At Miracle Foundation India, as we work to help children stay with their families and reach their full potential, we also honor the remarkable social workforce that makes this mission possible. This month, we are pleased to celebrate the commitment and impact of Saron, who joined DKSHA-Cornerstone in 2022 – a former Child Care Institution (CCI), now a Care Collective Centre for Excellence – as an Outreach Worker.
Saron, a young postgraduate, entered social work with a lot of passion and curiosity. In just three years, she has turned that passion into action – supporting families, especially those whose children were reintegrated home from Cornerstone CCI in and around the Tiruchirappalli district, by helping them access government schemes and regain stability.
During community visits, she realized many families were either unaware of available social protection programs or faced barriers such as Aadhaar discrepancies, unlinked mobile numbers, and outdated addresses, leading to rejected applications and lost support. Determined to bridge this gap, Saron mapped relevant schemes, organized sensitization meetings on documentation requirements, and built strong coordination with government officials and NGOs to streamline verification processes and ensure families received the benefits they were entitled to.
Although families were initially hesitant, her patience, empathy, and consistent follow-up helped her earn their trust, making her a dependable ally. With the support of DKSHA-Cornerstone, she successfully linked 40 families to welfare schemes such as old-age pensions, unorganized labour welfare schemes, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, and others, ensuring access to financial assistance, health coverage, and skill development opportunities.
Reflecting on her journey, Saron shared, “When we place a child back in the family and start strengthening the family, we see a chain of beneficiaries, from the child to the community. Many children struggle in mainstream academics and lose motivation, not realizing there are other pathways. I now focus on connecting them to skill training programs and creating tailor-made intervention plans that suit their strengths. The benefits families receive may not solve everything, but the happiness and hope it brings inspire me every day.”
Today, Saron’s efforts have increased community awareness on documentation, improved coordination between officials and NGOs, and enabled families to independently access and sustain welfare benefits. She continues to support many more families, proving that meaningful change can begin with one committed individual. By equipping families with the right tools and information, she is helping strengthen entire communities. She now aspires to become a resource and training professional within the Integrated Child Development Services system to further expand her impact.