Adit, a member of our children's panel, visited our local partner during his trip to India with family. In Bhubaneswar, he met with the director and team of the Youth for Challenges & Development Association (YCDA).
And he spoke with Sonali—a young woman who herself once received help from YCDA and now works for the organization. This conversation made a deep impression on Adit:
Sonali comes from a poor family with four siblings. Her mother has no income, so she was placed in a child care institute (formerly an orphanage) as a child. Thanks to YCDA, she had the opportunity to study and later further her education. Now she works at YCDA herself! Her siblings are also supported by the child care institute, and Sonali's goal is to help them with their higher education.
The organization does more than just support children with their education. "Often, very young children come to them. YCDA works on the necessary paperwork and ensures that these children are placed with foster families. This is intensive work, but they have a strong network of partners, families, and villages with whom they collaborate. In this way, they build a community that ensures every child has a chance. YCDA's work is crucial, and it was very special to be able to witness it," says Adit.