Street-Level Change: How Community-Based Collaboration in Delhi is Driving the National Mission for a Clubfoot-Free India
In the densely populated neighborhoods of Bhalswa and Jahangirpuri in Delhi, the path to a brighter future is often built through grassroots awareness. For a child born with Clubfoot, the difference between a life of disability and a life of mobility often depends on who their family meets first—a teacher, an Anganwadi worker, or a local doctor.
Recently, our dedicated Delhi team members, Ms. Barkha (DPC), Ms. Richa (DPC), and Ms. Lalita (DPC), conducted an extensive outreach initiative across private clinics, schools, and local dispensaries. As one of the Top 10 NGO’s in India, CURE India (or simply CURE) understands that our national presence is only as strong as our local impact. By engaging with both the medical fraternity and community leaders, we are ensuring that the promise of Free Treatment reaches every corner of the capital.
A highlight of this outreach was the professional session conducted at a local dispensary. Ms. Lalita engaged directly with medical professionals, including doctors and ASHA workers. In the complex landscape of public health, these individuals are the "first responders" for families in need.
During this session, we focused on the critical importance of early identification. When a doctor or a Sahiya (ASHA worker) identifies clubfoot at birth and refers the family to a CURE clinic, the success rate for a non-surgical cure is nearly 100%. We are deeply grateful for the assurance from these professionals to refer every identified child to our care, ensuring a seamless continuity of treatment. This level of professional collaboration is a cornerstone of our credibility as a Top 10 NGO in the country.
While Ms. Lalita focused on the medical referral chain, Ms. Barkha and Ms. Richa took the message to schools and Anganwadi centres in Bhalswa. Schools are often where older, untreated children are first noticed. By educating teachers and caregivers, we create a safety net for children who may have previously slipped through the cracks.
The goal is clear: ensure that every child—regardless of their socio-economic background—receives the opportunity to walk, learn, and live with dignity. This multi-sectoral approach is what has allowed CURE India to become the largest clubfoot program in the world, with the most number of clubfoot children treated globally.
For the parents we meet in Jahangirpuri, the biggest relief is learning that clubfoot correction does not require expensive or painful surgery. We utilize the Ponseti method, the global gold standard for treatment.
By providing Free Treatment, we remove the financial anxiety that often causes families to abandon medical care, ensuring long-term social impact.
The work being done in Delhi’s Bhalswa and Jahangirpuri is a vital piece of a much larger national puzzle. Currently, CURE India is treating 33% of children born with clubfoot in India. While we are proud of this milestone, our RunFree2030 initiative represents our commitment to do more.
Over the next 5 years, we are scaling up to 70% coverage across the nation. To reach this goal, we need to replicate our Delhi outreach model in every district. By strengthening community care through awareness and collaboration, we are not just correcting feet—we are transforming the future of the nation.
As a donor or a supporter, your trust is our most valued asset. CURE India prides itself on its transparency of fund usage. When you make a donation, your funds go directly toward the medical supplies, the manufacturing of FAB braces, and the training of our DPCs who walk the streets of Delhi to find children in need.
We invite the general public and medical professionals to join us:
Together, through collective action and mutual respect, we move closer to an India where every child can run free.
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