Youth Ambassadors: A Family Journey to Mumbai
Four children, three charities, and a shared commitment to giving back
Our Youth Ambassadors in Mumbai · November 2018
In 2018, Seema travelled to Mumbai with her two daughters, Anushka and Shivani, to visit the projects Child Action supports. They were joined by her brother’s wife Ritu, and their children Nikhil and Esha, who had flown in from New Jersey. It was the first time the four cousins had seen the work on the ground — the School on Wheels buses, the play-based learning rooms, and the communities where children face extraordinary challenges with remarkable resilience.
The visit made a deep impression. The children asked questions, listened to teachers, played with pupils, and saw firsthand how education and play can transform a child’s day — and sometimes their future.
Back in New Jersey, Nikhil and Esha had set up a JustGiving page and rallied friends, classmates and neighbours ahead of their trip. Anushka and Shivani joined in with fundraising efforts in London. Together, the four cousins were named Child Action Youth Ambassadors, and over the following weeks they raised £9,000 — £3,000 each for Doorstep School, Apnalaya and Toybank.
£3,000 for Doorstep School, presented at the School on Wheels · 23 November 2018
When the family visited Mumbai, the children presented giant cheques to each organisation’s leaders — a moment captured in photographs that still sit proudly in Child Action’s archive. The smiles on the children’s faces matched the smiles of the teachers and programme leads who received the donations.
£3,000 for Apnalaya · 23 November 2018
For Seema, it was a reminder that philanthropy is not only about giving — it is about passing on values. For the four cousins, it was the beginning of a lifelong connection to India and to the belief that even young people can make a meaningful difference.
Their Youth Ambassador journey remains one of Child Action’s most joyful stories: a family walking together in service, across continents, cultures and generations.