By Chandran Iyer
David Sarnoff, American Businessman once said “Work and live to serve others, leave the world a little better than you found it.” This is exactly what Ashok Deshmane, Founder of Snehwan is doing.
At the age of 26, Ashok Deshmane left a high-paying IT job to serve the social cause of sheltering children of underprivileged farmers and Children from Maharashtra who became orphans when their parents committed suicide due to debts. He started a social project near Pune where the children have access to healthy food and quality education. What began with 18 children in 2015 is now a home for 180.
In the early days, Deshmane tried working night shifts in his job. However, in nine months, he realized that it wasn’t possible for him to give his wholehearted attention to the children. He quit his job and embarked on this journey of goodwill. With the vow to support him and his cause, his young wife Archana joined him in this voyage. Serving a mother’s role in the children’s lives, she ensures that everyone is well fed, taught, and cared for. Today, Ashok (32) and Archana (25) are dedicated are parenting over 180 children at Snehvan– a home where everyone stays together and eats together under one roof. Ashok’s parents have also joined the couple on the journey
Snehwan is situated in Koyali Tarfe , Chakan in Khed district of Pune. The couple’s efforts got a big boost as two good well to do Samaritans, Dr. Ravindra and Dr. Smita Kulkarni recognized Ashok’s passion for the noble cause and donated 2 acres of land to Snehwan.
Ashok says “Our aim is to create a nurturing and inclusive learning environment for the less fortunate children of farmers and poor families. Snehwan is a movement for those children who are deprived of learning due to adverse situations and surroundings. We believe education is a gift of life; it is the only way to improve the life of underprivileged children, forever”.
He said “Along with quality education and schooling, we guide and prepare these children for competitive exams. We ensure they trot on right path, know their rights and responsibilities, seek opportunities, fight injustice and also, develop leadership qualities.
The reason why he opted to leave his well paying job in a prominent IT company was because he has seen farmers suicide from close quarters. Hailing from the family of farmers, Ashok who was born in Parbhani district of Marathwada could empathise with the woes of the farmers.
“My entire childhood was tough due to drought . With great difficulties my parents managed to give me the education. But each time I visited my villages, I used to be pained by the plight of the farmers. I had seen farmers committing suicide because of debts and I had seen the pall of gloom that had descended on their family . Their kids were at a risk of being exposed to many threats and dangers like child labour, child trafficking, sexual abuse and physical and mental abuse. I then decided that someday I will do something to uplift the children”, added Ashok.
When he was in college, Ashok was influenced by the thoughts of legends like Swami Vivekananda, Baba Amte , Savitribai Phule and others. He used to read the books on these legends in the libraries and used to wonder what he could do for the society at large.
After completing his engineering degree he started working as software engineer in a reputed IT company. However the problems of the farmers in his village was constantly niggling him. So he started donating ten per cent of his monthly income to help the farmers.
Then in 2015 something happened which shook him from the core. One farmer from his village committed suicide. Ashok who was just 25 years old decided to do something for the family of the farmers. He started an NGO called Snehwan.
Through this NGO, he started adopting children of the farmers who had committed suicide or were unable to take care of them because of dire poverty and debts. Most of them hailed from Marathwada region of Maharashtra.
But the stress of working in the night shift in the IT company and then focusing on Snehwan in the day time started taking its toll on his health. “I realized that it was not possible for me to balance both . Since my priority was to look after the underprivileged farmers children, I decided to quit the IT job”, Ashok said.
Initially his parents were reluctant. It was difficult for them to digest the fact that their son who has done his engineering and was working in an IT company was thinking of leaving the job to take care of farmers children. But seeing his passion, persistence and commitment, they agreed.
A year later they asked him to marry and settle down. They showed him a young girl Archana. Ashok liked the girl, but made it clear to her that life will not be easy as he has plans to look after the children of drought hit farmers. Only if she agrees to be the “mother” for all the destitute children of Snehwan, he would like to go ahead. Archana happily agreed.
“We are staying as a family here. Archana Prepares food for all kids and I manage everything else. Children here are from 20 villages of different districts of Marathwada including Parbhani, Beed, Jalna and Washim Dist. We selected children from different villages because we thought , in future they will go and work for their villages ”, he said.
FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO LEND A HELPING HAND
Contribute in Indian Currency to the account below
Bank Details
Account Name – Snehwan
Account Type – Current
Branch Name – Pimpri Town
MICR – 411002019
Swift Code – SBININBB200
Bank Name – State Bank Of India
Account Number- 35517151681
Branch Code – 05923
PAN No.- AAQTS5600L
IFSC Code – SBIN0005923 (5th character is zero)
The Trust runs on Donations and Donations to this Trust are eligible for benefits U/S 80G of Income tax Act, 1961.
Cheques should be made out in the name of Snehwan.
Donors transferring amounts by NEFT/RTGS directly to the account may please mail to snehwan@yahoo.in or sms to 8796400484 details of name and address to enable the trust to send them official receipt.