Indian NGO to adopt 101 villages

Dubai - The Delhi-based foundation identified the villages through scientific surveys and studies with the help of government entities.

An Indian Non-Government charitable organisation - the Human Welfare Foundation (HWF) - present at the ongoing Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development Conference & Exhibition (DIHAD), said it is in the process of adopting 101 poor Indian villages from 10 Indian states, as part of its 10-year plan, Vision 2026.
The Delhi-based foundation identified the villages through scientific surveys and studies with the help of government entities.
T. Arif Ali, General Secretary of Human Welfare Foundation, one of the speakers at this 14th edition of DIHAD, said that HWF has successfully completed its first 10-year plan, Vision 2016, which helped develop Muslim and mintority communities.
Details of Vision 2026 are being presented in the DIHAD Conference, taking up the challenge of renovating these villages within the next 10 years. "HWF will be adopting 101 poor villages in North and North East India and one priority is to provide education to any children above six years of age, as many children in these villages rarely attend schools," Ali said, adding that the average population of these villages is between 6,000 to 10,000 people.
Schooling, drinking water
Ali said the purpose of adopting 101 villages is to make them self reliant. The plan to adopt villages is prepared under the project called 'Gramin Dosti', based on the experience and lessons learnt from previous activities. "More than 50 per cent of children in these villages either do not attend school or drop out before reaching the 10th standard," Ali said. "The Vision 2026 objective is to ensure that all the children above six years of age will get schooling." After their schooling, HWF will take care of their higher education expenses.
Providing drinking water is another priority in these adopted villages. Ali said hundreds of wells will be dug soon.
sathish@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai