Amol Walke

Mapusa

Rtn. Salvador Pinto

Rotary Club of Mapuca

Nitesh Samant

Parent

Yajuvendra A Mahajan

Deepstambh Foundation, Jalgaon

Dr. Sanjaykumar Nikam

Radiologist - Royal Oman Police Hospital, Muscat-Oman

Dr. Rajendra Prasad

Doctor

Girish Kulkarni

Snehalaya, Ahmednagar

Paresh & Heena Kachhia

Borivali, Mumbai

David F. Noronha

ADEI, Mapusa

Bhagirath G. Shetye

DDE - North Educational Zone, Mapusa

It was an experience of unique nature. Such servie and dedicationthough rare, exists here. It's becaose of people who work here that this world becomes a better place to live in.

Dr. Kedar Padte

"True Happiness comes only by making others happy"
We take things for granted until we come across people who even though of their short comings brighten the lives of others ... During my tenure as the President of the Rotary Club of Mapuca I had the privilege to interact with the children & teachers at Aastha . When you look at them you are filled with happiness and one tends to realize what a difference they make in the lives of others even though they are differently abled. Their smile, creativity, laughter & joy they brighten the lives of others. Everyone at Aastha from Management to support staff make this possible through dedication and determination

Rtn. Salvador Pinto

Rotary Club of Mapuca

Ever since Malay has started going to school in Astha Anand niketan we have seen considerable change in him. School have created a environment in which Malay feels comfortable and friendly. He has developed interest in outdoor activities like physical and other activities. Both teaching as well as non teaching staff in school, Administrator are very co operative and sensitive.They fully understand every child very well and design the activities to meet individuals child's needs . Non teaching staff be it driver ,helpers etc are very helpful to needs of special children. Overall it's a very good school which takes care of well being and development of special children.

Nitesh Samant

Parent

"Committed people spreading happiness.Best wishes for meaningful life."

Yajuvendra A Mahajan

Deepstambh Foundation, Jalgaon

"Unbelievable work with tremendous dedication. Very humbling experience."

Girish Kulkarni

Snehalaya, Ahmednagar

"It was wonderful to be with the students, teachers and administrators. I wish them great success."

Dr. Rajendra Prasad

Doctor

"Happy to visit Aastha. God's work is done by Human minds. Congrats to dedicated minds. Congrats to dedicated teachers. God Bless All!!"

Dr. Sanjaykumar Nikam

Radiologist - Royal Oman Police Hospital, Muscat-Oman

"Well maintained premises.Very condusive environment for education. Dedicated staff and the Manager Mrs. Moye. The endeavour of management in the field of special education is highly appreciated All the best."

Bhagirath G. Shetye

DDE - North Educational Zone, Mapusa

"Well maintained premises.Infrastructure is good and also the teachers are working very hard for the betterment of the students."

David F. Noronha

ADEI, Mapusa

"Great work being done by founders, administrators, teachers, voluntary staff and all support staff members. Happy to see excellent facility and such a great noble work. Wish you all the best."

Paresh & Heena Kachhia

Borivali, Mumbai

" I was overwhelmed by the effort made by each and every person to support and build this place.This is really commendable.Wish you all the very best for continuing such beautiful work."

Pushkaraj Karakat

Architect, Porvorim

It gives me immense pleasure to appreciate the service and the work rendered by Aastha’s Anand Niektan a special school from Mapusa. This school has been a great support for all the special children in and around Mapusa.

It is said God never gives us more than we can handle.

My son Abhinav who is a special child with Down Syndrorme has been progressing in all aspects.

He has developed good communication skill that he can get his message across and interact well with the people.

The activities taken in the school and his participation in the various competitions has made Abhinav independent and he can develop friendship with peers.

There is also speech and language development. The teachers in the school are hard working, creative and are always ready to go out of the way to support the students.

The Management is striving hard and keeps personal attention to provide the best to the students.

Mr. Subhash Pal

Parent, Mapusa, Goa

“With therapy at Anand Niketan, Ayaan, my son was taught to hold a pencil, scribble and write. With efforts of Anand Niketan, Ayaan started writing his own name, began eating by himself and started standing on his own feet. He was taken for competitions in other schools. Along with Anand Niketan teachers, therapists the main pillars Aastha supported us in getting solutions thus with the enthusiastic efforts of our school our children improved a lot. The school also appoints specialist doctors for routine checkups. There is so much to pen down.

Ayaan is now 10 years old. He walks, he rides a bicycle, eats himself and academically he now writes, unbelievably he does addition, subtraction tables etc. He communicates with little speech as well as signs.

I am proud to have Master Ayaan as my son.”

Mrs. Nasimabanu Shaikh

Parent

Mrs. Moye gave us warm affectionate welcome and introduced us to all the staff members. We were happy but again Eeshan started running, spitting, knocking and stood on the table and started to climb but Mrs. Moye gave second glance ignored him and assured us that everything will be ok and Eeshan will be fine like other children. Gradually things started to change with tender love care imparted on Eeshan he started to change stopped spitting completely. He started becoming obedient, independent and taking permission for all activities such as going to toilet, asks for biscuits, chocolate, tea, coffee of he wants something. He completely stopped his biting habit which was the worst as this was preventing us to mix with other children out of fear of biting. Now he listens to us and sleeps peacefully at night. If we say “No Eeshan don’t do” he will not until we permit him. At home he spends his time doing paper bags, plays with his younger sister, sings and plays harmonium and studies together. This drastic change was never expected so soon meaning within a span of 2 years.

I deeply thank Mrs. Vrinda Moye and her staff for bring such wonderful change in Eeshan and making him a civilized human being.

Dr. Sangeeta Nagvenkar

Dental Surgeon, Goa

Enjoying Anandniketan

The great social reformer and author Sane Guruji had written- करी मनोरंजन जो मुलांचे, जडेल नाते प्रभूशी तयाचे (One who entertains the kids develops a bond with divinity)

I believe Anandniketan has been doing this since its inception. Many a times when disabled kids are born the family, the parents may think “what is our fate?. Why only us? What’s the use of such ‘defective’ kids?

Then they feel helpless, stressed, depressed, angry, frustrated. Society merely pities them. They need all kind of support, understanding, counseling. At such times institutions like Anandniketan come to their help and provide the necessary support system. As time goes, society and nation would realize the tremendous importance of such support system.

I have to admit as a parent that by sending my son to Anandniketan we enjoyed more peace and happiness. Our burden was lightened. We could see the challenges before us in positive light. From pessimism we marched towards hope, optimism. Indeed we are very grateful to creators of this facility because they have done a great humanitarian job.

True to the name of the institution in Anandniketan, my so found Joy, Anand and peace and happiness too…

It is very rare to see kids eager to go to school but 10 years old my autist Son immediately adapted to Anandniketan environment in past two years despite feeling the stress of travelling from Taleigao to Mapusa by changing three to four buses every day only because he found a caring team at his destination. He cant pronounce Anandniketan but calls the school Ghateshwar school after it sifted to new premises. Even on Sundays and holidays he wakes up and demands that he should be taken to Anandniketan. He has some speaking and learning problems but the school has helped him to improve his verbal skills and imagination. He has photographic memory and we have seen while bringing him up that his mind is full of only pictures. He remembers all the teachers and is especially fond of those who in some way understand and love him more. We often find him drawing sketches of his Anandniketan school teachers. He mentions names of his classmates and imitates them. In fact as parents we have to be grateful to the full team at Anandniketan because for many such institutions it takes years to build a conducive nourishing environment which kids with mental disability like. Not only for family of the kids but for the teachers and helpers it is indeed a big challenge to understand children like my son. He’s growing up fast and there would be more challenges before us. We noticed a distinctly positive change after admitting our son to Anandniketan. His frequency of meltdowns decreased. He became little more disciplined and self sufficient. The meticulous record of his development has also helped us to understand his needs and our duties.

Our son is very intelligent, talented. He has his own complex mental world. He needs help, support, understanding with compassion, education, training for standing on his own feet as he becomes a teen…

Someday when he looks back as an adult he would remember every moment spent in this institution. He may even draw a grand mural to transfer his feelings on canvas.

India still has a very long way to go to build world class facilities for such kids but I am sure in years to come Anandniketan under Aastha would take that giant leap.

Dr. Nandkumar Mukund Kamat

Asst. Professor, Dept. of Botany , Goa University,
Member, Goa State Planning Board Goa