SCHOOL STARTER KIT INITIATIVE

In collaboration with our local partner, Greensole, we distributed a school starter kit to 2,500 children in the Phalgar District this year. All the products included in this starter kit are upcycled and consist of a pair of shoes, a school bag, and a mat.

This year, we will again distribute 2,500 of these kits to underprivileged children together with Greensole.

NUTRITION PROGRAM

The Cuddles Foundation, a Mumbai-based NGO, now has nutritionists working in 42 hospitals across India. Their goal is to provide children with cancer a balanced diet. Using a food health app, they collect data and develop customized programs. Many of the children admitted to the hospitals are malnourished or have previously had a very limited diet. By providing nutritional supplements or even complete meals (depending on the hospital) alongside medical care, their chances of recovery are significantly increased.

TASNA took on its first hospital sponsorship in 2023. We visited the children in the cancer ward at the Balco Medical Center in Rapur in October 2023. In 2024, we partnered with the Malabar Cancer Center in Thalassery, Kerala. Around 600 children were treated as inpatients at this hospital in 2024 and received a balanced diet from the Cuddles Foundation’s nutritionists, thanks to your donations. Johanna and Nina visited this hospital in October 2024.

Cuddles-Q1 Report – TASNA Association

Unfortunately, due to organizational and personal reasons, we were unable to travel in 2025 and therefore could not visit Nair Hospital in Mumbai. As with all our projects, however, we maintained close contact with our partner organization and were assured that the children received the support they needed.

Cuddles-Q2 Report – TASNA Association – July 2025-September 2025

In 2026, we are supporting a hospital in Jaipur and hope to be able to visit the children there this year to spend time with them and get to know them.

WHEELS OF CHANGE INITIATIVE

Cycling to a Better Future: Refurbished Bicycles for Schoolchildren in India

93 bicycles were refurbished and donated to the Anand Laxman Chandavarkar Vidyalay school in Khanivali village, Palghar.

In an inspiring step toward sustainability and social responsibility, a donation of refurbished bicycles gives schoolchildren more than just a means of transportation—it gives them independence, self-confidence, and hope.

Each donated bicycle, once discarded and forgotten, was carefully restored and given a new lease on life. This act of upcycling not only prevents waste from ending up in landfills but also embodies the principles of a circular economy, where resources are valued and their potential is fully realized.

For the children who receive them, these bicycles are more than just a means of transportation—they are wings. Reliable mobility means that students can get to school safely and quickly, overcoming long walks that often consume a lot of energy and time. Easier access to education improves school attendance, increases punctuality, and expands learning opportunities.

Beyond the practical aspects, an emotional transformation takes place. Riding their own bicycle gives children a sense of pride and independence—a tangible sign that they can forge their own path. The freedom to move around strengthens self-confidence, fosters social interaction, and opens up opportunities for extracurricular activities.

INFRASTRUCTURE / CLASSROOMS

In 2023, we further expanded this project and built an additional classroom for the 9th grade. Our goal is also to build a classroom for the 10th grade so that the children and teenagers can complete their schooling there.

INFRASTRUCTURE / TOILET FACILITIES

This project was brought to our attention in March 2019 by a local NGO run by friends in India.

We traveled to India in 2019 to see the school and the children’s needs firsthand. Currently, 250 children attend the Pole School. A local NGO donates lunch to provide families with an additional incentive to send their children to school. The children travel several kilometers along gravel roads to reach school each morning and at lunchtime. Many of the young girls used to stop attending school as soon as they started menstruating because there were no toilets. In 2019, TASNA funded the construction of toilet facilities, which has greatly improved the girls’ ability to attend classes.