While a nation mourns a soldier lost in the line of duty, we soon forget the bereaved mother or the desolate widow who will still send her child to the Army in spite of a personal loss. What the death brings to them is unspeakable grief and trauma. GiveIndia, a Bengaluru-based nonprofit donation platform, in collaboration with VeerNari Shakti Resettlement Foundation is all set to raise Rs. 50 lakh in funds with the hope to provide a dignified source of livelihood to 55 martyr families.
Through a sustainable kitchen model that can be replicated, VNS’s food production programme will bring together martyr widows and families from lower-income backgrounds, giving them salaried jobs and a secure income to sustain themselves.
Reports suggest 1,600 Indian soldiers die in the line of duty every year and 97% widows are of men from the lowest ranks i.e, jawans and sepoys from rural India. With their husbands lost, they at times find it hard to cope mentally and sustain their family financially. This is where VeerNari Shakti Resettlement Foundation comes in. They reach out to these brave women in their time of sorrow and not only help them overcome the trauma through counselling, but also provide them sustainable livelihood through their resettlement programmes. VNS is also the only NGO in India working officially with all three Indian Armed Forces to support the families of martyrs.
“The brave widows of martyred soldiers have sacrificed much to safeguard our country, and this Women’s Day, they deserve to be honoured for their fortitude,” said Priyanka Prakash, Director, Head of Online Giving, Marketing and Partnerships at GiveIndia. “We hope to play our own small part in changing the lives of these women for the better by bringing the commendable work that VeerNari Shakti Resettlement Foundation is doing to the notice of potential donors through our crowdfunding platform.”
“The soldiers who attain martyrdom have only one hope in their hearts…that after they are gone, the citizens will protect and care for their families in the same manner. Soldiers receive training on how to attain martyrdom. But his wife in the village has had no such training on how to become a veer naari. Her whole life changes,” says Mr. Prashant Tewari, President of VeerNari Shakti Resettlement Foundation.
Fundraiser link: fundraisers.giveindia.org/fundraisers/help-prashant-support-widows-of-indian-soldiers-to-earn-for-their-families
About GiveIndia
GiveIndia is India’s most trusted giving platform. It exists to alleviate poverty by enabling the world to give. It’s a suite of products & solutions enables all givers – individuals and organisations – to donate conveniently to any cause directly on the platform, at their workplace, or through one of GiveIndia’s partners. Its community of 1.5M+ donors and 150+ partners have supported 1,800+ verified nonprofits, impacting 10M+ lives across India.
About VeerNari Shakti Resettlement Foundation
VeerNari Shakti Resettlement Foundation, is a government-registered and renowned nonprofit, focusing on and supporting the resettlement of war/martyr widows (VeerNaris), including dependants of war-disabled and battle/peace casualties soldiers. It is the only NGO working exclusively with the Indian Armed Forces and paramilitary forces across India and Nepal to support martyr widows and dependants to have dignified livelihoods as per their interests, attitude, and skills.
