Shilpa Shetty donates Dus Ka Dum earnings of Rs 10 lakh to her NGO

Salman Khan and Shilpa Shetty Kundra

One of the celebrity guests on Salman Khan's Dus Ka Dum 3 over the weekend, Shilpa Shetty Kundra won Rs 10 lakh after beating rival contestant Farah Khan in the final round. Taking her philanthropic work ahead, the actor has donated her earnings to the Shilpa Shetty Foundation, her not-for-profit organisation that provides shelter and education to orphans.

Having kick-started the initiative eight years ago, Shetty has taken several children's homes under her wing, underwriting the cost of running them. She says the recent winnings will help her rebuild an orphanage in Belgaum - something that been on her wish list for a while. "The orphanage in Belgaum houses 60 children who are HIV survivors. For the past eight years, Raj [Kundra, husband] and I have been taking care of their accommodation, food and other needs. With this money, I want to rebuild the place. The renovation could easily cost Rs 40-50 lakh, but it's a start," she says.

The Belgaum children's shelter, Shetty admits, holds a special place in her heart - it was when she read about the orphanage by chance that her journey to philanthropy kicked off. "I read about this young guy who was single-handedly running the place. He had taken in children who were ostracised because they had HIV. They weren't even allowed to go to school because of the stigma attached to the illness. When I read that he was providing shelter and education to these kids, I approached him and started funding the orphanage."

From hosting charity celebrity T20 cricket matches to performing at fundraisers, Shetty has been actively finding resources to ensure smooth functioning of her NGO. Disappointed at the way young girls are treated in India, she intends to champion the cause of their education. Glad to put her might behind the project, she says, "There are many families who want to educate their girls but can't due to financial constraints. I would be happy to sponsor their studies. Salman has been doing such great work through his Being Human Foundation. I too plan to take my charity forward in a big way. A fundraiser gala is also in the pipeline."

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