Rotaract legal aid camps in Delhi
With the aim to create awareness on free legal aid available for women, children, and the right to access healthcare and ensure mental wellbeing, Rotaract District 3011 conducted three Lex (Law in Latin) Aid camps across Delhi and NCR areas in February. Rtr Mahi Azad, zonal Rotaract representative from Zone Soul and a member of RAC Delhi Genesis, as project chair led from the front, and coordinated with resource persons for the legal sessions at different places in the capital region.
A Law student Shreya Vasdev addressed a gathering of 85–90 children (age group 5–20) at the J L N cluster in Delhi. She urged the less privileged children to avail government schemes and legal support, if they have problems related to schooling and education. Also, Shreya gave the children valuable tips and suggestions on where to access legal aid for them to get school education which is mandated by the government laws and the Constitution.
In the second legal aid camp, Rtr Rimjhim Singh, a domain expert, gave a talk to over 150 women and children at Govindpuri slum, southeast Delhi, on their rights to personal safety and livelihood protection. She spoke on the right to equality, and how they can access free legal aid to have a sustainable livelihood that will ensure their dignity and social independence.
At the third camp, Rtr Muskan Poddar engaged with 90 people at the Woodland DDA Park, Tagore Garden, Delhi, on the patient’s rights to access timely medical care, and the legal safeguards related to mental health issues. “Around 35 Rotaractors from 10 clubs took part in the legal awareness camps and coordinated with the resource persons for hassle-free conduct of the sessions in different localities,” said Mahi
Dr Aparna Gupta, a retina specialist, gave a lecture at a webinar to mark Prevention of Blindness Week, being observed in the first week of April. “The online session was dedicated to foster empathy and dialogue around blindness and visual impairment issues, and around 250 Rotaractors took part in the webinar,” she said. Two visually-challenged persons — Ajay Minocha and Reshma Talwar — recalled their success stories, and how they overcame life’s challenges in the course of their journey towards recognition and fame.
A graduate from IIM-Indore, Minocha was the first blind person to receive the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in India, while Reshma was the recipient of Helen Keller Award in 2024, and a TEDx speaker.
Pursuing MCom at Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi, Mahi has been a Rotaractor for three years. She is also studying for chartered accountancy and doing her intern at Accenture, an IT major. “I will definitely join a Rotary club once settled in life as I love their cause, that is Service above Self,” she smiles.
