Bengaluru

Read how Christel House India, a non-profit organization, is paving the way for a better India. The concept that took birth in Mexico is aiding several under-privileged and under-nourished children in their journey towards self-sustainability, helping them rise from the slums of Bangalore.

Bandhavi is an initiative by the Bangalore-based organization Visthar. Bandhavi is Visthar’s initiative for girls who are at risk of being dedicated as devadasis. Currently 100+ girls hailing from villages in North Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh participate in a residential school program that enables them to grow as individuals, as well as build a community that lives in love, respect, trust and friendship.

Read about a one-of-a-kind residential program in Bangalore that aims at equipping individuals from the for-profit as well as non-profit sector with essential tools in dealing with conflict in a constructive and creative manner.

Ananya was a belief that was born out of inclusiveness; it was the seed that didn’t lay its foundation on conventional teaching but on life skills, on humane interaction and on true meaningful learning. Read about their unique approach to teaching those whom nobody else does!

Watch this video and see how local residents and government officials came together to transform a garbage dump into a beautiful public park!

An advertising professional with more than 20 years of experience in the field, Rehana Mohammed Shakir gave up a lucrative career to indulge in her passion - cats! Now, with an ensemble of 14 beautiful Persian cats, she runs a 'Cat Pet Therapy Centre' in Bangalore, helping children develop and discover their emotional side. Read here as the 'Cat Lady' lets the cat out of the bag on the secret to her happiness!

Literacy rate in India might be cited at around 74% (in 2011), but the ground reality is that even among the so-called educated youth, 'employability' remains a key challenge. The main reasons behind this are a lack of communications and other finer skills. This is an important gap that needs to be bridged, and we bring to you an organization in Bangalore committed to doing this from the past several years, with great success.

In concluding our Water Week, we couldn't think of a more apt story than one that fills our hearts with gladness, and an old, defunct lake with water! Read how the efforts of an Environmental outfit, together with the co-operation and willingness of the villagers, revived a lake thought to be dead, and turned around the fortunes of a small region.

Sanchali, a social project, provides free alternate education to children & employment to the women in rural areas. We chat up with Dakshayini Gowda to learn how beautifully she blends education with jewellery to make this happen. “We have created look-alikes of pottery, textile, beads, etc. of that period to give them a chance to learn history in a fun, interactive, lively and more effective manner,” Dakshayini says. And since she wanted to ensure that the workshops were free for all, she decided to fund them by starting an eco-friendly jewellery project with the women in the villages in Karnataka.