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Himachal Pradesh : Siudhamta Foundation India, a youth-driven NGO led by college students, displayed exceptional courage and compassion during their recent visit to Manali. What initially started as an awareness program with villagers took an unforeseen turn when the team found themselves caught in a flood. Undeterred, they chose to stay and assist in disaster relief efforts.

The dedicated team, comprising Vivek Sonwani, Akul Singh, Vanshika Meena, Manish Singh, and Debalina Bhattacharjee, all students of Delhi University, embarked on a remarkable journey. They overcame numerous challenges, including roadblocks and water obstacles, to provide much-needed relief to the affected communities.

“We had one of the most adventurous experiences of our lives,” shared Vivek Sonwani. Akul added, “Serving the people brings a sense of fulfillment,” while Debalina reflected, “Working in villages, coming from a city background, taught us the resilience of hill life.”

The team distributed essential relief materials such as dry food, water, medicines, 5000 sanitary napkins, bread, fruits, and medicines across 16 villages in the Kullu Manali district. Prior to their relief efforts, they also conducted self-defense training for women and children in these villages, led by Manish Singh.

Arumita Mitra, a renowned social activist and the founder of Sudhamta Foundation India, emphasized the importance of holistic disaster relief. She stated, “We believe that forced development in hilly areas can harm the environment. In our disaster relief, we include sanitary napkins as an essential product. We have impacted over 7,000 lives with our efforts.”

Notably, Sudhamta Foundation India has filed a petition in the Delhi High Court to revoke the 18% GST on sanitary napkins, aiming to make them more affordable and accessible to rural women. This initiative reflects the organization’s commitment to addressing critical issues and creating positive change in society.