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NGO to help 1200 physically challenged kids in Gujarat
A New York NGO has launched a project to help handicapped children in Gujarat, reports Kiran Bharthapudi.
A non-profit organisation in downtown New York has launched a massive project to help handicapped Indian children in Gujarat. A Leg to Stand on or ALTSO has already provided prosthetic legs and arms to nearly 150 children in Gujarat, most of them from poor families.
The NGO plans to treat more than 1200 physically challenged children a year in India. "Our mission is to help transform the lives of children with limb disabilities by offering them the physical capabilities and self-esteem required to access education, work and other community opportunities" says Mead Wells, founder of ALTSO.
"The positive impact that prosthesis can provide is instantaneous and dramatic, the greatest reward is to see the smiles on the faces of this children" adds Wells, who has traveled to rural Gujarat twice in last two years, to witness the impact of his organization on the lives of these under-privileged kids. ALTSO currently works in several villages in Gujarat, in partnership with local agencies and other local resources.
While several self proclaimed "not-for-profits" lurk in the open, ALTSO surfaces as an acknowledged organization providing prosthesis to poorest of the poor in rural India. Among those who endorse credibility to ALTSO is Dr. Dinesh Patel. Dr. Patel was awarded Gujarat Garima Award in January 2004 by then Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, for pioneering work at ALTSO, apart from notable accomplishments in the field of orthopedics. Dr. Patel was instrumental in driving ALTSO projects to rural Gujarat.
Another Indian American doctor supporting ALTSO is Dr. Sukirthi Bhargav, from Americare. "ALTSO is an association composed of highly qualified professionals and doctors, who came together with a mission to level the playing field for disabled children in countries like India. It is trustworthy, transparent and true to its intentions," says 31-year-old Dr.
Bhargav, who began supporting the organization, impressed by ALTSO's grassroots' level work in India. ALTSO activities were also featured in The New York Times and the Seventeen magazine. Further, the organization plans to bring on of its treated children to take part in the upcoming New York City Marathon.
