AASARA, the Association that helps street children in India - is a non-profit organisation that wants to contribute towards giving a future to the boys and girls in India specifically focussing on those who are most undervalued in Indian society, who have absolutely nothing, not even a family to take care of them. The headquarters of the Association is in Carrer Massens 30, Barcelona. The presidency is held by Rosa Margarita Sans.

The association looks to provide these children, who are in a critical situation, with the necessary tools to be able to redirect their life towards a better future in a self-sufficient way. At the same time, Aasara is making the effort to tackle the causes that lead to the disheartening phenomenon that is the street children problem in India ; the thousands of exploited and lonely children that live poorly on the streets and in the train stations.

Aasara is not affiliated to any religious group and concerns itself with leading projects that give children the maximum dignity and educates them in these values, whilst maintaining an absolute respect for the beliefs, traditions and cultures of each person, in complete synthesis with the United Nations Universal Declaration of the Rights of the Child.

Taking into account these objectives, Aasara Barcelona maintains a stable partnership with Aasara India. This foundation is fully recognised by the Indian public institutions and the community of Mumbai. They participate in the 'Childline Foundation' - a network of Indian NGOs who are concerned with the situation of these children, and often work in collaboration with the Indian Government, other local social entities, multilateral organisations e.g. UNICEF and other international entities.

Aasara India was founded in 1993 by a group of people, under the direction of Father Joe D'Gama, at the Thane train station in Mumbai. Since then, the organisation has travelled a long road in the investigation and taking in of the orphaned and abandoned street boys and girls. They also work to create awareness of the problem in local society.

Aasara Barcelona was named an Association in 2001. With the contributions from their sponsors and donors, and thanks to the awareness activities and collections, Aasara Barcelona is able to finance a wide variety of projects carried out by Aasara India, some partially, some totally. In this way, they are able to maintain a day and night help centre in Thane and in Kurla and a day centre and an immediate response centre for emergency situations in Kalyan, open 24 hours a day. They also run a residence for boys in Digha (Thane) and another for the girls in Neral, a mobile attention service to take care of basic needs (food, medication, medical attention, assessment and contact with hospitals, institutions and other NGOs), and awareness activities with the local community. These projects are supervised permanently by Luis Duran and Silvia Pons, Aasara Barcelona directors resident in Mumbai.

Also, Aasara Barcelona is directly involved in awareness activities relating to the situation of street children in countries such as India . These activities are carried out in the local community as well as at a European level, especially through public administrations, various media and schools.

AASARA BARCELONA HAS NO EXPENSES, BECAUSE ANY COSTS INCURRED ARE PAID FOR PERSONALLY BY THE MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION. THIS MEANS THAT EVERY DONATION RECEIVED IS SENT IN ITS ENTIRETY TO AASARA MUMBAI.

AASARA BARCELONA
Muntaner 48-50, 5º 4º
T/ 93 323 44 09

Funds can be addressed to
- BANCO SANTANDER-CENTRAL HISPANO
C/C. Banc SCH 0049 3075 13 2914064159
IBAN: ES74 0049 3075 1329 1406 4159
BIC: BSCHESMM