For the fathers who keep showing up, every day

We’re Showing Up This Father’s Day

Father’s Day is almost here.

Across Australia, families will gather around breakfast tables, phone Dad, give him a gift or simply find a way to say, “Thank you for everything you do.”

This year at Project Help India, we want to say thank you to some fathers too.

They are men most of us will never meet. They live thousands of kilometres away, in communities where poverty makes the ordinary responsibilities of fatherhood extraordinarily difficult.

Yet they keep showing up.

A father’s hope

Ravi is 34 and has four children.*

He lives with chronic health problems and pain, yet works whenever he can as a labourer alongside a mason. His family has no agricultural land, no permanent employment and just one room to call home.

There are times when even getting to work becomes impossible.

But when Ravi talks about his children, his attention turns not to what he lacks, but to what might still be possible for them.

His eldest daughter attends a Project Help India Education Centre.

Ravi told our team:

“We remained like this and became illiterate, but if our children study, their life can improve.”

There is something profoundly fatherly in those words.

I may not have had the opportunity. But perhaps my children can.

When your family needs you

Then there is Harjit.*

His health frequently lets him down. He experiences recurring illness, weakness and pain, yet whenever his body allows, he drives an auto-rickshaw to earn money for his family. He and his wife live with their two children in one small room beneath an ageing and unsafe roof. His children attend one of our Education Centres.

Harjit's dream for them is wonderfully ordinary: that they might be healthy, educated and able to build a more secure life than his own.

So he keeps showing up.

And sometimes, Dad is Dadaji (Grandpa)

Gurdeep is an elderly grandfather who has experienced tremendous loss.*

After the death of his son, and later his wife, much of the responsibility for supporting his family and grandchildren fell to him.

At an age when many people would expect to slow down, Gurdeep gets up and drives his auto-rickshaw from morning until evening. His eight-year-old granddaughter attends a Project Help India Education Centre. She is bright, cheerful and loves learning.

Behind that little girl is a grandfather determined to keep her safe, fed and learning.

Gurdeep keeps showing up too.

This Father’s Day, we’re showing up for them

We know these fathers because we know their children.

Their children walk through the doors of our Education Centres. We teach them. Encourage them. Watch them grow. And alongside their parents and grandparents, we keep a caring eye on their future.

So this Father’s Day, Project Help India wants to do something simple.

We want to show up.

For A$150, we can deliver a Father’s Day hamper to one of six families containing approximately one month of non-perishable foodstuffs, together with some simple personal-care items for Dad.

We’ll also include a personalised Father’s Day card from Project Help India.

And if you would like, your own message can be included in that card.

Perhaps Dad doesn't need another Father’s Day present this year.

Perhaps one of the most meaningful gifts you could give him is to honour him by standing alongside another father who is doing everything he can for his family.

Six fathers. Six families. A$150 each. Our Father’s Day goal is A$900.

Can you show up with us this Father’s Day?

To donate, please make a gift of A$150 through the Project Help India donation page, selecting or noting “Father’s Day hamper” if that option is available. If you would like to contribute a different amount, every gift will still help us support these families.

Once you have donated, please reply directly to me to let me know. If you would like to write a message to the father and his family, please include your message in your reply. We will add it to the personalised Father’s Day card included with the hamper.

For example, you could write:

I’ve made a donation and would like to send a message to the father and his family. My message is: “[insert your message here].”

And if these stories stir you to do something beyond Father’s Day, A$55 a month supports a child to attend one of Project Help India’s 14 Education Centres.

More than 600 children are currently connected with our centres, and behind so many of those children are families facing the same daily realities of poverty, insecure work and limited opportunity.

Education gives us the opportunity to keep showing up—not just for one day, but month after month.

This Father’s Day, please help us to celebrate the dads who keep showing up by showing up for them. 

Click the pink the DONATE tab at the top of this page to make your tax-deductible donation

FROM THE FRONTLINE Pt 1: Stories of Child Advocacy & Anti-Human Trafficking

Honouring Those Who Protect the Vulnerable

"Protecting children is never the work of one person or one organisation. It is the result of trusted partnerships, shared commitment, and people willing to show up when it matters most."

Yesterday, to mark the United Nations World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, our team in Kotdwara gathered for a special celebration—not simply to recognise an international awareness day, but to honour the people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to protect vulnerable children and families throughout our district.

At the Project Help India office, we had the privilege of recognising the outstanding work of the Kotdwara Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, presenting the team with certificates of appreciation and commemorative mementos in recognition of their dedicated service during 2025–26.

Our Indian Director, Daisy Samuel, had the honour of presenting the certificates to members of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, thanking them for their professionalism, compassion, and unwavering commitment to protecting some of the most vulnerable members of our community.

The celebration was made even more special by the presence of the Chief Medical Superintendent of the District Government Hospital, along with Project Help India staff and student volunteers. Together, we celebrated the occasion by cutting a cake—a simple but meaningful reminder that protecting children is a responsibility shared across many different sectors of our community.

More Than an Award Ceremony

To an outside observer, this may have looked like a simple presentation ceremony. For us, it represented something much deeper.

For more than a decade, Project Help India has worked alongside the Kotdwara Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, supporting rescue operations, assisting vulnerable children and families, raising community awareness, and helping strengthen child protection across our region.

These partnerships are not built overnight.

They are built through years of working together.

Through trust.

Through consistency.

Through countless conversations, shared challenges, and a common commitment to protecting children before they become victims of exploitation.

That trust is something we never take for granted.

It is earned every time organisations, police, health professionals, schools, lawyers, and community leaders choose to work together rather than in isolation.

A Partnership That Saves Lives

Human trafficking is often hidden from public view.

Many victims are exploited not because they are invisible, but because they are vulnerable.

Vulnerable children living in poverty.

Young people who have left school.

Families without legal identity.

Women experiencing domestic violence and abuse.

People living with disability or mental illness.

Protecting vulnerable people requires far more than police action alone.

It requires communities that are informed.

Schools that recognise warning signs.

Health professionals who know when something isn't right.

Government agencies willing to collaborate.

And organisations that are prepared to walk alongside both families and authorities whenever help is needed.

That is what genuine partnership looks like.

Looking Beyond the Headlines

One of the things that we have come to appreciate while preparing our recent publication is that child advocacy and anti-human trafficking are not separate issues.

They are deeply connected.

Every child who returns to school...

Every family helped to obtain legal identity...

Every awareness programme delivered...

Every trusted relationship built within a community...

helps reduce the vulnerabilities that traffickers seek to exploit.

In many ways, the most effective work against human trafficking begins long before a rescue operation ever takes place.

It begins by helping children flourish.

In Case You Missed It...

Earlier this week, to coincide with the United Nations World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, we released our latest publication:

CHILD ADVOCACY & ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Protecting Children. Restoring Dignity. Strengthening Communities.

The publication shares the stories behind our Child Advocacy program, explores the realities of anti-human trafficking work in northern India, and highlights the importance of trusted partnerships with police, schools, health professionals, lawyers, government agencies, and local communities.

Inside you'll meet children like Suhail and Anshika, learn about the remarkable journey of Sanjay, discover how advocacy helps prevent exploitation before it begins, and gain an insight into why one of the greatest needs identified by police and child protection agencies is the establishment of a Safe House for rescued children and women.

👉 If you haven't yet had the opportunity to read the publication, we invite you to do so.

📖 Read the full publication here: here

Looking Ahead

Over the coming weeks, we will be sharing more stories from the frontline—stories that don't often make the headlines, but which reveal the quiet, faithful work of protecting vulnerable children and strengthening communities.

In our next article, we'll explore a question that many people have never considered:

What happens after a child is rescued?

Where do they go?

Who cares for them?

And why has the need for a dedicated Safe House become one of the most significant child protection challenges identified by police and community leaders in our district?

"Lasting change rarely begins with grand gestures. More often, it begins with ordinary people who simply choose to keep showing up."

A Humble Hero: Leading Through Kindness

Not all heroes stand in the spotlight. Some quietly transform lives by seeing the needs around them, leading with compassion, and serving their communities with humility and kindness. Sanjay is one of those heroes.

“One act of kindness can change a life. One transformed life can change an entire community."

At Project Help India, advocacy is about far more than paperwork or legal processes.

It begins by listening to a family struggling to enrol their child in school. It means helping parents navigate unfamiliar government systems. It means standing alongside vulnerable communities, ensuring they can access the services and opportunities available to them.

But advocacy doesn't stop there.

It also means helping isolated villagers access medical care, guiding families through legal processes, connecting vulnerable people with government services, and standing alongside communities as they overcome barriers that would otherwise seem impossible to navigate.

Sometimes, advocacy simply means helping someone find their voice.

One person who embodies this every day is Sanjay.

A Heart to Serve

When we first met Sanjay, he was a quiet, humble young man with a kind and gentle nature and a deep desire to serve his community.

Long before he studied law, he demonstrated remarkable leadership and compassion. Using his own limited resources, he established a small village pharmacy to provide basic medicines to people who otherwise had little access to healthcare.

He didn't wait for someone else to solve the problems around him.

He simply chose to help.

Recognising his character and potential, Project Help India's supporters came alongside him, making it possible for him to pursue a university education in law—an opportunity that would have been far beyond his family's financial means.

A Teacher, An Advocate, A Community Leader

Today, Sanjay continues to serve as the teacher at Project Help India's Kadarganj Jungle Centre, where he works closely with children, their parents, and village elders every day.

His humility, kindness, and gentle nature have earned the trust and respect of the community. Those trusted relationships enable him to identify families in need and walk alongside them as they overcome challenges that often seem overwhelming.

Alongside his teaching, Sanjay now practises as an advocate in the District Court. His legal knowledge allows him to help families obtain important identity documents such as Aadhaar cards, resolve legal matters, and guide vulnerable people through government processes that many would otherwise struggle to navigate.

He also assists isolated villagers in accessing medical care and other essential services, recognising that advocacy is not simply about legal matters—it is about ensuring people have the opportunity to live with dignity, hope, and security.

Advocacy in Action

Across the villages and informal communities where Project Help India serves, many families face significant barriers to accessing education, healthcare, and government support.

Without an Aadhaar card, a child may be unable to enrol in school. Parents with limited literacy often find government processes confusing and intimidating. Many families simply do not know where to begin.

Through community awareness programs and advocacy camps, Project Help India helps families complete documentation, understand official processes, and connect with the services available to them.

Working alongside local police, municipal authorities, and government officials, our team regularly assists vulnerable families in obtaining the identification and documentation they need to access education, healthcare, and other essential services.

Every completed application...

Every identity card issued...

Every child who is finally able to return to school...

These are victories worth celebrating.

A Ripple Effect That Continues

Sanjay's story is about much more than becoming a lawyer.

It is the story of what happens when someone is given an opportunity and chooses to use it in service of others.

Years ago, generous supporters invested in one young man.

Today, that same young man is investing in hundreds of children and families throughout northern India.

His story reminds us that lasting transformation is rarely about changing just one life.

It is about empowering people who, in turn, strengthen their families, support their neighbours, and become leaders within their own communities.

That is the true power of advocacy.

Looking Ahead

Over the coming week, we'll continue exploring the role of advocacy as we prepare to release our new Child Advocacy & Anti-Human Trafficking booklet for World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on 30 July.

We'll share how Project Help India works alongside police, government departments, and community organisations to help protect vulnerable children, strengthen families, and create safer communities across northern India.

Thank you for standing with us. If this story has inspired you, please consider sharing it with your family, friends, and community. Together, we can help raise awareness that advocacy restores dignity, removes barriers, and creates opportunities for children and families to build brighter futures.

"Who are you?" - The Power of Identity

Every child deserves to be recognised—not only by name, but through the opportunities that identity can unlock. Behind every identity card is a child with dreams, potential, and the right to be seen.

"Who are you?"

It's a simple question that most of us answer without a second thought. Our name, our address, perhaps a driver's licence or passport. We rarely stop to consider that these documents quietly unlock many of the opportunities we take for granted.

But for millions of people living in vulnerable communities across India, proving who they are is not always so simple.

Without an Aadhaar card—India's national identity document—everyday opportunities can remain out of reach. Enrolling in school, accessing healthcare, receiving government support, opening a bank account, finding employment, or even proving where you live can become incredibly difficult.

An identity card is more than a piece of plastic.

It is recognition.

It is belonging.

It is dignity.

For the children and families we serve, helping someone obtain an Aadhaar card is often one of the first and most important steps towards building a brighter future.

Anshika's Story

Twelve-year-old Anshika lives with her parents and siblings in a rural farming community in northern India. Like many families living in poverty, daily life has never been easy. Her parents work hard in the fields, but limited income and difficult family circumstances have made life uncertain.

Anshika loved learning.

Yet after completing Year 5, her education came to an abrupt stop.

She couldn't enrol in school because she didn't have an Aadhaar card.

Instead of sitting in a classroom with her friends, Anshika began working alongside her mother in the fields.

When Project Help India opened a free learning centre in her village, everything began to change.

Our team got to know Anshika and discovered why she was no longer attending school. Rather than accepting this as simply "the way things are," they began working alongside her parents, helping them understand the importance of obtaining an Aadhaar card and guiding them through the process.

After many conversations, Anshika's father agreed.

For the first time, the door to formal education was opening once again.

Her mother later shared that Anshika's older sister had also been unable to attend school because she too did not have an Aadhaar card. Today, all three daughters attend Project Help India's learning centre, giving them opportunities that once seemed beyond reach.

Sometimes, transformation begins with something as simple as helping a family complete the right paperwork.

Advocacy That Restores Dignity

Many of the families we work alongside are living in remote villages or informal settlements. Some cannot read or write. Others have never navigated government systems before. Some are fearful of engaging with authorities, while others simply don't know where to begin.

Obtaining an Aadhaar card can be a complicated process without guidance.

That's why advocacy has become an important part of Project Help India's work.

Our team regularly holds community awareness programs and advocacy camps, helping families complete forms, understand the process, and connect with government services. We are grateful for the strong support we receive from local police, municipal authorities, and government officials, who often work alongside us to help ensure vulnerable families can access the identification they need.

For us, advocacy is about more than paperwork.

It is about helping people gain access to education, healthcare, employment, and opportunities that many of us consider ordinary.

It is about restoring dignity.

Looking Ahead

At Project Help India, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and dream about their future.

Sometimes, protecting that future begins with something as simple as helping a family obtain an identity card.

Over the coming weeks, we'll continue sharing stories about advocacy and why this work is so important—not only in helping children access education, but also in protecting vulnerable families and strengthening communities.

Because every child deserves to be seen.

Every family deserves to belong.

And every person deserves the dignity that comes with having an identity.Over the coming weeks, we'll continue sharing stories of advocacy and child protection as we prepare to release our new Child Advocacy & Anti-Human Trafficking booklet for World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on 30 July. We invite you to follow this series and discover how advocacy is helping restore dignity, protect children, and strengthen communities across northern India.

When a Child Knows They Belong: Five Stories of Change

There are many ways a child can be isolated.

For some of the children supported by Project Help India, isolation is geographic. They live in remote jungle villages where distance, poverty and limited resources make access to education extraordinarily difficult.

For others, isolation exists within the boundaries of a city.

Some of the communities we serve in and around Kotdwara are Dalit communities — communities that have experienced generations of social exclusion and discrimination. Although these children may live geographically close to schools, shops and services, poverty and longstanding marginalisation can create barriers that are just as real.

For a child living with a disability, isolation can take yet another form.

In India, children with disabilities can face significant barriers to education, inclusion and participation in community life. When disability intersects with poverty and membership of a historically marginalised Dalit community, a child may face multiple layers of disadvantage, increasing the need for support, advocacy and meaningful inclusion.

This is why our mission places particular emphasis on affirming the value and dignity of every child and every family — especially those living with disability.

We believe no child should be overlooked because of where they were born, the resources their family has, their social background or their disability.

For families with few resources, however, education can easily become something hoped for rather than something a child is able to access consistently.

This is why advocacy matters.

It is why intervention matters.

And it is why simply showing up matters.

Without the advocacy and practical support of Project Help India, many of the children who attend our centres would not be receiving the education and support they need. But our centres offer more than lessons.

A child arrives and is welcomed by name.

A teacher notices when they are struggling.

Someone patiently shows them how to hold a pencil.

Someone celebrates the first word they can read.

A healthy meal is served.

Friendships begin.

Confidence grows.

Slowly, a child who may have experienced life on the margins discovers something powerful:

I am known here. I am cared for here. I belong here.

This month, we want to introduce you to five children. Their circumstances are different, but their stories share a common thread: the opportunity to learn, the influence of a dedicated teacher, and the gratitude of parents who are seeing new possibilities emerge for their children.

Introducing Junaid

Junaid is nine years old and is growing up in the Gurjar community. He speaks both Hindi and Gujari and began his education through the Project Help India Centre in Kadarganj. His younger sister, Firdaus, also attends the centre.

Junaid’s parents make their living by rearing buffalo and selling milk. Their resources are limited, but their hopes for their children are significant.

Junaid’s family describes a remarkable change since he began attending the centre regularly. In the past, they say, he was often mischievous and did not take care of his cleanliness. Today, he takes pride in being neat and clean, listens to his family and shows greater respect for others.

His uncle has also noticed his educational progress: Junaid can now read and write well and has grown in confidence and maturity.

For his family, these changes are a source of great joy. They are deeply grateful that an education centre exists within their community, giving children like Junaid and Firdaus the opportunity to learn and grow.

Junaid’s story reminds us that education is never only about what happens on a page. When a child is consistently encouraged, guided and valued, that influence can be seen in every part of life.

Introducing Radhika

Radhika is ten years old and attends the Project Help India Centre in Puranwala.

She is described as a gentle, well-mannered girl who loves playing and sports. She is one of three children in a family with little formal education.

Before attending the centre, Radhika struggled to read and write. Since joining, she has made significant progress in both. Her family has also noticed positive changes in her personal habits, including greater attention to cleanliness and responsibility.

Radhika’s father rears sheep and goats, while her mother manages the household. Despite their limited resources, her parents want all three of their children to be educated. They hope education will open possibilities that were not available to them.

All three children now study diligently, completing the work given to them at school and at the centre. Their parents are proud and deeply grateful to the teachers and supporters who are helping their children move forward.

Introducing Siddharth

Siddharth is five years old.

His family has lived in the Kashirampur Talla area for approximately 35 years, but they do not have a permanent house. They live in a hut made from plastic sheets, while Siddharth’s father works as a labourer to support the family.

Siddharth joined the Project Help India Slum Centre in Kotdwara on 1 April 2026.

When he first arrived, he did not know how to hold a pencil.

So his teacher began at the beginning.

Hand over hand, patiently and gently, Siddharth was shown how to write.

He is described as a calm child who arrives at the centre clean and on time, and who learns well when something is taught to him. His progress may begin with small steps, but small steps matter enormously when a child has previously had limited access to educational support.

For Siddharth’s parents, the opportunity for their son to receive an education is something they do not take for granted. Their gratitude is heartfelt.

And behind Siddharth’s progress is something we see across all our centres: a teacher willing to be patient enough to help one child take the next step.

Introducing Himanshu

Himanshu is 14 years old and has faced significant physical challenges since birth.

His early development was delayed, and he continues to experience difficulties with mobility and speech. Yet those who know him describe him as sensible, intelligent and eager to learn.

Himanshu was among the children who received education through our Disability Centre from its early days. For a child who required additional support, the centre offered an opportunity to learn in an environment where his needs could be recognised.

His family lives with significant financial pressure. His parents earn their livelihood by running a chaat cart near the Siddhbali Temple in Kotdwara, working long days to support their children.

Today, distance makes it difficult for Himanshu to attend the centre regularly, and he often helps his parents with their work. Yet the relationship with Project Help India remains meaningful to his family.

His parents continue to express deep gratitude for the education, care and practical assistance Himanshu has received.

His story also reminds us why children with disabilities often require a greater level of individual support. At our Disability Centre, higher staff-to-student ratios help us provide the attention and care each student needs.

Every child deserves the opportunity to learn in a way that recognises their individual needs and their inherent worth.

Introducing Madhu

Madhu is 12 years old and studies in Class 5.

As the eldest daughter in a family of five children, she has grown up in difficult circumstances. Her mother works as an agricultural labourer to help meet the family’s daily needs.

Before Madhu began attending the centre, she was not going to school. Her mother also recalls behaviours that concerned the family, including using abusive language and participating in gambling games with other children.

Since joining the centre, Madhu’s life has begun moving in a different direction.

She now attends school.

She comes to the centre every day.

Her mother says she no longer uses abusive language or participates in the harmful behaviours that once worried the family.

And Madhu has discovered things she loves.

She loves to dance and enthusiastically takes part in dance programmes at the centre. She also looks forward to the healthy meals served there, happily returning home to tell her mother what she ate that day.

There is something deeply hopeful in that image: a 12-year-old girl returning home, excited to share the details of her day.

Madhu is not simply attending a programme.

She is participating.

She is learning.

She is discovering joy.

She belongs.

Behind Every Child Is a Teacher Who Shows Up

These five stories are different, but they share something important.

Behind each child is a teacher.

A teacher who notices.

A teacher who encourages.

A teacher who patiently guides a small hand holding a pencil for the first time.

A teacher who sees not only a child’s present circumstances, but also their potential.

Across Project Help India’s 14 centres, approximately 600 students are being supported. We want to recognise and thank the dedicated teachers who show up for these children day after day.

Their influence cannot always be measured in a report.

Sometimes it can be seen in a child who begins to read.

Sometimes in improved confidence.

Sometimes in a parent noticing that their child has changed.

Sometimes in a girl discovering that she loves to dance.

And sometimes in a child simply beginning to believe:

There is a place for me.

You Are Part of These Stories

We also want to thank every person who supports Project Help India.

These stories are possible because people choose to care — and then turn that care into action.

Approximately $50 per month can help provide a child with education and a healthy daily meal. Supporting students at our Disability Centre costs a little more because a higher staff-to-student ratio is needed to provide appropriate individual care and support.

Your financial support helps create places where children facing poverty, geographic isolation, disability and social marginalisation can learn and grow.

You can make a tax-deductible donation by clicking the pink DONATE button at the top of this page.

But perhaps the impact can be expressed even more simply.

You help a child be known.

You help a child be cared for.

You help a child belong.

And you help a child begin to imagine a different future.

Thank you for standing with these children, their families and their teachers.

Thank you for believing that where a child begins should not determine where their story can go.

Thank you for showing up.

We Show Up: Reflecting on Two Years of Impact

We invite you to read our Annual Impact Report 2024 – 2025: A Snapshot of Hope, Growth and Community Impact

From classrooms and community meals to healthcare, women's empowerment, child advocacy and crisis response, this report reflects how your support helped create opportunity, protection and hope for children, families and communities across India during 2024–2025.

Download our 2024 / 2025 Annual Report here

Suhail’s Story - Dignity, Belonging and the Right to Be Seen

Suhail - here he is at about 15 years of age. Back then he was carried to school most days by his father.

There is something unforgettable about Suhail’s smile

Even after years of physical suffering, exclusion, isolation, and disappointment, he still lights up whenever visitors arrive at his home. He loves conversation, friendship, laughter, and simply being included.

And yet, for much of his life, Suhail has been largely forgotten by the world around him.

Suhail is 20 years old and lives with his family in a small two-room home in a slum community near the riverbank in Kotdwara, North India. His father sells fruit to support the family on a very modest income, while his mother has spent most of her life caring for Suhail full-time.

He is the youngest of eight children.

Suhail belongs to a Muslim family, and over the past decade it has been a profound privilege for our Project Help India team, as Christians, to walk alongside this family through friendship, practical care, advocacy, consistency, and love.

What began as disability support slowly became something much deeper:
relationship,
trust,
and belonging.

A Child, and a family, failed by the system

Suhail was not born with a disability.

As an infant he became critically ill with jaundice and later underwent intestinal surgery. Over time his body weakened significantly. His arms and legs became severely twisted, his back weakened, and eventually he lost the ability to sit, stand, or walk independently.

Today, he remains bedridden and housebound.

He also struggles to speak clearly, making communication difficult for people who do not know him well.

But perhaps one of the hardest parts of Suhail’s story has not been his disability itself.

It has been exclusion.

For many years, local schools refused to accept him because of his condition. Despite wanting desperately to learn and be included, Suhail was repeatedly denied access to education simply because he was considered “too difficult.”

In communities where disability is still deeply misunderstood, families can face painful stigma and isolation.

Some parents are blamed.
Some are shamed.
Some are treated as though disability is a punishment for past sins.

The loneliness carried by parents — especially mothers — can be enormous.

Alongside the emotional burden comes the financial reality:
medical costs,
reduced work opportunities,
ongoing care needs,
transport difficulties,
and little or no government support.

For many families, it becomes a life lived largely behind closed doors.

The Right to Education. The Right to Belong.

When Project Help India first connected with Suhail’s family more than 10 years ago through our Disability Centre ministry, one thing became immediately clear:

Suhail desperately wanted connection.

Because he could not attend school normally, our teachers began visiting him at home regularly. Some days staff would transport him to activities at the Disability Centre when possible. Other days they would simply sit with him at home — helping with basic learning activities, exercises, conversation, encouragement, and companionship.

Over time, those visits became life-changing.

For Suhail, Project Help India became his school.
His social world.
His community.
His connection to the outside world.

And in many ways, he may remain a lifelong student member of our Disability Centre unless ongoing advocacy can eventually help create opportunities for some form of meaningful supported employment or long-term community participation in the future.

That matters deeply.

Because every person — regardless of disability — deserves dignity, purpose, belonging, education, and the opportunity to participate in society.

Advocacy for the Most Marginalised

Suhail’s story is not isolated.

Across North India, there are still many children living with disability who remain hidden, excluded, or denied access to education and support.

Part of Project Help India’s growing advocacy work now involves actively identifying vulnerable children with disabilities who are being overlooked or discriminated against because of their condition.

In some cases, families are simply unaware of what support may exist.
In other situations, schools refuse enrolment.
And sometimes government systems become almost impossible to navigate for families living in extreme poverty.

One ongoing frustration has been Suhail’s repeated inability to access even a basic disability pension.

Although disability support technically exists, Suhail has continually been denied access because he cannot physically attend government offices and his fingers are too deformed to complete the biometric identification process required for registration.

It is heartbreaking.

And it is why advocacy matters.

Not simply charity.
Not pity.
But human dignity and human rights.

The right to education.
The right to be seen.
The right to belong.
The right to hope.

Love Still Finds a Way

Recently, one of our teachers visited Suhail’s home carrying a small Mothers’ Day gift for him to give to his mum.

Earlier in the year, the family also received an Eid gift package through Project Help India.

Simple moments.
Simple gestures.

But for families living in ongoing isolation and hardship, these moments matter enormously.

They communicate something powerful:

You are not forgotten.

Despite everything he has faced, Suhail continues to smile constantly. There is warmth in him. Joy. Gentleness. A love of life that somehow continues shining through enormous hardship.

And beside him, always, is his mother — carrying both exhaustion and extraordinary love.

A Future Still Worth Fighting For

Suhail’s story reminds us why Project Help India continues showing up.

Not only in classrooms and villages.
But also in hidden homes,
forgotten communities,
and among families carrying invisible burdens.

There is still much work to do.

More advocacy.
More support.
More opportunities.
More awareness.
More inclusion.

But we remain deeply hopeful.

Because every child matters.
Every family matters.
And every person deserves to know they are seen, valued, loved, and not alone.

Our hearts are filled with gratitude for the generous Australian family who has now committed to supporting Suhail and his family over the next 12 months.

Their kindness will help provide ongoing care, advocacy, educational support, practical assistance, and continued connection for a young man whose life has too often been marked by exclusion.

Thank you for helping us continue showing up where it matters most.

Four Children - Four Stories - One Hope for the Future

Meet some of the kids we love

Across Punjab, many of the children connected to Project Help India come from families facing deep hardship — poverty, illness, family breakdown, accidents, emotional trauma, the growing impact of drugs and alcohol within communities and families, and limited access to educational support.

Yet despite these challenges, we continue to see something remarkable:
children who still carry hope, courage, and a desire to learn.

Through our village tuition centres and educational programs, PHI seeks not only to support children academically, but also emotionally, socially, and practically — creating safe places where vulnerable children can be encouraged, nurtured, and given the opportunity to build a brighter future.

This month, we wanted to introduce you to four of the many children whose lives are being impacted through these centres.

Ramandeep’s Story - When One Accident Changes Everything

Ramandeep is a young girl studying in Class 4 who lives with her parents and older brother in Punjab.

Until recently, her family was living a simple but stable life. Her father worked hard each day to support the family, and both children were faithfully attending school and studying at the Katora Centre under the care of teacher Seema Mam.

But everything changed when Ramandeep’s father suffered a serious accident and broke his leg.

Unable to work for more than a month, the family quickly fell into severe financial hardship. Food became scarce, medical expenses increased, and the emotional pressure on the family became overwhelming.

As the stress grew, both children began missing classes regularly.

Concerned about their absence, Seema Mam visited the family home and personally saw the difficult conditions they were now facing.

Despite these hardships, Ramandeep and her brother still desperately want to continue their education and build a better future for themselves.

Sometimes all a struggling family needs is timely support, encouragement, and the reassurance that they are not facing hardship alone.

Ramandeep with her father and brother

Jaspreet’s Story - A Brave Young Girl Facing Daily Pain

Jaspreet is a bright and determined 10-year-old girl studying in Class 5.

Since childhood, she has suffered from a serious ear condition that causes constant pain, fluid discharge, and hearing difficulties. More recently, she has also begun experiencing problems with her eyesight.

The ongoing pain has often made it difficult for her to focus in class, participate fully in activities, or enjoy life like other children her age.

Despite these challenges, Jaspreet loves learning and especially enjoys playing hockey with her friends whenever her health allows.

Her family’s financial situation makes proper medical treatment extremely difficult to afford, but through the support and encouragement of her teacher at the Slum Centre, Pooja Mam, Jaspreet has slowly begun regaining confidence and interest in her studies.

What stands out most about Jaspreet is her resilience.

Even while dealing with constant discomfort, she continues showing up, trying her best, and holding onto hope for a healthier future.

Gurkirat’s Story - Recovering, Learning, and Finding Joy Again

Four-year-old Gurkirat Singh is a cheerful young student attending the Gatti Rajo Ke Centre together with his older sister.

A few months ago, Gurkirat suffered a serious accident and broke his leg. Due to the severity of the injury, doctors were forced to insert a metal rod into his leg during treatment.

Although he is now able to walk again, he is still unable to run and play like other children his age.

For a young child, this has been incredibly difficult emotionally.

But each day, Gurkirat continues attending the centre where he can learn, spend time with other children, and feel included and supported.

His classmates have shown remarkable kindness, helping him feel connected and cared for during his recovery.

For his parents — who work hard each day as daily wage labourers — the centre has become far more than simply a place of education. It has become a safe and encouraging community for their son during a very challenging season of life.

Amandeep’s Story - From Silence to Confidence

Amandeep Kaur is eight years old.

When she was only two, her mother left the family home following a family dispute. Since then, Amandeep and her sister have been lovingly raised by their grandmother, Sukhi.

As Amandeep grew older, the emotional impact of her mother’s absence deeply affected her confidence and learning.

She became extremely quiet and withdrawn, struggled socially, and found it difficult to read and write at the level expected for her age.

Concerned for her granddaughter’s future, Sukhi eventually heard about the free Educational Centre in Purana Makhu and reached out for help.

At first, Amandeep barely spoke. She would sit silently in class, avoiding eye contact and showing little interest in learning.

But Anita Mam, one of the centre’s teachers, patiently and gently encouraged her step by step in a safe and caring environment.

Slowly, something beautiful began to happen.

Amandeep began learning to read and write. Her confidence grew stronger. She started participating in class activities, talking with other children, and expressing herself more openly.

Today, she is a happier, more confident young girl who is beginning to believe in herself and her future once again.

Her story is a powerful reminder that love, patience, encouragement, and consistent care can help transform a child’s life.

💛 How You Can Help

Behind every child’s story is a family carrying enormous challenges — and a community working together to help children remain safe, hopeful, and connected to education.

If these stories have touched your heart and you would like to support children like Ramandeep, Jaspreet, Gurkirat, and Amandeep, we would love to hear from you.

Your support helps us continue providing educational programs, practical care, emotional support, advocacy, and hope to vulnerable children and families across India.

Thank you for helping us continue showing up where it matters most.

Make your donation by clicking the DONATE button at the top of this page.