In their world of darkness, SHARE kindles hope
SHARE, an initiative which stands for Society to Heal, Aid, Restore and Educate, was conceptualized by Ronnie Screwvala, the CEO, UTV Group, in 1984 along with his friend and senior, Pearl Padamsee.
One of the first steps was to fund this endeavor, and so, less than a year later, four different charitable trusts and more than 100 volunteers organized a large fund raiser at Shivaji Park that raised, at that time, a princely sum of Rs. 20 lacs.
Today SHARE is actively involved in giving support and encouragement to the mentally challenged, street children, economically disadvantaged women, school dropouts, women under-trials and for projects like rainwater harvesting and adoption of villages in Maharashtra. They have adopted 120 villages in 3 districts - Raigad, Ratnagiri and Thane and the faith which each of those villagers have put into SHARE is simply overwhelming.
SHARE helps people help themselves:
- Adoption of villages - SHARE encourages the people of the villages, and supports them, to be self sufficient - in terms of the food they eat, the electricity in their house, vocational training, education, etc.
- Rain water harvesting - An eco-friendly, community oriented, sustainable solution to collect and store water where it rains and harvest it to meet daily needs during periods of shortage.
- Women's empowerment and livelihood promotion - Women are given vocational training and also taught about hygiene.
- Kitchen garden - SHARE provides seeds to the villagers and encourages them to grow their own food, be it rice, haldi, vegetables, etc.
- Electricity - They help install solar panels on the roofs of the villagers' houses, so that they get electricity all day.
- Paper Bags - The villagers are taught how to make recyclable bags made of old newspapers, which are sold to get them money.
- Education - Children are encouraged to come to study. They are fed nutritious food and given a bath everyday.
- Prison intervention - Providing female under trials and their children non-formal skill and training.
- Mentally challenged youth - Imparting training and guidance to mentally challenged youth and involving them in 'work and earn' activities.
