHTI, one such
collaboration, is a project taken on by Shristi Special Academy.
This Academy is a school for special children based in Basaveswara
Nagar.
With the Freedom Foundation, another NGO, Dream
a Dream has been working jointly to serve HIV infected
children by raising funds for their medicines by organising
educational, artistic and recreational activities for them.
The contemporary dance performance, organised by Dance a Dance,
on June 3rd at Alliance Francaise was a runaway success.
The members of Dream a Dream are deeply moved by the
possibility of joy in the lives of these children and are
determined to bring more smiles into their lives, both in
the present and future. Ms Brinda says that meaningful
intentions are only the starting point. Lot of compassion,
empathy and love are the key to serve their targeted group
of kids.
It needs resources, both material and monetary, to take care
of their daily necessities and to be invested in their future.
To achieve this, Dream a Dream has organised a wonderful
fundraiser in association with Beyond Self at Alliance
Francaise de Bangalore.
We at bangalorebest.com got to enjoy some of these
events that were held on the 7th of June and to meet the Dream
team. Congratulations!
Interested in the NGO's compassionate activities and like
to know more about them? Contact
Dream a Dream on 2224 0074
Email: dreamadream@123india.com
SUTRADHAR
 Sutradhar
is a charitable trust that started its activities in 1995 with
a commitment to improve the quality of education for children
through toys and games, teaching aids that mediate learning
basically in Indian content and form. As an "Umbrella" resource
centre, it promotes a spectrum of educational ideas and materials.
It is committed to serve the needs of marginalised children
by field testing 1000 anganwadis across Karnataka with an "Early
Learning Kit".
They organise an exhibition every year to proactively reach
out to a large number of people in Bangalore. It reaches over
5000 people highlighting new learning resources available.
They co-ordinate feature services for Karnataka press, encouraging
their educators to document and share their insights and views
on policy, philosophy and practice. Sutradhar is also compiling
a child resource directory which will profile individuals
and organisations working with children in Bangalore. The
directory is the first of its kind and intends to serve as
a model for many others.
Address: 59/1, 10A Main, 3 Cross,
Indiranagar II Stage, Bangalore - 560 038,
Phone: 2528 8545, 2521 5191.
Email: sutradhar@gmail.com or sutra@vsnl.com
URL: www.sutradhar.com
Timings: 10:30 am - 5:00 pm (Tuesday-Saturday)
SAMVADA
SAMVADA, an NGO, attempts to enable the youth
by working as an integral part of a larger social transformation
based on values such as gender equity, social equity, secularism,
democracy, environmental sustainability with honesty and integrity.
They offer students as well as non-students diversified opportunities
for self-growth and self-reflection. On alternate Saturday afternoons,
it has an open house informal session called "CHILLI-PILI",
where they watch a movie, have a debate or talk on specific
topics of interest to students. Workshops on issues relating
to environment, health, women, media and sexual abuse are also
held during holidays and weekends. In residential workshops,
however, cultural programmes, games or informal conversations
are held. Samvada being one of the partners of "SMILE"
(Students Mobilisation Initiative for Learning through Exposure)
looks forward to the support of youth to make a movement of
"alternative education for social transformation" a great success.
Address: Samvada, Flat # 303, II Floor, # 70, Ram's
Infantry Manor,
Infantry Road, Bangalore - 560 001
Phone: 2558 7493
URL: www.samvada.mahiti.org
FAMILY
SERVICES
 They
care, they share. Family Services is a volunteer organization
involved in a number of community services in Bangalore. It
has been working with the staff of several orphanages since
1996 responding to the need for basic necessities.
Some of their activities include:
Character building programmes.
Taking the orphanage children on educational excursions.
Organizing free medical treatment.
Spending time with each child on a personal basis.
Helping to arrange donations of construction material.
Participating in hands-on work to improve the orphanage
premises.
Interacting with children in an attempt to provide at least
a part of the love and warmth of a family that these children
yearn for.
For further information:
Contact: Jonathan Raj
Phone: 98440-26222
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