This Army Veteran Is Empowering Orphan, Abandoned And Vulnerable Young Girls And Giving Them A Bright Future, Support Him.

“These children are no different from my own daughter. I want to give them the very best and ensure that they get the future they deserve. We have girls staying with us who were found abandoned and begging on the roads just 9-10 months back. Today, they are living a completely different life. They dream of becoming Army officers and one a doctor. This is the change we want to bring about through our organization, Ghar, in Pune,” - Colonel Mickie Uberoi (Retd), President.

“Ghar is about making our girls successful, compassionate and conscientious human beings who care.”

Ghar is an initiative under the aegis of Sant Ishwar Foundation, a project conceived by Army veterans to empower and uplift the marginalised sections of society – orphans, abandoned and marginalised girls and challenged women, in Pune.

Ghar’s residents would remind one of children, parents and grandparents residing in a home. The ground plus six storied building can accommodate 40 girls, 10 women with locomotive disabilities and 19 senior citizens. Currently, they have 27 orphaned, abandoned and marginalised girls staying with them. 

Even when he was a cadet in the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla, Colonel Uberoi knew that he wanted to do something for those who have no one to support them. In 2007, he took early retirement from the Army and started focusing on uplifting the underprivileged.

Colonel Uberoi is a passionate soul - he served the country with all his heart with bullets and guns and now with the same passion he dreams of making a better world for the poor and helpless. He hasn’t compromised on the facilities and amenities for the children. The girls here go to reputed English-medium schools in Pune, they have tuition teachers to help them with their studies, they are given healthy nutrition and provided good healthcare and also participate in sports, music, and various extracurricular activities. 

“Ghar is about holding the hands of our girls and helping them climb up the tallest mountains and them doing so likewise for others in times to come.”

Colonel Uberoi has a clear vision - he wants every girl in Ghar to become agents of social change. He wants to support them in a manner which he envisages will make them reach out to others in need and encourage them to become the support system for the helpless. He encourages them to dream big and to reach for the stars. The only difference between a slum kid and that of a child born with a privileged background is the lack of opportunities, he believes. 

“Ghar is about giving our girls purposeful, meaningful and fulfilling lives and them learning how to use that to make an impact and a difference in the lives of others.”

About the NGO: Founded by a group of passionate Army veterans in Pune, Ghar is an initiative of Sant Ishwar Foundation. It aims to empower and uplift the marginalised sections of society – orphan, abandoned and marginalised girls and challenged women. Ghar was created with a vision to stitch together three generations as one large family comprising of daughters, mothers and grandparents residing under one roof with the attendant feelings of togetherness, belongingness and love and affection. Colonel Mickie Uberoi and his team are working very hard to give underprivileged sections of society a better life.