Sarita Chhawchharia is a past President of Inner Wheel Club of Calcutta Mahanagar, and she has been coming to Dakshini Prayash for over 20 years. Her club used to come for “eye and general health check-ups” and give the children medicine if needed. It is now a “ritual” for her and her colleagues to come to the school on Independence Day, to run the flag hoisting ceremony and to “give goodie bags for the children to enjoy”. During the COVID-19 pandemic, however, this annual visit was unable to take place, and they have just managed to resume it.

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When Sarita became a member of the club in 2005, she began visiting Dakshini Prayash regularly. For Sarita, her favourite part about Dakshini Prayash is that “they are not only very friendly to the children but also help the parents”. She is incredibly grateful for the self-reliance programme that allows parents to become financially independent, as well as give their children a good education. “I was born and brought up in Bengal, so I love speaking Bengali with the wonderful children here,” she added. She believes in paying it forward, especially with knowledge, so that families can support each other and flourish.

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