maithri educational & charitable trust


Foundation of Maithri in Founder's Words - Shreedhar Rajaram

When he was 18 months of age, had a polio attack, which left his left hand and both his legs paralyzed. His parents tried every remedy to cure him and provided all the best possible treatments of all methods available in those days. They had always hoped, prayed and believed that some day Shreedhar would walk.

He went to school until the age of 8 years. His father would often carry him there, from home. Sometimes the classes were held on the top floor, but there was no one to carry him up. He missed several classes and in those days, there was less awareness about the needs of the physically challenged. Schools lacked facilities for the [physically challenged]. And he was forced to quit school. Instead, He learnt from home through the radio, which in turn provided him the best "armchair traveling". He listened to programmes on the BBC and Deutsche Welle [Voice of Germany]

He went to school until the age of 8 years. His father would often carry him to school from home. Sometimes the classes were held on the top floor, but there was no one to carry him up and so, he missed several classes. In those days, there was less awareness about the needs of the physically challenged and schools lacked facilities and he was forced to quit school. Instead, he learnt from home through the radio, which in turn provided him the best " traveling armchair ". He listened to programmes on the BBC and Deutsche Welle [Voice of Germany]

He was monitoring the various overseas radio stations which needed technical feedback from the listeners to access how the broadcast was heard in the targeted areas. This was his "window" to the outside world. Through this, he learnt to understand and speak good English. He also learnt a little bit of Spanish, German and Hindi. And he says, "I enjoyed reading the Reader's Digest". He also adds, “I think the pain and frustrations I felt because of my condition, being unable to attend school, gradually subsided. It was quite tough, but I learnt to accept my life".

The first time he traveled by train to Mumbai was when he was 34. His elder sister, who was living in Mumbai, was determined to take him home with her. His brother-in-law, showed him places in and around Mumbai and he did not even have a wheelchair then. He had never ventured out of home much very little in fact, apart from few family functions. He couldn't strike a conversation with people whenever he went to gatherings.

Things have changed over the years. Today, as part of his work at Maithri, he attends seminars, get-to-gethers, functions where he speaks to large groups of people without hesitation and complex and sometimes even delivers ex-tempore speeches. All these have been possible because he is determined and committed to the cause and vision of this Trust.

Ten years later, his family went to the Himalayas on a pilgrimage to Rishikesh and Badrinath. By then he had a wheelchair, a gift from his cousins, who live in the United States . The trip was wonderful. He says "Due to a landslide, our van could not travel further ahead. Parking the vans by the river Ganges, we experienced the surreal beauty of nature. Watching the flow of the mighty Ganges was an unforgettable experience."

Astrology is something he learnt on his own. People come to him for astrological predictions and he never charges and any voluntary donations are passed on to Maithri. His family supports him immensely and sometimes tolerates the extra pressures coming from the people in need. Friends of Shreedhar are the assets and they come from various walks of life and render their timely assistance to Maithri, by whatever means they can.

Whenever he goes out on his wheelchair pushed by a volunteer in the streets , he would come across children loitering around in groups. He says "One day I asked one of them why he was wasting his time?" They replied "We are the drop-outs from the school. No money to buy books, notebooks or pay school fees," Shreedhar thought what (school education) was denied to him should not happen to these children also. That was when he started in a small way by helping these children by paying fees, buying school books and notebooks. Efforts started taking shape and with some of his friends contributing funds, they were able to meet the needs of a few students for an entire year and Maithri took birth way back in 1983 but was christened in 1991, with a formal registration under the Trust Act. Maithri has supported around 250 students to date, all their educational needs till they step out of school or finished their schooling. Now Maithri Educational And Charitable Trust currently has 120 children studying in schools and few in colleges as well.

Today, Maithri conducts free medical camps and provides relief in case of emergencies. Our volunteers have rendered assistance to the people displaced by the earthquake in Uttarkashi and Gujarat, the cyclones in Orissa and Andhra Pradesh and the tsunami in Tamil Nadu. Maithri has also set up a physiotherapy clinic for the underprivileged and physically challenged with active support from The State Bank of India, Chennai (community development wing). We also receive funds from individual donors and international organizations.

In 2005, [in recognition of his work at Maithri] the Tamil Nadu government gave Shreedhar an award on the Independence Day - 'The Best Social Worker for the Disabled'. Helen Keller and Beethoven inspired him. He recalls; Helen Keller once said, "The world is moved along not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker." And that tiny push is Maithri.

He would personally appreciate your step to give the tiny push to a shape of vortex pull so we can reach the maximum mass of illiterate, neglected, abandoned, orphans and poor, but intelligent children. Give them a respectable future by imparting them knowledge. We have been spreading the ambit of our coverage, hence seeking more funds earnestly. We request you to extend donations towards sustenance and endowment plans. The amount received under Donations are exempted from Income Tax U/S 80G of the Income Tax Act - 1961. NRI Donors can donate by money transfer in US dollars or any other Foreign Currency in favor of "Maithri Educational and Charitable Trust". We are registered under Foreign Contribution Regulatory Act under Registration No. 075900819 under section 6 (1)(a)of FCR Act 1976. Our expense ratio is less than 10% and therefore, most of the donations are channeled to people in need.



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