10,000 miles : 28 states : 3 years : 2 feet : 1 man : 1 nation

Max Chandra, a Brit of Indian descent who now lives in Goa, has embarked on a three-year solo walk through every state in India, covering almost 10,000 miles. Max will be profiling and raising money for four children’s charities, including Dalit Freedom Network UK. DFN is hoping that enough money will be raised through this to run a vaccination programme for all 22,000 children in their schools across India.

Max is aiming to go through every state of India on foot in an almost unbroken journey, with, he says, “no shortcuts, no hitching of lifts, no hopping on the train, bus or bullock cart”. This is a solo effort through various terrains including wild sub-tropical interior, water barren deserts and the snow covered mountains. Max describes it as ‘one man’s will and determination pitted against the harsh wilderness and nature of a sub-continent for a single cause: to aid the people that form part of my heritage’. Brutal and rewarding, the walk will involve real danger alongside what Max believes will be life-changing experiences along the way.

The first phase of the journey started in Goa at the beginning of November and will take Max along the coast through Pondicherry and Chennai, where he is hoping to visit some of DFN’s Dalit Education Centres along with various development projects, to Vajayawada. This will cover some 2,000 miles.

Comprehensive healthcare

DFN’s vaccination programme is part of a comprehensive healthcare scheme in their schools. On average, 67% of India’s children are properly immunised, although in some areas it is much lower – 22% in rural Rajasthan for example. Of course it is often the poor who miss out. The baseline programme will immunise against MMR, Tetanus and Hepatitis B. With enough funding, immunisation against rabies and Japanese encephalitis may be added in areas where these are a threat.

Commenting on the vaccination programme, Max says, “Not only does this provide protection against disease for the poorest and most marginalised in Indian society, but it also helps to prevent human trafficking and enslavement in bonded labour.” Medicine to treat illness costs, putting parents and children at risk of bonded labour if they borrow money, or at risk to traffickers who make false promises of a good job to lure their victims.

To follow Max Chandra’s progress, visit his One Step At A Time website.

To make a donation, visit Max Chandra's Virgin Money Giving webpage.