On a global road trip to garner support for NGOs

COIMABTORE: Spaniard Mauricio Peralta, 38, is on a global road trip, visiting NGOs along the way to raise awareness on the projects they are working on. The road trip, which he launched this past October, has allowed him to visit NGOs right from Bagdogra to Rameshwaram.
Along the way, he has gained several insights into the workings of these organisations.According to him, NGOs seem to be thriving despite strict restrictions and the government keeping a close watch on the cash flow. None of the NGOs have complained to him about government restrictions when it comes to funding, he said.
"They are aware that my project aims to garner support, including funding, from abroad," said Peralta, who is in Coimbatore for four days. The Spaniard has been visiting projects taken up by the Rotary Club of Coimbatore under the Aakruthi head.
Screening of women for polycystic ovaries under the Magalir Nalam project, adopting a village near Thondamuthur and Humane Animal Society's sterilization project are some of the efforts the Spaniard has high-lighted.
Peralta, a former marketing consultant, who has been in India since October 23, began travelling from June 21 in 2015.
Though he had an urge to travel since the age of 15, he did not want to travel for the sake of travel. So he decided to take up project enbuscadelaluz which translates to "In Search of Light".
"I was looking for people who truly wanted to help people. Since I was well-versed in marketing and loved travelling, I decided to visit NGOs across the world and make a documentary on the well-managed ones to garner awareness and support for them," he said. Peralta who has visited several countries including France, Germany, Romania, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Turkey and is on his way to Russia, China, Mongola, says he has lost count of the number of NGOs visited but says India had many memorable ones.
"I had initially wanted to visit only Foundation Vicente Ferrer and the Rural Development Trust in Anantapur, run and in association with their counterparts in Spain, but was very impressed by St Josephs Hospital in Midnapore run by a father of Portugese descent," he said.
"They treat leprosy and tuberculosis patients. I met a lady who adopted Thiruvidaimaruthur village, and encouraged villagers not to move to the city despite the poor returns in agriculture. She is one of the most inspiring people I have met," he said.