Maitri India, founded in 2005 by Winnie Singh and General Bhopinder Singh (Retd), is an NGO dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating abandoned widows in Vrindavan, India. Singh is a dedicated social worker with over two decades of experience in public healthcare, having worked at both the national and grassroots levels, focusing on health, elderly care, and gender equity. Facing abandonment by their families due to societal and financial pressures, these women often end up in Vrindavan, seeking solace but instead find themselves in impoverished conditions.
Since 2010, Maitri’s Project Jeevan has been providing shelter, nutrition, healthcare, and emotional support to widows, ensuring they regain their dignity and respect. Maitri also facilitates access to citizenship rights and raises awareness about the stigma these women face. The organisation relies on donations to sustain its efforts, offering a lifeline to vulnerable women and advocating for their rights.
The Abandonment Crisis
Many elderly widows in India face abandonment by their families, often due to societal emphasis on financial priorities. These women end up in Vrindavan, a city known as the “city of widows,” hoping for a life of prayer but often finding themselves in impoverished conditions, begging for survival. Vrindavan is home to approximately 15,000 to 20,000 widows, many of whom have migrated from nearby towns and distant regions after being abandoned.
Project Jeevan: A Lifeline
In response to this humanitarian crisis, Maitri launched Project Jeevan. Jeevan symbolises life with dignity, aiming to provide identity, respect, and dignity for ageing, homeless, abandoned, and destitute widows. Maitri India’s old age home offers a safe, hygienic, and comfortable home for elderly widows.
Key Objectives of Project Jeevan:
- Nutrition and Well-being: Providing nutritious meals to improve the health and overall well-being of abandoned widows.
- Health Services Accessibility: Ensuring access to physical and mental health services to address various health issues arising from poor living conditions.
- Aged Care and Assisted Living: Offering quality aged care and assisted living support to ensure that these vulnerable women can live with dignity and receive the care they need.
- Awareness and Engagement: Increasing awareness about the struggles faced by abandoned widows and engaging the community in addressing these challenges.
Services Provided by Maitri
Maitri provides comprehensive support to the widows, addressing their various needs:
- Shelter: Maitri runs an old age home that offers a safe, hygienic, and comfortable home for elderly widows in Vrindavan.
- Nutrition: Providing daily meals and nutritional supplements through the Maitri Nutrition Programme.
- Healthcare: Conducting health checkups and specialised checks, including facilitating surgeries and treatment.
- Citizenship Rights: Helping women obtain identification cards, and other government certificates to access state government benefits such as widows’ pensions.
- Emotional Support: Creating a supportive community where women can form bonds and overcome the pain of abandonment together.
Maitri’s Impact
Maitri’s efforts have significantly impacted the lives of abandoned widows in Vrindavan:
- Restoring Dignity: Providing a life of dignity and respect to women who were once forced to beg on the streets.
- Improving Health: Addressing health issues and providing medical assistance to improve the physical and mental well-being of the widows.
- Empowerment: Helping widows gain socio-economic independence by facilitating access to citizenship rights and opportunities for vocational training.
- Community Building: Creating a sense of belonging and community among the women, enabling them to support each other and find joy in their lives.
The Stigma of Widowhood
Maitri also addresses the stigma against widows through awareness campaigns, educating people on the struggles faced by widows in India and the steps to ease their suffering. They work to end the taboos that force widows to live in seclusion and perpetual grief.
How to Support Maitri
Maitri relies on donations to continue its mission of rescuing and supporting abandoned widows. Contributions help provide nutritious food, clothing, healthcare, and other essential services. Winnie Singh encourages individuals to become the family these widows were denied, offering them a chance to live with dignity and without the need to beg for survival. Singh also had the initiative featured on Satyamev Jayate, a TV show hosted by Aamir Khan.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The abandonment of elderly widows is a deeply troubling reflection of societal values that often prioritise economic gains over human dignity. Maitri India’s work in Vrindavan is not just about providing food and shelter; it’s about restoring the fundamental rights and respect that these women deserve.
The Logical Indian applauds Maitri’s compassionate approach and unwavering commitment to fostering kindness, empathy, and social change. By challenging harmful stigmas and empowering vulnerable women, Maitri is paving the way for a more harmonious and inclusive society. How can we, as a community, better support initiatives like Maitri and promote a culture of care and respect for our elders?
