Visamo Kids Foundation

The highlight today was our visit to Visamo Kids Foundation. About a hundred underprivileged kids are provided shelter, clothing, food, education and support for a dozen years so they can succeed in life. We met some of the kids and they were absolutely precious! Some were shy, some didn’t speak a lick of English and some were hams. They all spend more than 10 years at The Visamo Foundation in Ahmedabad where they live as a family and learn the tools to succeed in life. They have a small computer lab, a TV with a single channel and no mobile phones, but what they have are lots of smiles, happiness and an attitude that could be the envy of any child anywhere in the world.

I show kids at Visamo something on my shirt

One of them, a seventeen-year old girl named Rinky told us that she will go to college in Jaipur and will donate her first salary to Visamo. She will support Vismao for the rest of her life! All kids will after they graduate and start earning money.

Visamo Logo

I asked dozens of questions about the concept, the financing required, the road-blocks, the success factors, the selection process for kids and how the concept can be duplicated a thousand times. Since you are reading my blog, you probably know me. I want you to know that I STRONGLY support The Visamo Kids foundation. My mother volunteers there and my sister-in-law is heavily involved in managing the organization. Please contribute to the best of your abilities.

India has millions of kids living on the streets who need help. Some kids sell wares on the street for a living, some are servers at drive-through restaurants, some sing and dance to entertain crowds while some simply beg. It is sad when you see them, and you feel completely helpless. What is the right thing to do? Give them a bit of food and money or adopt them and take them home with you? It is obvious that a systemic change is needed. Where does one even begin??

The rest of today was pretty mellow. In the evening, we went to Nootankaka’s house and then for dinner at the Radisson near Panchvati. The food there was quite sub-optimal!