Deed :

Santosh accommodates orphaned children in his Aai Foundation's home for children, Balgram in Gevrai, Beed district, Maharashtra. He started this organisation 12 years ago with only one child in a small rented tin shed room and now grown to accommodate 45 children in his owned premises. He started this out of necessity to help a family member and now manages it full time with his wife and 7 staff. The children age from 3 yrs to 16 yrs and a few who are 18 yrs old. Most of the children he has housed are a result of farmer suicide cases. Believe it or not, he sends all the kids to school in a van and in an ambulance as the road stretch from Balgram to the school is 3 kms is practically non existent. He says the capacity is about 75 but due to restrictions put by a certain rule he is sticking to 45. He is awaiting approval for the increase. A twelfth pass, he has no source of income but the way he has organised the home - it is really commendable. He manages the expenses through donations in kind and cash received from good Samaritans in and around the village. But due to the drought in and around that area it is becoming difficult. Anybody willing to help him further will be a boon to provide basic facilities to the children. When I met him yesterday at Balgram, I said to myself "there is a lot to give even if you have very little". Truly an Unsung Hero.