This Man Is A Ray Of Hope To Pune’s Challenged Community, Help Vasant Thakkar Make A Difference

“When Vaidehi was born, so many of our family members warned us that it’s going to be an uphill battle from now. They couldn’t understand how Prabha and I considered her birth to be a blessing. But to us, she was a bundle of joy! Her laughter and her antics filled our days with happiness. There was no way I would let her suffer in life,” - Vasant Thakkar, Founder, Savali: The Shelter for Care.

Vaidehi is 100% intellectually challenged and was born with Cerebral Palsy. In simple words, her ability to move and maintain balance is affected by this congenital condition. Famous doctors in Mumbai had told the Thakkars that there was no way she could be trained to live a ‘normal’ life. But Vasant and Prabha didn’t lose hope.

Vaidehi has been our biggest inspiration for starting this shelter home 

Vaidehi’s parents wanted to give her the best of everything. They didn’t want her to feel like a burden on anyone, especially when they wouldn’t be around for her. 

In 1992, Vasant Thakkar, a mechanical engineer by profession, retired from his job early. He wanted to build a safe space for many more children like Vaidehi where they would be loved and taken care of without any judgement. That was how Savali was born. Savali in Marathi means ‘shelter’. In the truest sense of the word, Savali is now home to 45 special individuals. They are given nutritious food, their medical needs are looked after, and most important of all, they’re showered with love and affection.

“We are one big family - these children are no different to my 52-year-old daughter. With proper care, skill development sessions, a special school, and daycare facilities, we are giving them everything they need. Savali is not just for the residents, it is an organisation for the parents too. It takes away the worry from the minds of these parents about a time when they won’t be around to look after their children.”

Savali needs your help to reach out to many more individuals 

At Savali, there is a constant attempt to make the residents independent and self-reliant. That is a primary way they’re reminded of their worth. For the last 30 years, Savali has been working extensively in this sphere - changing lives and spreading awareness. They want to show the world that disability is not a shortcoming - it is merely a different way of doing this.

Savali wants to continue making an impact and for that, they need your support. You can help them by donating construction materials, groceries, and medicines to help them provide a better life for people with disabilities. Every donation is sure to make a difference.