This year, Maher planned to celebrate Children’s day with huge fanfare. The function was planned to happen over a period of days so as to ensure that we could celebrate it well at each of the separate Maher centers. At Vadhu, Maher’s main center, a rally from Vadhu to Koregaon was planned to happen on the 15^th of November. However, due to untimely rains, the plan had to be cancelled at the last moment. The food items (sweet buns and bananas) were distributed to the 1100 children in the school. The children and the social workers waited until the rain stopped (which stopped by 11:00 am) and this opportunity was seized by the children’s in-charge, Ms. Anita, for organizing a short distance rally – Vadhu Sambhaji’s statue to Maher entrance. This rally was started after the garlanding of the Sambhaji statue at the hands of Sister Lucy Kurien.

The rally was held to increase awareness regarding the rights of children. The program started with the lighting of the lamp by the chief guest Shri. Vitthal Kate, followed by a cultural program which included a “Laughter Session”, a play by Maher kids from Pune, puppet show by Mr. Dilip Bhatt, magic show by Mr. Hasim Sheikh and tattoo drawing by Mr. Ajay Borate.

There were many other dignitaries from nearby villages, like Shri. Uttam Appa Bhondve from Lonikand, Shri. Suhas Dhamale, Shri. Nandakumar Gote, Shri. Prakash Giri Gosavi from Apti, Shri. Eknath Chavan, principal of Sharad Chandraji High School Vadhu Bk., Shri. Balasaheb Chaudhari, principal of Z.P. Primary School Apti and Mr. Samir Darekar from Chaitanya Laughing Club, volunteers from Fujitsu, Accenture and Food Land. Sr. Lucy, Founder Director of Maher, President Ms. Hirabegum Mulla, Asst. Manager Ms. Mini M. J. and other staff members of Maher Vadhu were present at the occasion.

The children were served a hot and scrumptious lunch and were each given a gift for the occasion of Children’s Day.

The program was hosted by Gaus Sayyad while the vote of thanks was delivered by Mr. Sandeep Mhetre. Gaus, who was once a little child at Maher grew up with Maher as his home. Before joining the Maher family, he used to wash cars as a child, but is now pursuing his MBA at Suryadutta Institute of Management, Pune. Maher hopes to touch the lives of thousands of children like him.

Maher will be conducting similar programs in other villages as planned.