Orphaned & Helpless, These Farmers’ Kids Have Found Hope In Govardhan’s Care

“These children have no one to guide them and end up begging on the streets or doing some antisocial activities. They are often misled by social miscreants and within no time they lose their innocent childhood. I have always wanted to help them - they, too, deserve a happy life,” - Govardhan Darade, Founder, Pasaydan Seva Prakalp. 

His compassion and undying desire to help those in need have created a world of difference  

Born into a poor family of sugarcane farmers, Govardhan experienced firsthand the hardships that poverty imposes. He was forced to drop out of school due to financial constraints and he started working early on. But in his heart, Govardhan harbored a burning desire to help the less fortunate. 

“I saw my childhood in these kids - I didn’t want any of them to suffer like I did. During the day, these kids work in roadside dhabas or brick kilns in terrible conditions. At night, they fight tooth and nail to survive in this unfair world. When I told my wife, Ranjana, and my parents about my desire to help these children, they supported me wholeheartedly. To this day, they’re my biggest supporters.” 

Govardhan didn’t think twice before selling off the small piece of ancestral land and their home to start this organisation. He went to several villages and surveyed orphaned and abandoned children. Slowly, he was able to convince the families to allow him to look after these kids.  

“I have rescued children who have lost their parents. Some come from difficult homes while others have no one to look after them. Most of them belong to lower castes and have faced stigma and discrimination. Each of them has a story to tell - you just need to have a heart to listen.” 

Pasaydan Seva Prakalp has become a sanctuary for these children, offering them more than just shelter. The children are provided with nutritious meals, a clean and hygienic environment, and most importantly, an education that ignites the spark of ambition in their hearts. Ranjana, now plays the role of a mother to these children, fostering a sense of belonging and security.  

However, there are several challenges they face - they need your support  

Pasaydan Seva Prakalp operates solely on the generosity of donors, with no corpus fund to fall back on. Their current makeshift home, with its thatched roof, offers little protection against harsh winds, monsoons, and the biting cold of the winter months. To add to this, shopkeepers have now refused to give groceries and stationery to Govardhan on credit due to his inability to pay up the debts on time. 

“It is getting very difficult with every passing day. I don’t know how I will be able to manage without any help. We need to build a pucca home that is secure and have to continue feeding nutritious meals to these children. They’re filled with ambition and a desire to do something big - I want to support them at any cost.”

Donate groceries, stationery, hygiene products, and construction materials and contribute directly to the well-being and education of these underprivileged children. This will not only provide immediate relief but will sow the seeds of a future filled with hope, opportunity, and the promise of breaking free from the vicious cycle of poverty. 

About the NGO: Govardhan Darade founded Pasaydan Seva Prakalp in 2009. For the last 14 years, he has been working tirelessly for a better future for 80+ children in his care. Most of them come from challenging situations at home or have no one to look after them. Many have been orphaned as well. Govardhan and his wife Ranjana are now the Aai-Baba to these children.