WE FOR SALAAM BOMBAY–A virtual concert to raise funds for youth in slums

Shireen Iftar, a 15-year-old girl, has to take care of her 5-year-old brother because her parents cannot return from the village. Rehan's father is a diabetic who is bedridden while his mother, a housemaid, has no source of income in the current situation. And Sakshi, a 12-year-old, is part of a family of seven, who depend on her father's daily wage as a handcart puller. These three children are only a few examples of the many youth who have been affected by COVID-19. School is the last thing on their mind. While we all complain about the times technology fails us or the Wifi crashes, they are wondering where their next meal will come from, and how they can support their families. They need us now more than ever.

WE FOR SALAAM BOMBAY is a unique, music concert, which raises funds to aid thousands of such students in the Salaam Bombay Foundation. WE has helped over 2,000 students in the last 7 years and since inception in 2002, the Foundation itself has reached over 550,000 students from the ages of 12 to 17 years. Through the Foundation, these students are able to get opportunities they could never have dreamt of. 36.37% of students living in slums across India tend to drop out of school by the 8th grade, so that they can work and earn for their families. Salaam Bombay Foundation believes that a child in school has a future and this is what WE is fighting for.

This year, COVID-19 has created its own set of challenges for underprivileged youth growing up in India’s urban slums. The closure of schools has impacted the continuity of education for them and given rise to new fears and uncertainties. They do not have a stable internet connection to learn online and their schools do not have the resources for such a transition. That’s why we need your help.

Funds raised for Salaam Bombay through WE will help these students, by catering to their immediate need for essential supplies and ensuring uninterrupted creative & vocational skill development through continuous learning opportunities that will keep their dreams alive.

The concert will be streamed live on June 13th, at 7pm IST |9 30am EST | 2 30pm GMT. Come support us and the students of the Salaam Bombay Foundation, who will also be performing in the concert!

So here's your chance to step up, donate and #MakeItCount.

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