Aseem a 9 year old vivacious boy lives with his family in slums of Chakkapur village, Gurgaon. Just like an average 9 year old he is mischievous, spirited and curious but that is where the similarities end. Aseem suffers from muscular dystrophy – a degenerative disease which causes progressive weakness of muscle mass and ultimately leads to paralysis in the body. He is unable to walk as his limbs are flabby and have no muscle strength. Inspite of these persistent challenges and constant physical pain, Aseem is unbelievably bright and happy kid who likes being with his friends and engage in activities like other children his age but due to his physical and medical restrictions, he spends most of his day in bed and moves only with assistance of his 12 year old sister Tumpa, who acts as his only “means of transport”. Tumpa dropped out of school in 6th grade since she had to take care of her brother and carry him around for his daily chores.

HPPI’s Community Development Project, Gurgaon works closely with Chakkarpur slum and discovered the peculiar predicament of Aseem and his family. HPPI volunteer, Janka, a nurse and an occupational therapist made it a personal mission to help Aseem. She carried him every day to and from the rehabilitation centre at CDP and also started teaching Tumpa alongside. On 21st May 2015, on the occasion of 17th Anniversary of Humana India, Janka along with the entire team of CDP, Gurgaon gifted Aseem a wheelchair along with rehabilitation tools for exercise. On this day Aseem was accompanied by his mother and sister who were jubilant to see the wheelchair and the possibilities that it represented. It meant that now Aseem can attend school and join his friends in their activities and Tumpa can join school again as she will not have to carry Aseem around. Aseem’s family thanked the project but the glimmer of hope in his eyes and the happiness on his families’ face were the ultimate reward.