Our Story

Who We Are

Our History

Discover the key events that have shaped our history
For over 30 years, the Foundation has worked with disadvantaged communities in India to help break the cycle of poverty. Discover how we have made a difference over the years.

The Beginning

Our journey began with the initiative of Professor Dwivedi who was from the village of Barhiya, Azamgargh in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. He was a man dedicated to his community. When his children grew up and had started to work, he decided to donate his entire salary to his community. In 1984, he helped to finance and build a school in his village. In 1987, the Foundation for Freedom from Poverty was founded.

Project After Project

From 1988 to 2008, we built a school that provides primary and secondary education from which over 15,000 students have since graduated. Education is at the heart of all our missions as it is the most effective way to fight poverty. The Foundation also introduced technology into its programs making computers available to the students. Mobile clinics were also created and have treated over 60,000 patients. Many medicals missions have taken place including cataract surgery in partnership with the Eye Foundation of America.

The Succession

Sadly in 2008, Professor Dwivedi, the Foundation’s founder passed away. At this time, his son, Dr. Dwivedi decided to continue his father’s impressive project of “breaking the cycle of poverty” of the most disadvantaged. As Dr. Dwivedi had immigrated to Canada, there was no longer a physical presence in the village of Barhiya to continue the Foundation’s work. In 2009, a partnership between the Freedom from Poverty Foundation and the Comprehensive Rural Health Project was created. The Foundation then moved its activities to Jamkhed, a disadvantaged community in the state of Maharashtra, India.

Dedication

Over the years, the Foundation has operated thanks to the generosity and skills of its volunteers. They provide freely a variety of skills and services that have allowed us to raise funds, provide equipment and expertise, all with one goal in mind: educating and improving the quality of life of the less fortunate. The Freedom from poverty foundation treated over 250,000 patients till now.

Our Vision

Increase our activities, year after year, thanks to the exceptional efforts of the volunteers we recruit from around the world with the objective of increasing our impact on the community of Jamkhed. Our goal is to provide the community with the tools necessary so that it has the capacity to break the cycle of poverty themselves.

Our Values

Dignity

We are committed to having these families gain respect and develop a sense of pride and success

Passion

We strongly believe in respect for human rights and work with dedication and openness

Independence

We strive to ensure that these underprivileged people develop total independence

Equality

Let us ensure that these people are treated equally, regardless of their gender, age, religion or social status

Partnership

Since 2009, the Freedom From Poverty Foundation has been working in partnership with the CHRP (Comprehensive Rural Health Project) in Jamkhed, a foundation that has been helping the most disadvantaged for over 45 years. This partnership ensures a permanent physical presence in the community of Jamkhed for the continuity of care and easier follow-up for the community. Both organisations share the mission of breaking the cycle of poverty by providing access to health care and fostering independence.

http://jamkhed.org

Director CRHP Ravi Arole

Julia Hospital

Board of Directors

The Freedom from Poverty Foundation has established a board of directors of volunteer professionals who share the same passion, that of helping the most disadvantaged.
Dr. Shivendra Dwivedi

Dr. Shivendra Dwivedi

President

Chief, Dept. of Anesthesia, Santa Cabrini Hospital
Mr. Vinod Dargan

Mr. Vinod Dargan

Vice President & Secretary

Senior Consultant, Corporate Turnaround
Mr. Dominic Talarico

Mr. Dominic Talarico

Treasurer

Division Chief Taxation & Evaluation City of Dorval
Hemant M.Shah

Hemant M.Shah

Media Relations Director

 

Forward-thinking and community-minded business leader.

Dr. Yogendra Chaubey

Dr. Yogendra Chaubey

Director

Professor of Mathematics and Statistics at Concordia University
Dr. Rajesh Kumar Tyagi

Dr. Rajesh Kumar Tyagi

Director

Entrepreneur
Kumaresan Muthukrishnan

Kumaresan Muthukrishnan

Director

Entrepreneur
Mr. Marc-Olivier Jussaume

Mr. Marc-Olivier Jussaume

Director

Justine Léveillé

Justine Léveillé

Communications

Nurse

Dr Dushyant Sahai

Honourary Member

Retired doctor