It isn’t every day that you see someone unable to do the most basic, daily routine activities and pledge your entire life to make it better for them. While facing challenges in her own life, Shraddha Soparkar knew what it looked like to struggle with a disability and the impact it tends to have on the ones around you.

The Madhuram Charitable Trust was born with Shraddha Soparkar’s passion for helping people in need and empowering them to live new lives. With an aim to financially support differently-abled children and provide them with the much-needed resources for faster treatment, Shraddha made sure to touch as many lives as possible and create a wave of change. 

In  2021 when the pandemic-induced world posed a challenge for everyone across the globe, The Madhuram Charitable Trust launched Stepathon. A program focused on providing free prosthetic legs to the underprivileged section of our society, Stepathon turned Shraddha’s innate desire to let children lead normal lives. The initiative garnered an exceptional response and paved the way for Shraddha and her team to reach the ones in need. 

Burying The Seeds To Make A Change

Shraddha Soparkar was at one of her daughter’s therapies for cerebral palsy when an interaction with a fellow mother changed her life. Looking at the woman struggling to provide for her daily meals and trying to save for her son’s therapy left Shraddha speechless. The incident not only made her financially support the lady for her child’s treatment but proved to be the founding stone at large. 

Soon Shraddha started helping other children in similar circumstances, offering to pay for their therapies. It was when she supported the tenth child that her family suggested taking the initiative to the next level. This was when Madhuram Charitable Trust came into being in 2019.

Being a mother of a differently-abled child, Shraddha was well aware of the challenges faced by such children on a daily basis. While the financial burden in itself poses a hurdle for many, opting for therapies and corrective surgeries added another load. Although essential for faster treatment, these therapies can be extremely expensive and not accessible to families in the marginalised sector. 

This inspired Shraddha to expand the scope of The Madhuram Charitable Trust and forge partnerships with institutions like Hishu Child Development and Intervention Centre to offer surgical and therapeutic support to the children.

The Madhuram Charitable Trust not only  helps children with cerebral palsy but also supports the autistic, mentally unstable and others with some form of mental illness.

​

Taking a Step Ahead with Stepathon

Stepathon was kickstarted in 2021 with an aim to help amputees walk again. The Madhuram Charitable Trust collaborated with a German orthopaedic technology company, Ottobock, to provide children with quality prosthetic legs at no cost. The hydraulic knee joint, lightweight structure and silicon liner— all these features made the prosthetic legs comfortable and easy to carry for children. 

The Madhuram Charitable Trust provided a wide range of extraordinary prosthetic legs, allowing people to participate in a variety of activities with a renewed sense of freedom and independence. These ground-breaking prosthetics helped people to cycle, drive, and bathe, opening up previously unimaginable possibilities.

Impact Created

Roshni, a remarkable young woman, faced the adversity of being born without a left foot, which presented significant challenges in her daily life. Roshni embarked on a difficult journey, relying on her mother, Sajida, for basic tasks such as bathing and using the toilet until a transformative moment arrived as she turned five. The Madhuram Charitable Trust stepped in with incredible generosity, providing Roshni with a prosthetic left leg that would serve as a catalyst for a life-changing transformation.

Roshni’s life has been forever altered since accepting her prosthetic leg, and she has undergone a profound and remarkable transformation. She now walks with grace, dances with elegance, and fully immerses herself in the vibrant art of Garba with unwavering confidence. 

Climbing stairs used to seem insurmountable, but she now does so effortlessly, navigating her school environment independently and with ease. Most importantly, Roshni enjoys the priceless pleasure of connecting with her peers on an equal footing, freely engaging in play and interaction without any constraints.

Roshni’s incredible journey is a powerful testament to the Madhuram Charitable Trust’s profound impact on people with limb differences. Thanks to their unwavering dedication and innovative solutions, the Trust has not only provided Roshni with a prosthetic leg but also the opportunity to live a life filled with fulfilment and inclusion.

Roshni’s extraordinary journey embodies the transformative synergy of technology and compassion, igniting a spark of hope and paving the way for countless others to  overcome obstacles and realise their limitless potential.

The impact of the Madhuram Charitable Trust is immeasurable, leaving an everlasting impression on the lives of countless individuals. Their unwavering dedication and commitment shine through their sponsorship of therapy for 800 children and the coverage of corrective surgeries for 10 children affected by conditions such as polio and hearing disabilities, among others. 

Furthermore, their distribution of nearly 220 prosthetic legs across India has bestowed the priceless gift of mobility, paving the way to boundless possibilities for those in need. 

This incredible work was made possible through the generous support of esteemed organisations like KHS FICCI, CAVITAG, Navin House, and the Seth Mannulal Jagannath Das Trust. Together, they stand as catalysts for change, restoring hope and empowering individuals to triumph over obstacles, creating a future filled with limitless opportunities.

Way Forward

The Madhuram Charitable Trust continues its unwavering pursuit of making a significant difference, this time with the establishment of an aqua therapy centre for mentally challenged children in Ahmedabad. 

This inspiring project aims to create a safe haven for these children to receive the specialised care they deserve. Soparkar, the driving force behind the trust, intends to assemble a team of 20 devoted teachers to ensure individualised attention and unwavering support during therapy sessions. 

This ambitious venture is poised to ignite their growth, development, and overall well-being with a steadfast goal of providing therapy to at least 100 children each day. It bears witness to the trust’s unwavering commitment to transforming lives, providing a beacon of hope to those in need, and leaving an indelible mark on the path to a brighter future.