Humanitarian Aid in India - SOFOSH

Since 1964, the Society of Friends of the Sassoon Hospitals, or SOFOSH, has supported poor patients in the city of Pune by providing supplementary medicines, counseling, and legal assistance. Thousands of patients, many of whom are children, continue to benefit from the aid of this dedicated group.

In 1974, SOFOSH established Shreevasta, a child care center on the premises of the Sassoon Hospital, to house children who were orphaned, abandoned, or whose parents could no longer care for them. Shreevasta works to find permanent homes for children through domestic and international adoption. To date, they have placed more than 2,200 children with forever families.

There is, however, a population of physically and/or mentally challenged children in Shreevasta who are not considered adoptable. These children cannot care for themselves and will likely spend their whole lives depending on the workers at Shreevasta for their basic survival. In 1999, SOFOSH established Preetanjali, a facility to house their special needs children. Currently 35 children, ranging in age from 1-14, are being cared for in a bungalow located 10 kilometers away from the main center. The space has quickly become insufficient and lacks the equipment necessary for the specialized needs of this group.

The SOFOSH Dhadpale Center

Two acres of wilderness land were donated to SOFOSH in the 1960s by Mr. and Mrs. Dhadpale, a couple with no children of their own. SOFOSH has used this land to build a home for the special needs children who will likely spend their lives at the center. These children, they emphasize, need "a home – not an institution." The new center, which will be called "Tara," meaning star, will house up to 100 children.

WHFC is proud to have contributed funds toward the building’s infrastructure, allowing for the completion of the center’s construction. Going forward, we will be providing funds for equipment and furnishings for the center, as well as contributing to the project’s corpus fund which will ensure the facility’s long-term operations.

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