Winter Mittens, With Love

This December brought a burst of excitement to our Save Kids Trust programs as we welcomed four special visitors—two board members and two dedicated donors—who spent four full days immersed in the heart of our work. They toured every clinic neighborhood, joined educational sessions, and experienced firsthand the rhythm of both our bustling street clinics and our brick‑and‑mortar centers.

They didn’t come empty‑handed. Packed in their suitcases were 600 pairs of cozy winter mittens, ready to be shared with the children. In anticipation of the visit, the kids had been learning all about the importance of handwashing, and their enthusiasm set the tone for the week.

Our educational seminars kicked off with coloring activities using World Health Organization handwashing worksheets. Crayons moved across pages with concentration, and then Dr. Saini gathered everyone for an engaging review of why clean hands matter—and how to do it right. Afterward came the moment everyone had been waiting for: mitten distribution. Helping little ones figure out where each tiny finger belonged was a joy all its own.

But the mittens held one more surprise. Tucked inside each pair was a handwritten note of encouragement—created this fall by volunteers from around the world, in both English and Hindi. Most children couldn’t read the words, but they delighted in the colorful papers featuring both the Indian and U.S. flags. A few older students proudly stood up and read their notes aloud, their voices and smiles carrying a sense of connection across continents.

As winter settles in, we’re looking forward to seeing these mittens out in the communities—and hearing how those small messages of encouragement continue to warm hearts long after the visit.

Children show their colorings of the steps of handwashing

A large group of children sit listening to Dr. Saini

Two smiling boys anticipate getting their mittens

A smiling boy wears his new grey mittens

A smiling young girls shows us her hot pink mittens

A group of smiling children wave their hands wearing their new colorful mittens

Children at the Momma Clinic, sitting on a blue mat, waive their mittens.

Staff pose with the children for a photo. You can see mittens on the children.

A small boy enjoys his purple mittens

A large group of children from the Varsha clinic show us their very colorful mittens.

A boy reads his message. Behind him is a broken table and a SKT staff member.

A girl privately concentrates on reading her note. Her hot pink mittens are beside her.

A mom reads a note to her children

A boy reads his note aloud while two more children wait for their turn.

One girl reads her note out loud while another girl waits for her turn