Ealing Man Embarks on Epic Rickshaw Run
Travelling over 2,000km across India for children's charity
Sanjay Vadhera getting set for his 2,000 km journey
December 12, 2023
A man from Ealing is about to embark on a gruelling journey across India by rickshaw to raise money for a children’s charity.
Sanjay Vadhera, owner of homecare provider Right at Home Ealing, will set off this Tuesday (12 December), travelling from Chitrakoot to Kachchh, a district of Gujarat, in just 12 days.
The 2,000km rickshaw run will raise vital funds for children born with cleft defects. Sanjay is one of 108 people from around the world taking part in the Sewa Rickshaw Run 2023, which aims to raise £500,000 to fund the refurbishment of a dental unit in Chitrakoot.
The unit provides free and affordable cleft and palate surgery to people living in 500 surrounding villages, and the money raised will go towards new labs and state of the art medical equipment.
Sanjay, 55, who has personally raised over £2,500 for the Sewa cause, said these operations are life-changing for children as they enable them to integrate into normal society without any associated stigma.
He said, “This surgery will change their lives by giving them the confidence to go to school, if they are able to attend school, without the fear of being bullied.
“There is a big taboo about facial deformities in India, so the surgery will give children who need it a huge boost to their self-esteem.”
Sanjay will take turns in driving his rickshaw with two other participants he has never met. Together, they will navigate themselves across India whilst stopping at various Sewa projects along the way.
This is not the first time Sanjay has supported the Sewa UK Rickshaw Run; in 2019 he travelled through five states in India to raise funds for deaf children’s charity Cochlea Pune.
Explaining his personal motivation for taking part, Sanjay said, “As a homecare provider, we’re always looking to make a difference to our clients’ lives and this challenge is a natural extension of that. I have the capability to do it, so why not try and make a difference to other people?
“I’m not the only one doing the challenge – there are 107 other participants – and when you have that many people with the same objective, the energy level is sky high. I can’t wait to get going.”
For more information about the Sewa Rickshaw Run 2023 and support Sanjay’s challenge, click here: Sewa UK - Sanjay Rickshaw Run 2023
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