Child Rights and You America (CRY America), a 501c3 registered non profit, has stood as a powerful voice for underprivileged children, addressing the issues of education, healthcare, and overall development. For CRY America, empowering these children has not just been about meeting their basic needs, it has been about providing them with tools to build a better future.

The upcoming CRY Gala 2025 series is a multi-city endeavor with an aim to turn the dreams of these children into a transformative reality. The Galas will be held during April and May in New York NY, Houston TX, Austin TX, San Diego CA, Seattle WA and the Bay Area CA. Legendary actress and Padma Bhushan awardee, Shabana Azmi, will be the celebrity guest this year.

CRY Project Partner Lalithamma, from People’s Organization for Rural Development [PORD], Andhra Pradesh, will be joining the galas to share her work addressing issues of education, child labor and child marriage. The stories of transformation of hundreds of children from her project are truly inspiring, like those of Kalpana and Mahesh.

Kalpana dropped out of school when she was in Grade 8 to support her family by selling vegetables. Project PORD counseled Kalpana and her parents about the importance of education and staying in school. Due to their efforts, Kalpana was able to return to school. She excelled in her exams with a 9.8 GPA and went on to complete an engineering degree and a professional skill-building program. She now works in a well-known company and was able to lift her entire family out of the circle of poverty and child labor.

Similarly Mahesh, like many underprivileged children, had to drop out of school to support his family. He started working as a farm laborer. When Project PORD identified his situation, they counseled Mahesh and his family. Due to the project’s efforts, Mahesh enrolled in a residential school and excelled in his studies. He went on to gain an M.Sc degree and today, he works as a Field Officer at a well-known bank. He gives back by mentoring children in his community and promoting education.

These are just two of the remarkable stories of transformation from Project PORD in Andhra Pradesh. CRY America, plays a critical role in supporting Projects like PORD through funding and need based training which ensures the impact in children’s lives. With the generosity of its donors and supporters in the USA, CRY America has impacted the lives of 800,000 children living across 5,027 communities through support to 110 Projects such as PORD.

To donate or volunteer for CRY America, visit cryamerica.org and for information about Project PORD, check out Cry America Project PORD

Images and article provided by CRY America. Written by Renuka Ramachandran