In order to further deepen its CSR reach, NWA has sent its CSR representative in India over the course of 2 months with the aim of identifying a trustworthy NGO to support. Over the course of March and April 2015, NWA’s CSR representative has been working on the ground with Shreyas Foundation team in Ahmedabad, Western India (www.shreyasfoundation.in).
Shreyas Foundation was founded in 1947 by Mrs Leena Sarabhai and is based on the teaching philosophies of Mahatma Gandhi, Maria Montessori, and Rabindranath Tagore with a unique vision:
"To create an ecosystem for learning that enables its students to explore their heritage, discover their true potential, understand their responsibility as global citizens, ignite in them creativity and curiosity to question boundaries, and instill in them desire, capability and self-confidence to pursue excellence."
In 1962, a deep urge was felt to provide equal opportunities to children from varied socio-economic backgrounds and to the lost, parentless and destitute children, in need of a family and the security of a home. Therefore the scheme for SOS Balgram was launched at Shreyas Foundation and operated with self-sufficient cottages, each with a mother and nine to ten children. The mother looked after upbringing, cooking, house maintenance, kitchen gardening, maintaining a cow, purchasing and keeping accounts. There are now 35 children living at Balgram, amongst which 27 are still going through their pre-college education.
