Solidarity Dinner with the most disadvantaged children in India

The NGO Seed for Change joins El Vergel to celebrate a Solidarity Dinner, next June 12, with the aim of raising funds to support their campaign “12×100 = Nutrition. If you participate, you multiply”, which aims to alleviate hunger and malnutrition suffered by children in the most disadvantaged communities of Varanasi in India.

The NGO Seed for Change, based in Spain and India, has been working in Varanasi since 2009, with the aim of fighting poverty and promoting equal opportunities. Focusing on the most disadvantaged children, its action plan is based on three sectors: education, nutrition and health. In the midst of its campaign “12×100 = Nutrition. If you participate, you multiply”, Seed for Change joins forces with El Vergel to organize a Solidarity Dinner to raise funds for its nutrition program, through which they help children from families in the Dashashwamedh neighborhood (on the banks of the Ganges River) and from the “slums” that cannot receive adequate food in their homes. All these children, in turn, are enrolled in the NGO’s educational programme.

The nutrition programme started with only 18 beneficiaries in 2010 and currently serves more than 140 children, giving hope to children living in families called “ragpickers”, who for less than 3 euros (250 rupees) work with waste in a state of marginalization and social exploitation. The malnutrition they suffer, due to an insufficient intake of food and of poor quality, implies a worrying delay in their physical and mental development, with serious health problems and severe learning difficulties, to which must be added the lack of hygiene in which they live. In India, the highest percentage of children suffering from malnutrition is found in the state of Uttar Pradesh, to which the city of Varanasi belongs.

Solidarity Dinner

With the “12 x 100” operation, Seed for Change wants to enable smaller children to have a balanced diet; its goal: to get 100 new members to commit to the nutrition program. Since the campaign started, 55 people have already joined. El Vergel is supporting its praiseworthy initiative by hosting a Solidarity Dinner on 12 June. It will offer a menu prepared by our restaurant with options for vegetarians and vegans. Part of the proceeds from the dinner will go towards continuing to support this programme. The evening will be enlivened by a performance by the Ender Bonilla Dance Group.

Table “0”

For those people who want to collaborate with Seed for Change but cannot attend the dinner, the so-called “0” table will be set up with a financial contribution of 10 euros, which can be made through its website.

The truth is that India is the country with the most child workers in the world. A 2001 census indicated that 12.7 million children under 14 years of age were engaged in hazardous occupations. With very little from here we can do much for children who suffer the injustice of being born in a part of the world ravaged by poverty allowed and tolerated by governments. We encourage you to reserve your table (capacity is limited!) to do your bit in the desire and reality of building a better world for the little ones, who are the most disadvantaged and defenseless.

Solidarity Dinner “12×100 = Nutrition. If you participate, you multiply.

Organized by: NGO Seed for Change

Day: Friday 12 June.

Hour: 21:00 h.

Place: El Vergel Vegetarian Restaurant (Paseo de la Florida, 53)

Performance: Ender Bonilla Dance Group

Price: adult menu, 20 ? / children’s menu, 10 ?.

Reservations: madrid@semillaparaelcambio.org

Table “0”: contribution of 10 ? by clicking here.