Angel Xpress Foundation
They could turn out to be champs,
if you champion their cause.
Angel Xpress Foundation is registered NGO conceived as a platform to invoke the urge to give back to the society. We operate by way of community involvement towards the betterment of underprivileged children living in slum areas.
Our country has an unequal distribution of wealth and facilities including education. Across Mumbai one sees the coexistence of slums, affluent communities and public areas like parks and promenades where the rich and poor alike from the locality can come together.
Angel Xpress Foundation believes every underprivileged child also deserves an opportunity to find her/his true potential; which can be attained by mentoring from well-educated and fortunate adults from their own vicinity. We promote community involvement to provide an exchange of education, ethics, civic sense, and grooming that affluent and educated folk can provide by way of tutoring, mentoring, donating and redistribution to the poor and illiterate slum dwellers' children in the neighborhood.
Today, our volunteers teach almost 700 children out of our 5 centers operated out of public parks and promenades across Mumbai. Besides English and Math, our classes are liberally peppered with value lessons, art, craft, dance, games and drama to give an all round exposure and grooming to the children.
Besides stay-at-home mothers and a number of active senior citizens, our regular volunteers include youth from schools and colleges, freelance professionals looking for a breath of fresh air and some full time working professionals who take time out from their busy lives every week to give back. A number of donors use our centers to reach out their generosity to deprived children with treats, giveaways, parties, fun trips etc.
In 2013-14 we were able to help another 1700 students within vernacular medium municipal schools through appointed English teachers under our In-school English program. This year too, we will reach out to nearly 2000 children under this program.
How did it all start?
While on a sabbatical from her corporate job, Anubha Sharma decided to volunteer at a street school. She posted a Facebook request for clothes and stationery to which she received a shocking 3000+ responses within a week from willing contributors. Anubha realized that fortunate folk have the desire to give, provided they find a legit platform for the same. Anubha joined hands with Beenaa Advani, (one of the first respondents) to contribute to the cause and thus, AXF was born.
"Our main focus is on the giver. We want to create efficiency in society by utilizing the otherwise redundant resources and desire to give",
says Anubha Sharma
(Founder, Angel Xpress Foundation)
What can you do with AXF/Can you also set up an AXF center?
A volunteer at AXF, Manish Shah said, "A lot of our professional lives are spent trying to solve problems that are pale in comparison to what's been undertaken here. It's a privilege to be a part of this initiative."
All you need is
- A park/promenade with a shade: located close to a slum as well as an affluent neighborhood.
- Volunteers: Just 12 to 15 adults who can spare 2 to 3 hours / week to teach English, Math, Values, Art, Craft, etc.
- Donors: for snack duty, collection of reusable goods (in good condition) sponsoring a child @ Rs 5500 a year, sponsoring excursions, and celebrating special occasions (with treats).
- Or sign up with an existing AXF center if one exists close to your neighborhood.
- Call Anubha/Beenaa at 9930070086/9820244562 or write to info@angelxpress.org
The AXF Influence
AXF often receives children growing up in harsh conditions. The show of affection, care and nurturing along with some laughs and jokes that float around in the midst of all that learning, is almost therapeutic for them.
- Kajal, a once aggressive child, witnesses constant domestic violence. With constant grooming, interactions, counseling and mentoring by her beloved "Shivani Teacher", the class bully has now transformed into a center leader who can single-handedly maintain decorum in 70 children.
- In a little over a year, girls in "Sonali Teacher's" class at Santacruz are expressing a desire to become well-educated professionals, rather than marrying at an early age; with bearing and raising children the only purpose of life.
- Children at the Santacruz center dote on their "Pramod Sir", the once-shy Kiran constantly scared from the beatings at home, looks forward to a few laughs in the class.
For more information on AXF
