Help rejuvenate Yusuf Meherally Center

*Ketto is not charging any fee on this fundraiser*

About Yusuf Meherally Centre

Yusuf Meherally Centre (YMC) which is located at Tara Village on Mumbai (Panvel) - Goa Road (NH66) has been a vibrant organisation for the past 58 years. The centre sits on a 15-acre lush green campus and is a hub of activities for 20 villages including adivasi padas around it. The Centre engages in doing constructive and nation-building work among all sections of society by undertaking rural development activities, adopting environment friendly and sustainable practices, promoting small-scale industries and traditional livelihoods, engaging in self-sustainable organic farming and use of non-conventional energy, undertaking health and educational activities, organising women and youth self-help groups, generating and promoting employment for local communities in several areas and providing relief and rehabilitation to victims of man-made and natural calamities.

YMC was started by Dr. G.G. Parikh in 1962 in memory of Yusuf Meherally who is known for coining the famous slogan of ‘Quit India’ in 1942 and was also the then elected Mayor of Mumbai (then Bombay). Dr. G.G. Parikh, aged 95, a veteran freedom fighter who underwent imprisonment during the Quit India movement is amongst the last few surviving freedom fighters of India today and a well-known ideologue of socialism. YMC will becelebrating its 60th anniversary (Diamond Jubilee) in 2022. The centre at Tara is one among YMC’s initiatives across 7 states in the country, aimed at reaching out to the most vulnerable and marginalised communities and promoting rural development.

Village industries such as soap making unit, pottery unit, cold press oil extraction unit, carpentry, community farm, dairy, vermicompost unit and bakery in the Tara Sankul (campus) have been the centre of attraction for the 40,000-odd visitors including students who visit the campus annually. The centre also hosts a butterfly garden, flower garden, orchards for fruits and vegetable garden. The centre has also recently constructed a replica of the Bapu Kutir and Kasturba Kutir of Wardha (Sewagram) to provide a glimpse into Gandhiji’s motto of simple living. A museum of the Quit India movement is also being implemented. We have also planned to make the campus, which uses bio-gas energy generated from its bio-gas plant for its basic functioning, completely independent (off the grid line) by generating its own solar power. 

Covid-19 relief activities

YMC has been intensely involved in relief operations following the crises that has hit the most vulnerable communities in low-income settlements across the country due to the Covid-19 pandemic, ensuing lockdown and the compounded impact of natural disasters and flooding in different parts. Under its “Food for the Marginalized” programme which was initiated on 25th March 2020, YMC joined joined the efforts of individual initiatives which had started in Greater Mumbai region at Mumbai, Navi-Mumbai and Panvel, and other parts of Maharashtra, to help families of daily wagers, homeless, construction workers, poor living in slums, widows, transgender and the tribes in the nearby districts. YMC has provided ration kit to 3600 families across Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Panvel and 1600 tribal families in 20 different village of Raigad district with the help of different organisations. On the advocacy by YMC, the DM and Collector Raigad District directed the Tahasildar and District Civil Supplies Officer to immediately complete the formalities to provide ration card to adivasi villagers so that they get the benefits in this time of lock down. YMC also recognized the need to provide medical support to marginalized communities in two districts of Maharashtra - Raigad and Ratnagiri - for 20 villages. In Raigad district specifically, in the vicinity of Tara village where YMC rural centre and hospital is located, YMC is providing free health services to this population mostly the daily-wage labourers who are in need of this service. YMC is also initiating the same from the hospital based in Anjanwel near Chiplun where YMC Doctor and volunteers are providing healthcare services and free medicines to 397 fisherman family covering 3 villages in nearby Chiplun centre.

About the Fundraiser

YMC’s centre at Tara today not only needs revamping of some of its facilities but also addition of new components so that it can be utilised for imparting environment education, generating livelihoods for local and tribal population, to promote village industries, reduce carbon footprint and dependency to non-renewable energy and undertake nation-building work following the footsteps of our beloved Gandhi ji. The centre also suffered massive damage and losses during the floods that affected Raigad district these monsoons, even as it continued relief operations in the neighbouring villages and tribal settlements through support of various organisations. While YMC is capable of taking care of its daily expenses of maintaining the campus through the meagre income it gets through its village industries, it requires support to rebuild and revamp the centre and to fulfil the above vision of bettering its facilities and providing new activities to generate more livelihoods and promote integrity, which is the need of the day in this time of continuing crises. YMC needs your generous support for this major revamping project being planned under the guidance of Mr. Anand Pendharkar (SPROUTS). 

Please donate wholeheartedly and support YMC initiatives to create a better society. Please spread the word and join us in this quest for a sustainable future!

About Mr. Anand Pendharkar & SPROUTS

Anand Pendharkar is an acclaimed Wildlife Biologist, Ecologist, Author and, trekker based in Mumbai and an alumnus of the reputed Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. He is the CEO/ Founder Director of SPROUTS Environment Trust, an NGO working towards environment and wildlife conservation and creating an environmentally involved society.

This initiative is supported by Helping Hands Charitable Trust, an organisation working towards sustainable livelihoods and relief management in disaster hit times.

To Know more about Yusuf Meherally Centre, please visit the website - https://yusufmeherally.org

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