Celebrating Champions in Maharashtra: Why Community Awareness and Clinical Excellence are the Winning Moves for RunFree2030
In the district of Kolhapur, Maharashtra—a land famed for its legendary Pehlwans (wrestlers) and a deep-rooted culture of physical excellence—mobility is more than just a convenience; it is a point of pride. Recently, the CURE India team visited the village of Nagdevwadi to conduct a vital clubfoot awareness drive. While the day was focused on the science of healing, it concluded with a powerful celebration of human potential that perfectly mirrors our mission.
During a visit to a local school, our team member was invited by the Principal to honor a young student who had secured the 1st Rank in wrestling at the district level. Presenting that medal was a profound moment for CURE India. It served as a vivid reminder that when a child’s body is sound and their feet are straight, there is no limit to what they can achieve.
As one of the Top 10 NGO's in India, CURE India (often known simply as CURE) works tirelessly to ensure that every child—regardless of the condition they were born with—has the chance to stand on a podium of their own.
The visit to Nagdevwadi spanned two critical locations: the Ayushman Arogya Mandir (community health center) and the local school. This two-pronged approach is essential for our social impact strategy and our commitment to early identification.
By engaging with these local institutions, we strengthen our national presence and ensure that the message of hope reaches every household in the Kolhapur district.
Just as a wrestler trains with precision and discipline, the correction of clubfoot requires a specialized medical approach. CURE India utilizes the Ponseti method, the globally recognized non-surgical gold standard for clubfoot management.
This treatment involves a series of gentle manipulations and plaster casts that gradually realign the foot. Once the correction is achieved, the child transitions to the FAB (Foot Abduction Brace). This brace is the "silent trainer" that prevents the foot from relapsing as the child grows.
What makes our impact truly significant is our commitment to Free Treatment. We believe that a child's ability to run, play, or wrestle should never be determined by their family’s financial status. This is why families across India trust CURE to walk with them from the first cast to the final step of recovery.
CURE India is proud to be the largest clubfoot program in the world, having documented the most number of clubfoot children treated globally. However, even with over 1,18,000 lives transformed, our victory lap is still on the horizon.
Currently, CURE India is treating 33% of children born with clubfoot in India. While this has cemented our reputation as a Top 10 NGO in the country, our RunFree2030 initiative is an ambitious roadmap to do much more. Over the next 5 years, we are scaling up to 70% coverage nationwide. To reach this target, we are expanding into every block and taluka, ensuring that the excellence seen in Kolhapur is replicated in every corner of India.
Our standing as a Top 10 NGO in India is built on a foundation of credibility and results. We understand that our donors and the general public invest in us because they want to see a tangible difference. We maintain a strict policy of transparency of fund usage, ensuring that every donation is funneled directly into clinical supplies, the production of high-quality FAB braces, and the specialized training of medical professionals.
When you support CURE India, you aren't just giving money; you are giving a child the ability to walk. We ask people to volunteer their time as well—whether by helping us identify children in their own neighborhoods or by advocating for inclusive health in their communities.
The wrestling champion in Nagdevwadi showed us what is possible when a child is strong and supported. You can help us create more champions by supporting our RunFree2030 mission.
Together, we can ensure that the only "take-downs" happening in Kolhapur are on the wrestling mat—not by a treatable disability. Let’s help India run free, one child at a time.
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