The actress built home for Changuna Sarai and her family in Karjat. Prominent women leaders from different fields joined this initiative of building homes for underprivileged women.
India CSR News Network
MUMBAI: Under the campaign ‘WOMEN BUILD India’ initiated by Habitat for Humanity India, international model and Bollywood actress Evelyn Sharma participated in the house building activity, along with other prominent women leaders from different fields. Evelyn volunteered to build home of Changuna Sarai who lives in Sarai Wadi with her family of ten members in Karjat, Maharashtra. WOMEN BUILD India is a part of Habitat’s Impact 50-50 strategy that aims to achieve holistic community development with shelter and sanitation at its core. The objective is to make ‘Housing for All’ and ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ a reality by 2020.
By associating herself with this initiative, Evelyn Sharma aims to spread awareness and raise funds for the cause of decent shelter and improved sanitation for underprivileged women in India.
Supporting the cause by being present and actively taking part in the build activity were Sheila Kripalani, Chairperson – Board of Trustees, Habitat for Humanity India, Amy Sebes – Wife of Thomas Vajda (Consul General of U.S), Tanuja Mullick – Wife of Summit Mullick (Chief Secretary of Maharashtra), Vanessa Ciarlatani – wife of Mr Ugo Ciarlatani (Consul General of Italy) and many other prominent women achievers.
Changuna Sarai and her husband Suresh Sarai are agricultural labourers. With their meagre daily wages, they both try to make ends meet. To add to her difficulties was the lack of private space for her three daughters who are growing up. Exhilarated with the development, Changuna said “My husband, my daughters and myself; we live with our extended family. We are ten members in all and live in this small house. This has affected my daughter’s education as well. The new house is a dream-come-true for our family. We don’t have to worry about a roof over our daughter’s heads. They can focus on their studies and excel in the fields of their choices. I am thankful to Habitat and to all the inspiring women who came here today for giving us a hope and an opportunity to fulfil our dream.”
Evelyn Sharma also met other families in the village and interacted with them. Speaking about the campaign, she said, “Every woman deserves a safe and decent place to live. Every mother needs to know her children have a safe place to call home. I am glad that Changuna will have a decent home. But it is tragic that even today majority of women in India are deprived of basic needs of a decent shelter or a safe sanitation unit. ‘Women Build India with Evelyn’ is my contribution to raise awareness about the need for affordable housing and improved sanitation for the women in need.”
Habitat for Humanity’s WOMEN BUILD India initiative calls upon women leaders and achievers to empower underprivileged women and their families by rallying the cause of decent homes and safe sanitation for all. Our Women Build events provide the opportunity for women to take a proactive step in serving their communities. Women helping women sends a positive and powerful message.
Rajan Samuel, Managing Director, Habitat for Humanity India, said, “Though our neighborhoods are comprised largely of women and children, they are most likely to be affected by poor living conditions. Habitat for Humanity India under its Women Build India initiative is trying to ensure that women in need have decent, safer places to live. I want to thank Evelyn for supporting us in our mission of building a world where everyone has a decent place to live. The responsibility is on each one of us, to do whatever we can, to show that we care.”
