Mukti Mission in India

Peter, seen here with our President Michael, has been involved with the Mukti Mission for a number of years, and currently is a Director for the organisation here in WA and the Northern Territory.

 

Mukti commenced in the late 1880's when a local Hindu lady by the name of Pandita Ramabai realised that women and children were often caught in the trap of poverty and in many cases could not find a way out of their current situation.  Peter shared some statistics that suggest that those caught in the trap called "poverty" are likely to remain trapped, unable to find a way out to a better life.  Pandita found such a way - by developing her organisation so that women and children could be given an equal chance to get ahead in life.  

 

Pandita worked on obtaining education for girls; she organised famine relief; suggested a national language - Hindi; fought for women's rights; campaigned for the training of more women doctors; invented the Marathi Braille typeset; opened the first kindergarten in the state of Maharasha, India; and translated the Bible into the local dialect.  

 

Mukti is a Marathi word for 'freedom'.   It would appear to be a perfect name for the organisation that has taken this word as it's own name.  Their vision is about: rescuing, restoring and releasing women back into their own community once they have been provided with appropriate education, training and skills for them to become self sufficient and confident about living an independent life.

 

The organisation is situated on 230 acres of land near Mumbai.  It provides kindergartens, schools, hospital facilities, and accommodation for women and children.  Some 700 staff and residents live there at any one time.  There are more people in their 18 other satellite places that also provide support to women and children in need.  Their facilities also cater for children with special needs, including the blind.  They have a nursery for abandoned babies and also have an adoption program to ensure couples who cannot have children are able to adopt and nurture a child.  One small baby was brought into the centre in a cloth shopping bag by a local police officer.  The baby thrived and was eventually adopted out to some caring parents.  He relates his story as him 'not being born in Mummy's womb' but in Mummy's heart".

 

Approximately 110 acres of land are used as a farm, with crops growing; and dairy cows being tended to provide milk for the residents.  Peter has been busy and has managed to find funds to provide another 13 cows for them so they can become more self sufficient

 

There are sponsorship opportunities available if anyone is interested in supporting the organisation.  Sponsorship can be to support a child, support a 'granny' or to support a project.

If you would like any further information please contact Peter:  peter@mukti.org.au  Their website is www.mukti.org.au

 

Thank you Peter.  It is always great to hear of some of the fantastic work that is being done around the world to support the growth and development of local people.