Suzaane Christian, Faith Foundation,Baroda

Under privileged children, women and HIV patients are among the three segments of Indian society that always seem to get the short end of the stick.However one institution has excelled when it comes to taking care of all the three. Faith Foundation has always been there to help them out. Started four years back in Baroda the NGO is continuously working for the welfare of society and the needy ones.

Suzaane Christian who heads the Faith Foundation in Baroda started the organization with an aim to help the under privileged children and single women in Baroda who need support to start their lives.

Suzaane has done her Masters in Social work and hails from a family who has always been proactive in helping those less fortunate than them. They are the foundation and backbone of the NGO.

Suzaane after completing her education engaged herself in social activities. After informally continuing her work for a couple of years she finally decided to start Faith Foundation after being motivated by the Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh.

Suzaane says “We started a student’s movement for anti tobacco addiction and HIV/ AIDS in Baroda and after we met Dr. Manmohan Singh and with the help of his motivation we started the NGO in Baroda,”.

Suzaane states that Faith Foundation is mainly focused on the needs of under privileged children and women who need support to start their lives in a new way. Faith foundation gives monetary as well as mental support to the needy ones and helps them in every way.

Faith foundation helps the children in their education and plans to open a school for them in the near future. Similarly for women (mostly single women) the foundation helps them to be independent in life. In the near future Faith foundation plans to start a self help group for them in Baroda.

Other than this Faith Foundation works for the HIV/ AIDS afflicted people in the city. They have organized various fund raising programmes in association with FM radio stations concentrating on AIDS stricken children. For the last two years Faith Foundation has organized a fund raising programme ‘Zindagi Mubarak’ with an aim to collect as much funding and donations for them.

The foundation also conducts anti tobacco campaigns in the city. They offer regular counseling in schools and campaigns all around the city. The foundation achieved some success in the past by enforcing a ban on hookah parlors and has also conducted a joint anti tobacco campaign with the police and the local government.

Even with no help or support from the government Faith Foundation is still working tirelessly towards its goals.

Suzaane was awarded the ‘Best Youth Award in the year 2005-06’ by the Ministry of Youth Affairs focused on expanding the NGOs activities to other cities in Gujarat. Presently Faith Foundation is running their centers in Surat, Mehsana, Anand and are planning to open 18 more centers in Gujarat by the end of 2010.

YourStory wishes Suzaane and Faith Foundation many years of service. We hope to see their work spread all across India benefitting the down trodden.