Yorkshire physio Manasi Marathe returns to India to visit her sponsored child
A Yorkshire physiotherapist who wanted to “make a difference” in her home country of India has been to visit the girl she sponsors there through global children’s charity Plan UK.
Manasi Marathe who was born and brought up in India, visited 14-year-old Anjali at her home in Delhi.
The 28-year-old, who lives in Barnsley, was inspired to sponsor a girl because she is passionate about education – something that many girls are denied in the country.
“I chose a girl from India to sponsor as I am aware that girls’ education in India needs help and also because I think I owe it back to my birth place,” says Manasi, who visited with her father Shrikant, a banker based in Delhi.
“We are a very close family and we come from a very humble background. I was lucky to have been well educated but not every girl is that fortunate.
“When I planned my yearly trip to India this year, I decided that I would want to meet Anjali too.
“It was a brilliant experience. She was a smart and beautiful young girl and such a joy to meet,” adds Manasi, who works at a hospital in Doncaster.
Money donated to Plan through sponsorship benefits whole families and communities, rather than individual children.
A donation of £15-a-month helps provide clean water, healthcare and education in communities across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Sponsors receive regular updates and photographs from their sponsored child and keep in touch by writing letters back.
Plan UK has 90,000 sponsors in the UK, generating £24 million a year, and supporting one million children worldwide.
Manasi says: “I was happy to spare some money out from my income as I knew that it was going to a good cause.
“I have had regular correspondence with Anjali which keeps the personal touch alive and keep me reassured that, through Plan, I am able to make a difference. I would encourage more people to go forward and be a sponsor. It is not a big sum of money and can be easily saved up every month.
“My friend also now sponsors a girl with Plan and if I ever get a pay rise, I would love to sponsor another one,” says Manasi.
Manasi and her father also visited a weaving centre for disabled adults set up by Plan, which she said was one of the highlights of her trip.
“Plan in doing a fantastic job in improving the general living and healthcare in the community and I was left inspired and awestruck,” she adds.
For more information on sponsoring a child with Plan call 0300 777 9777 or visit www.plan-uk.org