We are striving to educate the disadvantaged students of Gujarat and uplift the socio-economic status of their impoverished families. Sometimes we provide shelter and jobs for the displaced mothers of our sponsored students. We are dedicated to helping the families of our sponsored students who are living ultra-poor life.
“There are those…, who enter the world in such poverty that they are deprived of both the means and the motivation to improve their lot. Unless these unfortunates can be touched with the spark which ignites the spirit of individual enterprise and determination, they will only sink back into renewed apathy, degradation and despair. It is us, who are more fortunate, to provide that spark.”
In 2005, Razia Nathani Suleman embarked on a journey to ignite the spark amongst Gujarat’s most vulnerable. The mission and vision of the program are mainly to supplement the work of the local institutions in Gujarat, India, in assisting and uplifting the marginalized Ismaili Community of Gujarat.
The journey began in Porbander, a coastal town in Gujrat, from where many families had previously sailed to Africa to build a new life, including her own. In coming back to Porbander, Razia felt a natural affinity to the people there.
The program is funded by annual education sponsorships and one-time donations from generous donors, mainly from Canada and the USA.
96% of the funds are directly deployed in the root causes to better the beneficiaries’ quality of life.
Razia was soon joined by dedicated volunteers in Canada (Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto), and the USA.
To help and oversee that every penny of the funds has been appropriately deployed, every year since 2005, Razia and her team have visited India for a month at their own expense.
In 2021, Razia Nathani Suleman and her dedicated volunteers took the Gujarat Journey into a new paradigm by merging and taking over Shukhar Foundation. Azim Sarangi liked the principles and the path that Gujarat Journey was on and decided to retire and gift the foundation to Gujarat Journey.
The program’s current enrollment is approximately 150 students and 40 low-income welfare families.
We would be amiss if we did not mention that generous well-wishers and supporters like you fuel this program.
Thank you!
We begin Our Journey in Ahmedabad and drive along all these towns such as Sidhpur, Porbandar, Bhavnagar, Mahuva, Rajkot, and as far into the Kutch Bhuj area.
The Student Sponsorship Program is enabling poor children in Gujarat to receive basic schooling up to grade 12 with an aim to provide opportunities for higher education to the bright candidates who excel in their studies.
Our work in Gujarat has brought us face to face with individuals and families who are in desperate need of help to deal with mental illness. Many families have come forward to seek help in spite of the fact that society still looks down at those battling such heart wrenching conditions.
Razia finding out how the elderly mother spent some of her welfare funds for feeding her only remaining son.
