A multitude of dark, desolate slums make up a suburb in the center of Mumbai named Vikhroli. With almost every family below the poverty line, the people lack in almost every area – health and nutrition, sanitation facilities, sturdy shelter, and education. Mercy* is a nine year old who lives in a Vikhroli slum and like the others, has always struggled.

In the corner outside her home, Mercy holds scraps of paper in her hands and walks to and fro. As the frills of her frock sway from side to side, she pretends she is a school teacher and looks knowingly at her students who for now are a couple of neighborhood children that have curiously gathered to find out what Mercy is up to. To teach is her dream but without receiving much academic help herself, Mercy's hope for the future seems distant.

Long before this 2nd grader gets ready for school, her father heads to the local market where he is a vegetable vendor. Mercy's mother is a house maid and though the family brings in two incomes, it is not enough to provide Mercy with the nutrition she needs.

But just a short distance away, the Hand of Hope feeding program feeds children like Mercy. Hungry and malnourished, the children who walk into the Feeding Center everyday are fed good meals and benefit from the program's academic help provided to the children with the help of a dedicated team of teachers and volunteers. The children can now look forward to a good future when they are able to achieve their dreams.

If you would like to support Hand of Hope in this effort, click here to learn about partnership!

*Name changed for privacy