Child Help Foundation participated in Tata Mumbai Marathon

Mumbai:  Child Help Foundation, a child-centric Pan India non-profit organization that has been working tirelessly for over a decade, participated in the Tata Mumbai Marathon for the cause they stand for that is ‘Step up for Breast Feeding’.  Tata Mumbai Marathon held in Mumbai, Maharashtra is an annual international marathon and is amongst the top 10 marathons in the world. It takes place on the third Sunday of January every year and this year it was held on 15th January 2023. It is the largest marathon in Asia as well as the largest mass-participation sporting event on the continent.

Like every year this year too people participated in the Mumbai Marathon in huge numbers making it a great success. It was attended by 55,000 participants including amateurs, fitness enthusiasts, NGOs and the world’s best distance runners. Tata Mumbai Marathon has six different race categories – Full Marathon (42.195 km), Half Marathon (21.097 km), Dream Run (5.9 km), Senior Citizens Race (4.7 km), Champions with Disability category (2.1 km) and the Open 10K (10 km).

Child Help Foundation has been participating in the Mumbai Marathon event since 2014. This year, several enthusiastic volunteers and the core team participated in different race categories under the Child Help Foundation banner. Child Help Foundation volunteers participated in the Dream run dressed traditionally in their NGO colours which was an attraction to the audiences.  These volunteers were dressed in various attires with their face painted theme “Step up for Breast Feeding”  and runner bibs on them, holding banners, placards, and highlighted the need for breastfeeding for better health of mother and child, one of their initiatives by sending a message “Step up for Breast Feeding” in chanting while running.

This year Child Help Foundation took an initiative to cheer the participants in different categories by setting up a Motivation Zone along the runners’ path. In the motivation zone, more than 600 Child Help Foundation volunteers from numerous NSS students in various colleges were present and were cheering the runners in different categories. Also, the Child Help Foundation volunteers conducted skits at regular intervals on the theme of Breast Feeding which was appreciated a lot by the audience. 

Mr. Shaji Varghese, Chief Executive Officer, Child Help Foundation said, One thing has been constant throughout the years that we have taken part in the prestigious TATA Mumbai Marathon: the enthusiasm of our volunteers to run for a cause that CHF support.   Our theme- Breastfeeding and its significance called out to remove the stigma related to it and we ran with a vision of building safe places where nursing mothers can feel comfortable while doing the most important thing for their infant- breastfeeding. We are extremely grateful for this opportunity every year and the platform our NGO gets to raise awareness and at the same time witness the greatness of the event.

Child Help Foundation, an NGO partner for the Tata Mumbai Marathon event, conveyed a message to all participants about the various activities being undertaken by it besides the necessity of Breastfeeding and Child Help Foundation’s initiative to help lactating mothers by setting up Baby Feeding Centre at various public places throughout India.

Child Help Foundation (CHF) is a pan-India non-profit organization, registered under the Bombay Public Trust Act 1950, in the year 2010. It is a child centric organization that works holistically to cater to the development of all the factors that directly or indirectly affects children. Their response is multi-sectoral based on reliable expertise and extensive groundwork. It works in alignment with the adopted Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations which functions as a roadmap to bring effective change in the society. Emergency Medical Support, Mini Science Center Projects, Baby Feeding Centers, Swastha se Shiksha Tak, WAS, Gender Equality, Zero Hunger Program, Village Development Program, Humanitarian Relief, Life on Land and Life below Water are among the most effective initiatives that we have implemented.