“God looked at everything he had made, and he was very pleased.” says Bible.
When a long awaited child was born, his parents were very happy. But as he grew up their joy began to fade. The child is a mentally challenged spastic! He became a burden to his parents. They tried to take care of him but could not cope up with the pressure too long. They dumped him at a ‘famous mandir’ and disappeared. Police registered a case and the boy was named ‘billa No. 144’. He is now called ‘Shantharam’ in Asha Bhavan!
Asha Bhavan is home to many such children. The Government of Maharashtra established MDC Home in 1986 to cater to mentally challenged court committed street boys. Up to 2000, 153 boys were admitted to the home. The conditions in the rented building were pathetic to say the least. It was more like a pig hole. Mentally retarded boys many of them epileptic and handicapped, did not have enough space, proper toilets and even running water. Moved by the plight of these unfortunate children, Param Prasad Charitable Society expressed its willingness to take over the home. The Government of Maharashtra entrusted the management of MDC Home to Param Prasad Charitable Society in 2000. Now it has emerged as a model institution caring almost one hundred boys and is the only one of its kind in the entire state.
Param Prasad Charitable Society
Established in 1992 Param Prasad Charitable Society has emerged as one of the strongest organisations in Satara and Solapur Districts of Maharashtra in the fields of education, health care and community development. It has networked with the Governments and Indian Red Cross Society and civil society, running various schools, colleges, technical institutes, orphanages, hospitals and other community development programmes. Its contribution to the needs of the mentally challenged has been remarkable. ‘Asha Bhavan’ at Kodoli, Satara, is one among them that takes care of the mentally challenged children.
