Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 1 (ANI): Every child deserves a loving home, and every elderly person deserves care and companionship.
Keeping this in mind, Nita Ambani, Founder and Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, has announced a new initiative, Nita Mukesh Ambani Anant Ashray, to provide a permanent home for orphaned children, senior citizens and persons with disabilities.
Nita Ambani on Sunday performed the Bhumi Pujan and laid the foundation stone for the proposed project in Karjat, near Mumbai. Spread across around 100 acres, the initiative aims to provide residents with a safe environment, healthcare, education and opportunities to lead an independent and meaningful life.
Speaking about the thought behind the initiative, Nita Ambani said that a mother’s happiness lies in seeing her children safe and healthy. She added that every child deserves the same love and security, even if they do not have parents.
“I am a mother, and I know that for a mother, the greatest happiness is to see her children happy, safe, and in good health. Every child deserves that love and security, even when they have no parent beside them. Anant Ashray is our humble effort towards answering those questions, and towards creating a family for those who have lost theirs, or have never known the comfort of one.”
She further explained that the proposed home would offer children a chance to study and follow their dreams, while senior citizens would have access to care, respect and companionship.
“It will be a place where children will receive an education, grow up feeling safe and loved, and have opportunities to follow their dreams; a place where elderly people will have respect, companionship, and the reassurance that their needs and wishes will be lovingly taken care of. This home will be surrounded by nature, flora, and fauna, where compassionate care and medical support come together with the warmth of family life. There will also be a hospital and a rehabilitation centre, with doctors, nurses, and therapists providing specialist care.”
The proposed township will have eight residential villages, each named after a sacred river of India. Residents will live in small homes with dedicated caregivers and house parents. They will also have individual care plans based on their health, education and personal needs.
The project will bring several facilities under one roof, including a specialised hospital, rehabilitation centres, inclusive schools, sports facilities, gardens and vocational training spaces. It will also have a bakery, café, craft studios, an animal companionship farm and a hospice wing.
The initiative will also extend support to people living with conditions such as autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and other developmental disabilities who need regular medical care and support.
Apart from serving its residents, the proposed centre will also work with nearby villages. Around 1,000 people from the region are expected to benefit from therapy, education and employment opportunities, while others will have access to community healthcare and outreach programmes.
The project will be developed in different phases, subject to the required approvals. It is envisioned as a not-for-profit institution where people of different age groups and needs can live with dignity, care and a sense of belonging. (ANI)
Nita Ambani announces Anant Ashray, says "every child deserves love and security"
