Back in
2006, Path to Success, Anita
Choudhrie’s dream came alive. With the vision to help disabled and
disadvantaged sections of society, the charity house strived hard to make every
life count. Since then they have been working dedicatedly towards supporting
different causes every year. Path to Success turned 10 this year, and Anita commemorated the
occasion with a gala dinner and managed to raise £100k for their future activities. They also announced the
extension of support period for the talented London Titans Wheelchair Basketball Club till next year.
Mrs
Choudhrie shared a few memories from her past. “I
have always wanted to help people and always admired Mother Teresa. She was
such a spiritual person, she made people realise that how and what they give in
life is unique. At university in Delhi I was involved in social aid, working
with children with disabilities and with the impoverished. I started a charity
in India 2002 working with children; I always found it a huge challenge but an
amazing experience.”
“I set up Path to Success as an umbrella
charity. We help the sick, the homeless, children who can’t get funding for
their education and anyone with physical or mental disabilities. There are
people with so many different disabilities and I wanted to help them all. Just
to focus on one became difficult. It’s so satisfying to be able to share as
much as possible.”
She also talked of the time when her team
at Path to Success undertook the challenge of uplifting the disabled. “We
collected a lot of data and research in 2012 and launched our ’60 for 60’
campaign to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee to support 60 NHS hospitals
from north to south with 60 wheelchairs. But we raised enough money to buy 83
wheelchairs.”
However the project turned out to be one of
the heart-warming experiences ever. “That was the most emotionally rewarding
project I’ve ever been involved in. When you see the impact your fund raising
has on people’s lives, it’s amazing.
“We have always championed the disabled.
Wheelchairs can cost anything from £500 to several thousand pounds and over the
years we have helped so many people and made so much difference to so many
lives. I wish we could support even more people.
“We will always help victims of injury,
mental, physical. There is so much you can do for people now with
power-assisted and mechanised wheelchairs, but they are increasingly expensive.
Personalised equipment is helping patients become more independent, and more
mobile. They need funding.”