ROTARY HELP AGE FOUNDATION

Rotary Club of Palampur was chartered in the year 1978 with Rtn Dr Shiv Kumar as its Charter President with ceaseless efforts of the Rotarians Rotary Palampur started many projects to service the community.

The Palampur Rotary Helpage Foundation

The Palampur Rotary Helpage Foundation was registered as a Charitable Society in 1991 and established Home for Senior Citizens – APNA GHAR (1994),

Home for the Children – Bal Ashram (1995) at village Saliana and Rotary Industrial Training Centre – (2007) at Sungal in the premises of Om – Sant Nari Uthan Kender.

With the changing socio-economic scenario of our traditional society, the needs of different groups with varied nature and dimensions have also changed, particularly of the aged. It is not only the destitute who need economic support, the unfortunate children who need love and care through institutionalization today, but a large portion of the aged or so called the senior citizens whether economically better or not also require social support. This unfortunate section of the society needs emotional and psychological security and community support for wholesome existence.

Apna Ghar Home for Senior Citizens

Deeply concerned with situations, the Palampur Rotary accepted the challenge to create infrastructure for the dignified stay of Senior Citizens who had been feeling unwanted in their families and also facilities for the care, stay and education of unfortunate children who had lost their parents. Shri Surinder Kumar Bhardwaj, Founder Senior Vice-Chairman of the society and the main motivator for the Project very generously donated his 1.5 acre of land to the society in village Saliana, 10 km from Palampur With the availability of land for the conceived project, efforts to raise funds were taken up vigorously and the construction of 1st Phase of this Project – Home for Senior Citizens ―APNA GHAR‖ was started. The Govt. H.P. was approached for contribution for this charitable project under ―Vikas Main Jan Sahyog Scheme‖ which was sanctioned by the Govt. Within a span of two years ―APNA GHAR ‖

On the 8th October, 1994, PRIP Rtn. Raja Saboo dedicated the project to the community. This accommodation has been allocated to 20 individuals/couples senior citizens on self supporting basis for rest of their life.

BALASHRAM–HOMEFOR HILDREN
Children are the future of our society, country and the world. Every parent wants to give very best to their children in terms of good health, education and to build their foundation for a successful future. But just think of those children who are deprived of both mother’s love and father’s guidance and abandoned by their families and for them, life becomes a curse and fighting against problems becomes a part of their life right from their childhood. They are like tender flowers who wither before blooming.
It was decided to create facilities for the stay, education and up-keeping of the unfortunate children who have lost their parents.

Sh. Kedar Nath Sood of Joginder Nagar who had lost his promising son – Rama Nand Gopal, an IAS officer, came forward with some funds for the construction of this block. The community was also mobilized who contributed generously and within a short span of one year the accommodation for the stay of 50 children, class rooms, dining hall, kitchen, store and accommodation for the caretaker was created. Thus, Ram Nand Gopal Bal Ashram became functional on November 14, 1995 which was finally dedicated to the community by Late Rtn. Harold Cowie, Operational Eyesight Universal, Calgary Canada.

School For Mentally Challenged Children

The expression ―Mental Retardation‖ does not need any elaboration. It is not just a word, it is painful way of life. Mentally disable persons are considered as a burden not only on the whole family but also on society as a whole. There is no denying the fact that human being is a creation of God and there is no fault of these disables. What do these unfortunate people live for? Should all of them end their lives and free themselves from all sorrows and worries of the life? In fact, this is shameful for the society. Even after facing all these hard and harsh realities, there is a ray of hope in their mind that one day a helping hand will bring them out of this disability and provide them an opportunity to live a respectful life.
Needs of such mentally challenged are becoming an acute social problem in our society day by day. There is a need to be looked after and cared for, lest they should be treated as a burden. As no such facility to care and rehabilitate the unfortunate mentally challenged children was available, the Palampur Rotary Eye Foundation accepted the challenge to establish the school for the children and to make and endeavour to turn their hope into reality. Practical restoration of the children with mentally retardation is thought to be a stepping up stone in the process to enter the arena of their vocational rehabilitation. It is believed that no meaningful rehabilitation is possible until and unless the effect of mental retardation in not minimized.
There are 30 children in the Pt. Anant Ram Sharma School for Mentally Challenged Children which is located at village Saliana. The hostel facilities for these children is available in Thakur Dass Karol Memorial Home – Besera where few children are staying.
This centre is fully equipped with all the necessary machines, we provide a full range of physiotherapy treatments for post surgical problems like stiffness of joints, pains etc. Various diseases like osteo-arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, cervical and lumbar problems, low-back aches, prolapsed intervertebral disc, sprains and strains, soft tissue injuries and neurological cases like Bell’s palsy, hemiplegia, paraplegia etc. with the help of electrotherapy and exercise therapy.

Being Charitable it has been decided that the Centre should function on no profit – no loss basis for the service of the community, or rates are very reasonable. We want that the community should benefit from our services for which the patients had to go earlier to Chandigarh or Delhi.

–SATISH SHARMA VILLAGE LADOH POST PANCHRUKHI TEH PALAMPUR KANGRA H.P

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