Case Story: Puja Pawar || 8 years || Nagsar, Nandurbar

At Karuna evam Shanti Vahini Foundation (KeSVF), our recent partnership with Jeevan Vidya, a Nandurbar-based NGO, is built on a shared vision of community empowerment. Jeevan Vidya has long worked to strengthen women and young girls through education and skill-building, and together we are extending this commitment to health and care. One of our first joint initiatives is identifying chronically ill patients in intervention villages like Pavle, ensuring that support reaches them directly at home.

During one such visit, our team met 8-year-old Puja, a young girl living with cerebral palsy. With her parents mostly away for farm labour and sugarcane cutting in other tehsils, her grandmother has become her primary caregiver, offering daily care despite limited means and support.

To address Puja’s needs more directly, an intervention was planned with Jeevan Vidya, beginning with a primary assessment at Chinchpada Christian Hospital (CCH). KeSVF nurse Rahul, along with Sister Jacqueline, director of Jeevan Vidya, and her team member Pramila, accompanied Puja and her grandmother for the visit.

The physiotherapist explained that children with cerebral palsy often struggle with muscle stiffness, posture, and mobility. After a detailed assessment, he taught simple exercises to improve Puja’s flexibility and strength, and recommended ankle braces and gaiters to support her walking and posture

Since weekly sessions with the physiotherapist were not possible due to the long distance, KeSVF nurse Rahul ensured that Puja’s grandmother learned the exercises correctly. As seen in the video Puja’s cheerful energy shines through each exercise, her grandmother’s proud gaze never leaving her side. When her parents returned from seasonal farm work, they too were pleasantly surprised to see her engaged and enthusiastic in her practice.

The teams are now helping Puja secure her disability certificate and supportive braces, with a hope that she will soon take confident steps toward a fuller life.