When Nepean Sea Road resident Rima Shah turned 40, she decided to celebrate the milestone differently. Instead of throwing a lavish party, Shah and her husband chose to support 40 causes that brought joy and relief to people in need. What began as a one-time gesture soon snowballed into something much larger. “Though my husband and I started this as a one-time project, it was soon joined by nearly 150 people. We continued the work, which eventually became a zero-administrative-cost not-for-profit with three focus areas — old-age-home entertainment and care, cancer care, and animal care,” says Shah, managing trustee of 40 Reasons To Smile.
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During visits to old-age homes, Shah noticed that while weekends were packed with visitors and activities, weekdays were marked by silence and loneliness. “We would go there for entertainment activities like modelling sessions, photography, pani puri parties, and realised that all the excitement happened only on weekends. On weekdays, many residents were simply lying in bed with no motivation to get up or engage with anyone. That stayed with us,” she says. “We decided to create regular weekday activities so there is a constant emotional connection with them.”
Today, the organisation works with five old-age homes across Mumbai, conducting weekly sessions filled with games, activities and snacks. But beneath the fun lies a deeper purpose. “The activities are designed to improve motor skills and lung capacity, but everything is done through joy. It should not feel like exercise; it should feel like entertainment. Yet, through that entertainment, they are exercising too,” Shah explains. The organisation is equally active in cancer care, particularly in helping patients access urgent treatment without bureaucratic delays. Working closely with Tata Memorial Hospital, the NGO contributes to an emergency cancer care fund that helps patients begin chemotherapy immediately.
40 Reasons To Smile focuses on old-age-home care, cancer care, and animal welfare“Many times, treatment gets delayed because paperwork or documents are incomplete. But when the doctors and the medical social work department tell us that a patient urgently needs support, we step in immediately so chemotherapy can start without delay,” says Shah, who has also trained as a palliative care counsellor through her work in the field. One such intervention helped save the life of a 17-year-old boy. Apart from emergency financial aid, the organisation also provides essentials such as protein powder, stoma bags and wheelchairs to cancer patients.
Sanjiv Mehta, CEO, Shah Brothers ISPATThe organisation supports animals in need through feeding drives, medical assistance, and welfare initiatives. Its work focuses on extending care to stray and vulnerable animals that are often overlooked. From arranging treatment for injured animals to ensuring regular feeding support, the initiative aims to create a safer and more compassionate environment for voiceless beings. Sanjiv Mehta, CEO, Shah Brothers ISPAT, shared, “Rima has a unique ability to awaken the spirit of giving in people. She connects them to grassroots realities, making charity deeply personal rather than transactional. Through her NGO, she has built a culture where even small acts of kindness become habits, and ordinary people slowly grow into lifelong givers.”
If you'd like to get in touch with the above NGO, you can email at [email protected]