VOICE (Voluntary Organization in Community Enterprises) was set up in 1991 to reach out to the neglected, vulnerable and deprived children of Mumbai. VOICE works with these children who live and work on the streets, railway stations and market places of the city. Our hope is that we improve quality of life.

VOICE began with two people, Victor and Rajashri, teaching shoe-shine boys and girls begging at Ticket windows, run aways and abandoned at Mumbai’s busiest railway stations. Our operation and support network continued to grow, so we opened our Andheri centre which works with children who stay in the Andheri area of Mumbai. The centre current looks after 150 disadvantaged children.

Despite the excellent work done at our Andheri facility, we began to recognize that for some street kids, especially the more vulnerable girls, the day centre was only a partial solution.

This is how the idea for our Sanjivani Girl’s Home was born. We decided to create a sanctuary for these girls, place for them to stay and be nurtured, encouraged and educated, where they could discover their own voice.

Located in the countryside north of Mumbai, our sprawling, green campus provides our girls with space and freedom in a safe, nurturing environment since 2006. The home is designed to support and encourage them on their paths to a prosperous adulthood.

Victor Bansiwar
MA, B.Ed., MSW
Co-Founder of VOICE

Victor is the heart and mind behind VOICE.

He spent his formative years as a teacher before joining an overseas aid agency in Bombay between 1979 and 1987. In 1986 Victor was sent to work at the David Sassoon Remand Home, a correctional institute where street children were placed. It was there that he witnessed first-hand the neglect, abuse and mistreatment suffered by these children, and decided to dedicate himself to improving the children’s lives.

In 1991, Victor and Rajashri began teaching shoeshine boys from Mumbai’s busiest railway stations the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic. It was in these sessions that the idea for VOICE was born - to create an organization dedicated to helping the disadvantaged youth of Mumbai.

Today, Victor continues to dedicate himself to the daily management of VOICE and the Sanjivani girl’s home.

Rajashri Bansiwar
Msc., MSW
Co-Founder of VOICE

Rajashri began her working life with the catholic Relief Service (CRS). She also worked with CRY for 5 years and Concern India Foundation. The seeds for her current work were sown during this period.

In1991, Rajashri and Victor set up VOICE to respond to the needs of Mumbai’s street children. Today, both Rajashri and Victor believe that they’re answering a call to provide love, opportunity and justice to children less fortunate than most of us.

Nikunj Jhaveri
Founder & Managing Director of Systems Plus

Nikunj founded System Plus Pvt. Ltd. In 1987 and continues to guide its operation as Managing Director. Specializing in business consulting, process re-engineering, information technology and software development, the company now has a customer presence in over 15 countries.

Nikunj also funds a charitable organization that distributes medical aid to the needy.

Meet Girisha Sethi

After her mother’s death, her father abandoned the family. Along with her brother they were sent to a shelterhome. Girisha came to Sanjivani in 2008 and completed her 8th, 10th and 12thstd in Sanjivani where she also participated in teaching some of the younger children. After she turned 18, she left Sanjivani to be reunited with her father who was working in Punjab. She didn’t stay there too long and came back to Mumbai where she got in touch with VOICE for a job.

Luckily she had the right qualification for a receptionist at Arihant Industries where she still works after 3 years! While working, Girisha is studying at the same time to obtain her BA degree.

Meet Kirti & Deepali

Kirti & Deepali initially lived on the pavements outside Andheri railway station with her mother, two brothers. Kirti is the third child, Deepali was the fourth. Her mother was rag picker so to make ends meet, her mother made the girls beg at traffic lights. VOICE met the girls when they were just a few years old & they began to attend platform school at Andheri station after which they were admitted to a BMC school. Unfortunately there was a stiff opposition by her mother who did not value education and would withdraw the girls each time they were admitted to BMC school.

But Kirti was determined; she wanted to study and insisted on going to school, much against her mother’s wishes. Being an extremely attractive girl at the age of ten, her mother was constantly worried of her being abducted. VOICE then helped the family with seed money to rent a room.

Kirti lived at Sanjivani from 2006-2012 while Deepali lived there from 2008-2014. Post completing 12thSTD, they both taught the younger children in Sanjivani. After leaving Sanjivani Kirti did ‘Early Child Education Care’ training and now teaches at the KidZee School in Andheri. Deepali learnt baking where she was able to make various cookies, cakes, breads etc. She now works as sales girl in a boutique in a shop in Andheri west.

This family’s lives changed for the better and her brother even got a good job in the BMC.

Meet Radha

Radha is the 2nd child in her family and lived with her parents along with 3 brothers. Her father is driver and mother is a housewife. Her whole family used live under the flyover bridge for over 20 years at Andheri west. VOICE helped her family with seed money to rent a room.

Radha along with other children used to attend the platform school at Andheri station. Later she and her brother were admitted to a BMC school. The parents were not interested in Radha’s education as she was the only girl child in the family. But she was firm in her resolve & wanted to study. She joined Sanjivani in 2006 much against her parent’s wishes.

Radha stayed in Sanjivani from 2006-2010. She completed her 12thstd and left Sanjivani in 2010. Now she has been working as a receptionist in a famous health spa. She lives with her parents.