by Vaishali Joshi Mehta (T-6/515, Silvercity Apartments; 9971799601)
Children are the greatest imitators; thus, they should get something great to imitate. What can be better than them getting the wisdom, knowledge and values to experience from our senior
citizens? The best way to learn and re-learn!! This is how this Noida-based NGO, Sunshine Society, works. The 9-year-old NGO was started by 11 women founders, and the team now comprises of 17 executive members and 23 annual members. All the projects of Sunshine Society like education, vocational development, career enhancement, model-village program, and senior-citizen action are centred around the approach “Connecting generations to produce an educated, skilled and a happy future”.
With around 277 children studying in schools associated with Sunshine Society in villages like Barola, Hoshiyarpur, Sadarpur, Morna, etc. there are around 200 children in 3 After-school Program centres in Sectors 50, 51 and now 93. The education of these children is funded through money generated collectively from raddi collected by the residential societies in Noida and also through donor support from around 90 sponsors and 6 corporates. Many senior citizens are associated with the NGO with their numbers multiplying fast. Many of them are productively involved in our after-school study program centres teaching and shaping the future of these children.
Raddi collection drive which was started in 2013 with three housing societies in Sector-50 has spread to ATS one Hamlet in Sector-104 and very recently in Silvercity, Sector-93.
The amazing team of Silvercity comprising of Nirupama Chowdhary, Sujata Tripathi, Dipali Sharma, Rijita Chaliha Saini, Vinita Bhargava, Bandita Sinha, Nandini Arya, Anupama Mishra, Preeti Kapur, Naghma Alvi and so many more who not only contribute raddi but also volunteer to teach the children and provide outside support. Sanjay Pandey, President of the RWA of Super MIG flats, has also assured of all his and his team’s support, and Mr. Saxena of Super MIG flats also has promised to teach the children maths and science.
This community work for the children where senior citizens are actively involved in spreading education is extremely satisfying.
We request you all to join hands with us to complete the circle. Come be a part of raddi collection and a part of the study center.
