As with all Charities, there are some good, some not so good. Some are not what they appear, some have very large overheads, the Charities below can be recommended as well run. If you have heard of other charities, ask your taxi driver he is a good source of up to date information. see footnote
There are hundreds of children living on the streets in Goa alone for a number of different reasons. Some are orphans, others runaways that are trying to escape the horrors that surround their daily lives. A large number of the children on the streets originate from other regions of India but make the long journey to Goa by train, sweeping the carriages, trying to earn money as they go. The children want to get to Goa because they believe the tourists will provide them with everything they need, but this is not true. Street children can often be found roaming the streets begging for money or sleeping under bridges and in bus stations at night. They are frequently in trouble with the locals who don't want them around because they have a bad effect on business. Some of the children try to earn money by rag or bottle picking, or selling plastic bags in the fish markets, working up to 13 hours a day, but ending up with only a few rupees in their pocket. Whole families also come and build small homes from bamboo, plastic and cardboard and make small communities creating pockets of slums in any spare area they find. These child also are at great risk from malnutrition, abuse and illness.Some children start begging on the streets as soon as they are old enough to walk. Their looks bring in a small amount of money, but as they get older they find it more difficult to beg as they lose their charm and are more likely to be classed as a threat by tourists rather than a child in need. The children band together for protection in small groups but are very independent and territorial and are often found fighting over a few rupees or sweets.We felt that the best way we could help would be by starting a charity to provide shelter and food for these children. Allowing us to give the children something they may not have had before, a chance of a childhood worth remembering (text extracted from CWT website)
Shilpa Shetti supporting "Children Walking Tall"
Prior to your visit to Goa , click on the following link to get some idea of the items that the charity needs Charity-What to take
’Animal Tracks’ is the name of our rescue facility in Goa.
It is located in the North of Goa near the town of Mapusa. We employ six vets under the leadership of our Veterinary Director Astrid Almeida. We started work in Goa in 1998 in a small bungalow, operating on the kitchen table. We had volunteer vets from the UK, Holland, Spain and Germany. Animal Tracks is now a fully functional veterinary clinic with a properly built kennel block housing 90 dogs and a purpose built cattery for 50 cats. The clinic has expanded to deal with wildlife and the numerous pigs, goats, cows and water buffalo that suffer from all sorts of ailments as well as coming into contact with cars on the busy roads. (Text from IAR Website)
Prior to your holiday why not visit your local Vet and see if they have any "Near Date" dressings or similar items to take to Goa, ask them to give you a letter so that customs can see that they are for charity use.
Why? Shelter Box, Well Goa is not that far from the area hit by theTsunami, Goa could be next, think how you would have felt if it had hit Goa. Shelterbox are always ready to move aid to disaster areas, help to raise the cost of a Box and see your donations in use.
Shelterbox would make a good charity to be sponsored by your local Pub / Darts / Skittles/ Social club / works canteen
if your require information on charities operating in GOA the following link Charity Link
may be a good starting place this organisation operates as a clearing house for donations, one nice thing is that their operating costs, annual reports, are available on this site for all to see.
We save all our loose change over a period prior to our next GOA visit, its amazing how all your loose coppers adds up, use this money when in GOA to contact your chosen charity, ask what they require and then purchase it in GOA and deliver it....We usually end up with about £80...this buys a lot of dry goods (groceries) for the monsoon. etc
