Reaching out to the mentally challenged
The Rotary Club of Poona Midtown, D 3131, donated a bus, an 8-seater van, an automatic paper plate and bowl-making machine, computers and accessories, paper shredder machine, cupboards, closed-circuit TV and accessories, audio and video equipment, yoga mats and gardening equipment to Dilasa Kendra and Dilasa Karyashala, the two institutions run for the mentally challenged by Pune Sevasadan Society. DG Subodh Joshi, appreciating the club’s endeavour, said that it was an extremely valuable donation to a deserving institution.
The donations, valued at $41,000, were effected through a Global Grant with RC Taipei Fu-Jung, D 3480, Taiwan, DDFs of D 3131 and 3480, and The Rotary Foundation.
The equipment will be a good source of income generation for the institutions.
Dilasa Kendra, established in 1982, provides basic education to children up to 18 years of age and trains them to be self-reliant in day-to-day activities, apart from teaching them computer operations, art and craft, and sports. Dilasa Karyashala, functioning since 1990, provides vocational training to adults and teaches them gardening, craft work, etc. Presently there are 75 children and 125 adults in the two units.
Club President Subodh Gulavani said that the paper bowl and plate-making machine and the shredders will be a good source of income generation for the institutions. While the adults were able to churn out just 200 paper bowls a day through the manually operated machines, they will now be able to make 10,000 bowls through the automatic machines, bringing in more income. Similarly the paper shredders will enhance the institution’s income by selling the shredded paper to industries for packaging.
