Featured Project: Vera Childcare Center

by Minh Phan

Tuesday August 18, 2009 at 11:00am, EST

Vera Village sits in Anand District at the edge of Gujarat province in Western India.  Vera relies on agriculture as its main source of income.  The majority of the village’s residents work in nearby tobacco fields.  As a result, mothers are forced to take their children with them to work in the field, which harms the children by exposing their skin to nicotine and hinders the mother’s employment opportunities. Read more

In 2008, Seva DC— Heidi, Maia and Gurinder of Washington, DC— came together to support a childcare center in Vera Village through 1Well.  The center provides a safe place for over 30 children to receive pre-primary education, healthcare, and nutritious meals during the day while their parents are at work.  This in turn allows mothers the opportunity to earn a higher income by freeing the time that would otherwise be devoted to childcare.  In the latest 1Well Impact Report, Chandanben, one of mothers, recalls , “Without my added income, my husband and I would not be able to provide for the needs of my family.”

By working with 1Well, you can help children in Vera have a safe and healthy childhood while improving their families’ financial situations!  Seva DC is currently raising funds to support Vera Childcare Center in 2010.  Their latest event, Kickin’ it for Kids!, will take place on August 30th at Flanagan’s Harp & Fiddle (4844 Cordell Ave Bethesda, MD).  You can join this group of Citizen Philanthropists to partner with the communities of Vera Village.  By organizing your friends and family to support the childcare center’s program costs, you are fundamentally improving the life of more than 160 individuals in Vera.