Institute for Philanthropy and Humanitarian Development

For the past two years our girls education program has been on hold. After Coronavirus we are now rebuilding our education program for girls of Bhikamkore village. We have announced 7 lahk budget (around £7000) which we will be fundraising for over the next few months to build a library and skills development room for young girls. Saheli women will be running art and skills development class for all the girls in the Bhikamkor village school.

The IPHD team had so much fun celebrating Diwali in Bhikamor today at the Saheli Community Center. ✨❤️ The celebrations included many bright colored saris, 30 kg of sweets and lots of love. Wishing everyone a happy & prosperous Diwali season! @ Bhikamkor, Rajasthan, India

Today, on what would have been Mahatma Gandhi’s 148th birthday, we would like to take some time to honor and celebrate the iconic Indian civil rights leader. Gandhi was a great believer in the power of the villages and famously said “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” 🌏 We are so proud of the women in Bhikamkor village who uphold this principle of Gandhi’s every day as they work as education advocates, teachers, health outreach workers, librarians, embroiders and stitchers — all looking to change their community for the better. ❤️ @ Bhikamkor, Rajasthan, India

Dr. Shashi, Nurse Pushpa & IPHD Health Program intern Eloni Porcher at work in the Saheli Health Clinic on Saturday 🏥💗🌡 The Saheli Health Clinic is Bhikamkor's only female health clinic, providing necessary reproductive health care for women in the village.

❕UPDATE ❕Our education team left a letter with the Sarpanch (Bhikamkor elected leader) on Thursday, 9/14, urging him to sign birth certificates for 10 girls in our Girls' Education Program who were about to be dropped from the government school because of their lack of Aadhar cards (Indian IDs that someone needs a birth certificate in order to receive). The very next morning, the Sarpanch personally called IPHD founder Madhu to tell her that he would support our mission for girls' education and sign the birth certificates. We were so relieved and overjoyed! Our education advocates Rukiya and Leela quickly got to work getting the girls' birth certificates filled out, bringing them to the Sarpanch to sign and then bringing the girls to get Aadhar cards. Pictured here is Rukiya yesterday helping the last couple girls receive their Aadhar cards. All of our girls will now be officially enrolled and are no longer at risk of getting dropped from the school. IPHD would like to extend a big thanks to the Sarpanch for joining our mission to keep our girls in school! 👭💟

For the past month and a half, the 50 girls who are being sponsored by IPHD have been going to school and working hard. Last week, we learned that 19 of our girls were going to be dropped from school because they did not have Aadhar Cards (Indian ID cards) -- as they were born in the village and never received birth certificates, and the government school teacher could not enroll them without official documents proving their Indian citizenship. Our education advocates Rukiya and Leela have been working tirelessly for the past week to get those 19 girls ID cards, but the process is very complicated. Ten girls still do not have their ID cards, and the government enrollment deadline is quickly approaching next week. Today, Leela, Rukiya, IPHD Director Madhu Vaishnav and our Girls' Education intern Olivia Arnold went to the house of Bhikamkor's Sarpanch (mayor) with our girls to deliver a letter urging him to immediately issue birth certificates for these 10 girls. Unfortunately, we were told that the Sarpanch was not home. We left the letter at his home and will continue to do everything we can to make sure these girls get enrolled.

On Tuesday, India celebrated Teachers' Day. Today, we would like to recognize our amazing teachers in Bhikamkor -- Charul, Sharmili and Neetu-- and our education advocates -- Rukiya and Leela. Thank you to these ladies for their passion for girls' education and commitment to making a positive change in their community. @ Bhikamkor, Rajasthan, India

The most recent harvest from our Community Kitchen Garden -- all grown by the wonderful ladies at the Saheli Community Center. 🌱☀️🥜

Masterji training women in the

Second day of female clinic in the Bhikamkor.

We are proud to announce that IPHD has officially opened its doors for the first female health clinic in Bhikamkor! After months of fundraising for this initiative, IPHD will finally be able to offer the ladies and children of Bhikamkor access to a female physician twice a month for the next year. On our Inauguration Day, we were able to diagnose and treat 40 women, and anticipate our next clinic day to service even more patients! Stay tuned! 💉💊🏥 @ Bhikamkor, Rajasthan, India

Meet one of our bravest girls - Muli. Muli was the first girl our education advocates enrolled in school. When she heard she would have a chance to be educated, she was so excited and couldn't wait for school to begin. A few days ago when IPHD handed out school supplies to our beneficiaries, Muli was absent and didn't receive her things. She came to the advocates homes for multiple days begging to receive her supplies and didn't stop until she got them. We have witnessed a great amount of persistence and dedication in this young girl and we are so impressed with her intelligence and love for learning!! We are excited to support the first stage of education in Muli's path to a successful career.