Causes

India Helps Cases 26/11


Case 1: Karuna Waghela

(i) Name of the deceased/ injured, occupation and approximate monthly earnings at the time of the casualty:

Deceased: Thakur Budhabhai Waghela, (33) sweeper at GT Hospital. Earnings approximately Rs 4000 pm.

(ii) Where did the casualty occur:

Ajmal Amir Kasab shot Waghela at his residence in GT Hospital compound.

(iii) Dependents (number and details)

Wife: Karuna Waghela (32), Children: Roshni (11 yrs), Dhaval (8) and Neeraj (5 yrs).

(iv) Details of the situation at that time:

Karuna Waghela lived with her inlaws:- father in law/mother in law/ brother in law and his family. The in-laws took the Rs 5 lakh compensation given to her by the government. She was totally dependent on them.

(v) IH contact: Suma Nagmote.
(vi) Details of help/ support provided by IH: India Helps stepped in on Day 3 itself by handing over funds for the last rites for Thakur Budhabhai Waghela. India Helps volunteers provided groceries and funds for Karuna and her children. India Helps also provided emotional support to Karuna. India Helps helped raise awareness about Karuna's plight through the blog, and media which in turn helped raise funds for her children.

(vii) Media coverage:

http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2009/s2543734.htm

(viii) Present situation:

She has moved out of her inlaws home and is living in accommodation (MHADA flat)alloted to her by the government. She is currently working as a sweeper in GT Hospital, a job which she got on compassionate grounds at a salary of Rs 3000 pm. Karuna has been empowered to open a bank account independent of her inlaws. She is also being offered aid by the Taj Trust. Karuna is a strong woman and totally focussed on ensuring her children complete their education and make a future for themselves.

(ix) Status of the case : India Helps is continuing to provide emotional support to Karuna

(x) Future requirements: India Helps is attempting to build a corpus for Karuna's children's education. India Helps is also trying to raise funds to take out a life insurance cover for Karuna, with her children as beneficiaries.

(xi) Photographs: Attached.

(xii) Present contact details of the dependents:

MHADA colony, Prateeksha Nagar , Sion, Mumbai.

Picture caption: Karuna Waghela (in orange sari), widow of Thakur Budhabhai Waghela, weeps at a condolence meeting in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008.


India Helps Case 2 Balaji Kharatmal

1) Name of the deceased/ injured, occupation and approximate monthly earnings at the time of the casualty: Balaji Kharatmal (injured), Autodriver, App monthly earnings Rs 5000/-


(ii) Where did the casualty occur: CST


(iii) Dependents (number and details): Immediate: 3

Extended : 8


(iv) Details of the situation at that time : His mother was killed in the same attack.

He has shrapnel embedded in his body which cannot be removed.

As sole breadwinner, he was supporting his own family as well as those of his brothers and sisters (total of 11 people).

He received Rs 50,000 for himself, and Rs 5 lakh for his mother who died in the attack.


(v) IH contact: Lavanya Karthik

(vi) Details of help/ support provided by IH:

Money for expenses, organized and accompanied him to appt with Dr Chandiramani at Hinduja Hospital for a second opinion on the shrapnel still embedded in his body.


(vii) Media coverage (along with links where possible): None


(viii) Present situation: Employed with railways as a cleaner. Ongoing medicaton, mostly painkillers. Shrapnel still present in the body causes him discomfort, but deemed inoperable. A NGO covers the education of his two children. He is applying for additional compensation from the Collectorate.


(ix) Status of the case: Closed, except for help (if required) in consulting Dr Chandiramani


(xii) Present contact details:

Saiyed Baba Miyan chawl

Indira nagar, Jarimari

Kurla, Mumbai.


Ph: 9967383731



India Helps Case 3: The Singh Family

I] Name of the deceased/ injured, occupation and approximate monthly earnings at the time of the casualty : Poonam Singh - 34 years old, Sachin Singh – 7 years old.

No one died in this case, but they were injured – enough for life to change for the family. Poonam is a housewife and a mother to 4 children. She therefore, cooked, cleaned, got water, washed clothes and is a mother and a wife. Poonam earns nothing but if anyone else had to do her work it would cost the family. Sachin is a student

(ii) Where did the casualty occur: At CST. Poonam was with her son and was going to her father’s village to attend some function. Both Poonam and Sachin were injured. Sachin heard some noise and ran, Poonam ran to get him. She was hit by bullets and was unconscious. When she regained consciousness, she was immobile and at JJ hospital. Sachin was also at the hospital

(iii) Dependents (number and details): Husband Santosh Singh and 4 children, including Sachin

(iv) Details of the situation at that time: We first met her at JJ Hospital on the day she was being discharged. She was the last 26/11 case at JJ. It was February and she was not able to walk independently. The doctors told her that one day with therapy she would be able to walk. In the interim she would start with a walker, do physiotherapy. Poonam lived in a slum in Vikhroli, on a hill. Walking on a hilly area was a daily affair. The inability to walk meant she could move out of the 5x5 feet home- not even to the communal toilets. Her daughter missed school and between the husband and the daughter they managed the home. The daughter missed out on over 3 months of school and thus lost a year in education. At eleven, she also lost her childhood.

Sachin seemed fine, but post 26/11 Santosh Singh said his son was rebelling and not listening to them as much as before. He also lost mobility in one finger and has a visible big bump on his left hand.

(v) IH contact: Sangeeta Irani

(vi) Details of help/support provided by IH: Donated a Walker; paid a visit to her home at Vikhroli. Networked to get her a physiotherapist/doctor who could come to the slum to teach her the exercises. Godrej Hospital did conduct two physiotherapy sessions at her residence and then Dr Vaibhav Patil volunteered to come once a month and help the family. Indiahelps promised to help with increased rent if they found a home at the base of the slum as this would help Poonam walk more and hence recover faster.

IH asked and generated support for 11 months of rent and reimbursement of medical expenses. We are now helping with doctor visits and xrays for Sachin . We are seeking a second opinion to figure if we can revive the immobile finger. We will also seek guidance for plastic surgery and be the family through the process. We are accompanying the child to JJ Hospital for further treatment for his finger.

(vii) Media coverage (along with links where possible)

http://www.mumbaimirror.com/index.aspx?page=article§id=2&contentid=2009092620090926020025406b92cb628

http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?661360

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/railway-announcer-who-saved-over-1-000-lives/477577/

(viii) Present situation: India Helps is helping with support through Sachin’s treatment, ensuring Poonam continues to receive the physiotherapy she requires and providing monetary help for part payment of rent for a year. The Taj Trust is also helping the family.

(ix) Status of the case: India Helps will help this case till Nov 2010, by part payment of rent for a year for Poonam Singh. We will review her case after a year. We will also raise funds for medicines, surgery and doctor consultation fees, xrays etc for Sachin.

(x) Future requirements: Funds for Sachin’s surgery as required

(xi) Photographs:

(xii) Present contact details of the dependants.

SANTOSH SINGH - 9833178716






India Helps Case 4: Salma

The name of the deceased is Sunil Ashok Thakray, aged about 30 years and prior to his death on November 26, 2008, he was a vendor, whose stall was located opposite one of the gates of CST station. He was killed in the CST shootout as the militants were leaving the CST premises.

He is survived by his partner Salma Thakray and her two children from a previous marriage, aged 9 and 7 years respectively.

Immediately after Sunil’s death, the family situation was fairly grim, with Salma having neither any money nor any source of livelihood. She also had no relatives to fall back upon. Further, as Sunil and Salma had not been legally married, chances of Salma being able to claim compensation of any sort from any of the government agencies or a jo0b on compassionate grounds also seemed fairly bleak. The children were however provided for and were studying in a charitable boarding school in Panvel. Prior to Sunil’s death, the couple stayed in a one room hutment in Dombivili, which Salma had to leave as she had no money for the rent after Sunil’s death. She was not professionally qualified or educated and was not doing anything when Sunil was alive. She was not employed anywhere and had no regular source of livelihood.


Her immediate requirements were a house, a stable means of livelihood and a mobile phone in order to ensure accessibility. Her long term requirements included a ration card and a bank account to enable her to save for her children.

Prior to India Helps intervention, she’d received Rs. 15,000 from the Railways as funeral expenses.

This case was handled by Sayantani Dutta from India Helps. India Helps was involved primarily in providing her with monetary aid – a team member bought her a mobile phone and a connection in order to ensure that she could be easily contacted. We also provided her with monetary aid in order in order to help her pay the deposit for a house.



India Helps Case 5

Momina Khatoon Sheikh



(i) Name of the deceased/ injured, occupation and approximate monthly earnings at the time of the casualty:

Deceased: Mohammed Umar Abdul Khalid Shaikh, (35) Taxi driver. Earnings approximately Rs 4,000-5,000 per month.



(ii) Where did the casualty occur:

Killed in the taxi explosion in Vile Parle



(iii) Dependents (number and details)

Wife: Momina Khatoon Sheikh (30), Children: Arbaz (7 yrs), Faizal (4) and Afzal (2 yrs) and the baby boy (3 months).



(iv) Details of the situation at that time:

Momina was new to the city, having arrived in Mumbai only 8 months ago. The family stayed in a small room in Govandi with a monthly rent of Rs. 1500. Eldest child had joined school. She was pregnant, without savings and had no immediate means of supporting herself, not being trained in any specific vocation. She needed medical attention as well as moral and financial support. Was dependent upon the money given by people when they visit her and the money received from the Government.

• Housing

• Treatment and medical expenses.

• Education of the children.

• Interim help with daily expenses – rent and groceries.

• Long term solution for expenses and livelihood.



(v) IH contact: Aparna Nair.


(vi) Details of help/ support provided by IH: Hearing of Momina’s plight in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks, India Helps went to meet Momina to work out her exact and immediate needs. Immediate fund raising efforts were started, through the blog, word of mouth and using the media. It helped her pay for her monthly house rent and also followed up on the status of her case at the Taj Trust. IH provided medical assistance for Momina’s pre and post-natal care in the form of doctor’s visits, regular counseling and follow-up visits.



(vii) Media coverage:

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/taxi-drivers-family-awaits-help-after-losin/394354/

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/15/stories/2008121558941200.htm

http://mumbaipluses.com/chemburghatkoparplus/index.aspx?page=article§id=1&contentid=2009020720090205171559904ff69d9f5§xslt=&comments=true&pageno=1

http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/wife-of-taxi-driver-killed-in-vile-parle-blast-turns-to-making-gajra/538949/



(viii) Present situation:

Momina safely delivered her fourth son early in August 2009. She continues to live at the same place and supplements the aid she has received by stringing garlands for a neighbouring shop. She wishes to stay on in Mumbai for the sake of her children. Her oldest son continues to be in school and she appears to be cared for by her neighbours.


(ix) Status of the case: India Helps committed itself to Momina’s aid for the first six months post-delivery. India Helps has now considered the case successfully closed.



(x) Future requirements: NA

India Helps Case No 7
Shabira Khan
i) Name of the deceased/ injured, occupation and approximate monthly earnings at the time of the casualty:
Shabira Khan, injured. Home maker who took tuitions. Rs 3000 approx.
(ii) Where did the casualty occur:
She was injured by the taxi blast at Wadi Bunder along with her son, Abdul.
(iii) Dependents (number and details): The family comprises Shabira, her husband, her children, Abdul (24), Khalid (22), Sabah (19)m Shaheen (18), Shahid (17) and Sajid (14). Her husband works with Bombay Port Trust, earning Rs. 3,000 per month. All the kids except Abdul, the oldest are studying in school (Jamiya Islamiya school).
(iv) Details of the situation at that time:
She had splinters which were embedded and had damaged her nerves in her foot and back. Her oldest son Abdul had a splinter below his right eye which thankfully missed his eye, and hence has not lost vision.
(v) IH contact: Suma Nagmote
(vi) Details of help/ support provided by IH: India Helps helped raise funds for surgery to be conducted on Shabira's foot. Shabira was languishing in hospitals for close to six months post 26/11. She was shifted out of JJ to BPT, Wadala. She was then shifted to to Saifee hospital for an operation on her foot. During her stay at Saifee, they discovered she had jaundice in her system, detecting which doctors at Saifee asked her to be transferred to Kasturbha Hospital which they told the family is a hospital specially equipped to handle jaundice. When she was transferred there too, the operation could not be done, and since they cannot afford medical fees, she was brought back to Wadala (BPT).
One of the daughters had taken leave from school to be with her everyday during her hospitalisation.
(vii) Media coverage : Nil
(viii) Present situation: Shabira is out of hospital and back home.
(ix) Status of the case: Case Closed

India Helps Case No 8
Bhanu Narkar
Employed as a watchman at the Cama Hospital on the night of the 26th, Bhanu Narkar was killed in the firing. He is survived by a wife, two sons and a daughter.
India Helps visited them twice, and helped with cash payments (about Rs 2000) and a month’s supply of groceries. Additional support in filing paperwork ad finding employment for the sons was offered, but the Narkars declined. The older son subsequently took over his father’s job at Cama, while the younger found a job as a cleaner. The daughter is in school and planned on finishing college.

Cheetah Camp Fire victim: Shabnam

Cheetah Camp area, hutments were razed to the ground in Jan 09 after a devastating fire. Shabnam lived there with her four sisters and mother, their father has been missing for over a year. The girls had no home to live in, and could not visit school due to lack of funds for transport, and no clothes or utensils as well, since all they had was burnt in the fire. Shabnam, the eldest sister is a graduate but has lost all her documents. They were living in a dispensary offered by a kind soul but had to move out. Indiahelps has offered them interim relief for groceries, and daily needs. Panchtatva has given them six months rent. India Helps provided them with a sewing machine, clothes and utensils. Shabnam has now found a job with a bank and is financially independent and India Helps is delighted to close the case.


Ahana Mishra


Suffering from severe dystonic cerebral palsy
Abandoned by father, Mother murdered
In the care of her maternal grandmother, Poornima



Her Needs:

* Cash for treatment and medicines
* Building a corpus for future financial security
* Legal security for Poornima as guardian

India Helps intervention:

* India Helps volunteers in constant touch with Poornima
* Cash handed over to meet medical needs



Pavement Schools


"If we are to teach real peace in this world, and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to begin with the children." - Mahatma Gandhi

We at India Helps strongly believe that basic education should be accessible to all.

India Helps co-runs three pavement schools on Link Road, Goregaon, Mumbai. These schools aim to educate street kids who literally live on the streets with no homes and no access to proper school. The schools counsel and teach these kids everyday.

We provide daily snacks, stationery to all the kids that attend school. We propose to provide the kids with school bags, water bottles, Tiffin boxes. We also propose to get guest teachers to introduce different concepts to these kids for e.g. Art & Craft. We are committed to this project on a long term basis and plan to extend the same model to various other pavements.

We also plan to identify and provide scholarships to the deserving students from these schools and send them to formal schools.

The schools are open Mondays to Saturdays 8 am to 10 am, and 3 pm to 6pm. Anyone who would like to teach the kids, offer them snacks or just drop in is welcome.

We welcome offers to help us in any way you can- it could be with teachers' fees,books,stationery,school bags,snacks,to teach,or just come and provide moral support to the kids. Please do write to us at indiahelps@gmail.com or info@indiahelps.org for further details.