The President of Child CARE Monaco, Martine Ackermann, has returned from a profoundly moving humanitarian mission to India, accompanied by five volunteers — Angélique Esposito, Stéphanie Pérard, Pascale Leclerc, Dr. Stéphane Guillaume, and Dr. Emma Zeghdar. The journey, filled with emotion, hope, and human connection, marked another milestone in the association’s long-standing commitment to children’s welfare and education.

The mission began with a magical day at the Taj Mahal, shared with around forty children from a Jaipur orphanage.
“Seeing their faces light up with wonder was incredibly moving,” said Martine Ackermann. “These children had never left their city before. It was an unforgettable experience for them, and for us.”

In the following days, the team inaugurated the mobile library bus in Sumel Basti, a slum area near Jaipur. The new project, launched by Child CARE Monaco, aims to give children access to education, arts, nutritious meals, and — most importantly — moments of joy.
“Life in these slums is extremely harsh, yet the families’ joy and dignity are truly inspiring,” explained Martine Ackermann. “Our local teams also teach the children about hygiene and health — an essential part of our mission.”

The volunteers also visited the Bal Basera orphanage and the Jaipur street children’s home, where they delivered equipment funded by proceeds from the Ladies Vintage Car Rally held in Monaco last September.

The team then travelled to a remote rural village, home to the school for girls built several years ago by Child CARE Monaco. This visit was especially meaningful, as volunteer doctors Dr. Stéphane Guillaume and Dr. Emma Zeghdar carried out complete medical check-ups for all the students. The results were “extremely positive: excellent hygiene, healthy teeth, and no major medical concerns.”

A particularly emotional moment came with the presentation of a prosthetic leg to Radhica, a young student who had been amputated at the age of eight due to illness and until now had relied on her friends to help her walk. This remarkable achievement was made possible through collaboration between Monaco, France, and India, coordinated by Dr. Bertrand Tourret Couderc, Dr. Guillaume, Martine Ackermann, and Ramesh Paliwal, alongside the local team — Ganshyam and Dinesh. The result: “a prosthesis designed remotely after more than six videoconferences, symbolizing an extraordinary act of international solidarity.”

The volunteers also organised creative and festive workshops, much to the children’s delight — from drawing and singing to traditional dancing.

Founder of the association in 2012, Martine Ackermann reflected on the progress made over the years: “Some of our former students are now learning trades, and two are studying to become nurses. One student was even awarded by the Ministry of National Education for a science project she submitted and which won a national prize — a wonderful achievement and a true added value for the SNEH School. This is our greatest reward.”

For more than fifteen years, Child CARE Monaco has remained guided by the same philosophy: “To educate, to care, to support… every gesture matters in building a better future for these children.”

Dr. Emma Zeghdar has stayed on in Jaipur to continue and complete the mission alongside the local Child CARE Monaco team.