Aasara

Our objectives

1. To provide street children with their basic needs such as food, shelter, medical care, education and a range of social, cultural and entertainment activities.

2. To provide a social safety net with services such as counselling, guidance and protection against exploitation.

3. To support and defend the street children in their struggle to achieve their rights.

4. To publicise the plight of the children and mobilise support for them within their society.

5. To observe and study the behaviour of the street children and of their social, economic and emotional state through in depth research. We want to produce a multi-faceted solution to their problems.

6. To create programmes of practical and innovative supervision to protect them and develop their skills and capabilities, involving them in every stage of their development.

7. To cooperate with all kinds of organisations operating inside the country and abroad to exchange experiences and best practice in providing help.

OUR SERVICES

NUTRITION AND HEALTH
The health and nutritional condition of the children is far from satisfactory. Their daily intake of food is inadequate, both in terms of quantity and quality. The street children very rarely get medical assistance and they live in unhygienic conditions. They are also exposed to many health risks exacerbated by climatic changes and their insanitary surroundings. The most common illnesses are skin infections, sexually transmitted diseases, respiratory problems, fevers, diarrhoea, malaria, hepatitis etc. They are also exposed to work-related dangers like traffic accidents, cuts, wounds and infections. Those who sift through rubbish are especially at risk. The majority of them suffer from anaemia. They conceal their wounds and diseases because they are scared of doctors and hospitals, and because they lack the money to pay for medical assistance.

We stress that they are not entitled to social security coverage. We run regular, preventative health programmes emphasising the importance of health and hygiene and the dangers of drugs and alcohol. These are prepared in collaboration with government medical staff, hospitals and health centres in order to get their support and to help ensure continuity of medical assistance.

Medical cases managed by Aasara in year 2000-2001

First aid cases ..... 450
Hospitalisation cases .... 560
Medical control cases ..... 290

EDUCATION
The majority of street children have never attended school and the few who have, gave up before finishing their first course.

The education of the street children is one of the main priorities of AASARA because it is the key to integrating them into society. Our contact points, research centres and residences do not provide formal education to those without experience of school. At this, initial, stage our objective is to help the children develop to a level that will enable them to be admitted to school.

State Literacy Centres (BALWADIS)
The majority of street children aged between five and eight and living in the poorest districts have never received any basic education. In these centres they are taught songs and they recite poems, they are told stories and taught the alphabet, the colours, the names of birds, animals, fruits and vegetables… AASARA actively cooperates with these street centres and is in constant contact with them. Last year 117 children were admitted to these centres.

Informal education
AASARA believes that unofficial educational programmes must be made available to street children. These programmes take place in the centres, Contact points and Shelters specifically for those children who are not yet ready to attend school. Last year, 238 children joined an unofficial education programme. The teachers try to unlock the potential ability, learning skills and creativity of the street children through a range of activities such as games, play-acting, debates, talks, audio-visual displays, short stories, theatre, songs and craftwork.

Formal education
Children are prepared for formal schooling and made to realise how important education is. The next stage is for them to go to the Municipal Corporation Schools. Some of these street children have been top of their class. Those who are not ready for school are helped with private tuition. In the 2000-2001 academic year 114 AASARA children attended school.

Vocational guidance
AASARA also provides street children and youngsters with the opportunity to identify skills they can develop through a programme of vocational guidance.

Individual and Group Counselling
AASARA firmly believes that these children have emotional problems that will not be resolved simply by giving them food, clothing and financial support. To help them and allow them to express their emotions AASARA gives them support through individual and group counselling work, run by professional psychologists every week. These counselling sessions also aim to develop the relationship between the children and to help them assume responsibility and a sense of discipline. These groups tackle issues such as education, health, hygiene and substance abuse.

For instance, one activity for AASARA’s children is an Indian classical dance class each Sunday run by KCPACT.

Group activities allow the children to express their emotions and their creative energy. It helps us to understand their behaviour and their feelings.

CULTURAL ACTIVITIES
AASARA recognises the importance of cultural activities in children’s development; we have classes in drawing, painting, music, dance, handicrafts, theatre etc. These help them express emotions, turning even negative feelings to positive use while broadening their talents and skills. The children also participate in cultural programmes, celebrations, festivals and picnics which they organise themselves.

Right of expression
The right of expression is a fundamental right.
AASARA gives the children the priceless opportunity to express themselves by encouraging their imagination and their creativity to help their growth.
They express themselves, recount their experiences and explain their worries in both artistic and literary forms in their magazine "Mulanchi Manogath".

Summer camps
Yearly camps are held to provide education and extra-curricular needs and to reinforce the sense of belonging to a group, as well as providing an opportunity for adventure and new experiences. In these camps, several sessions are held, focusing on: living in a group, the importance of values, education in family life and sexuality. They also help them to create friendships and forge relationships.
Last year 33 children from the AASARA residence attended a summer camp at Materna.

Search and shelter
Contact Points
This is the process by which the social workers of AASARA patrol the streets and railway stations, from Kalyan to Kurla, to make contact with the children where they live or work. Through this process, AASARA gets in touch with the child in his or her natural environment and can assess the most urgent and immediate problems and needs.
The fact that the children also meet our social workers in familiar surroundings increases the possibility of a positive relationship and makes it easier for them to accept help.
This meeting between the social workers and the children takes place on railway station platforms, in bus stations, at tourist and religious resorts, or in marketplaces. Depending on each specific case, the social worker tries to persuade the child to go home or directs him or her to the centres and shelters run by AASARA.
Our staff keeps in permanent contact with the local community, children families, shops and hotels.
AASARA’s search and shelter programmes have won the support of local communities and they help us with information about these children.

Day centres
These are an intermediate stage between the social workers, who are in contact with street children, and the 24-hour residences.
They are welcome here during the day and can, under guidance, start to experience social interaction, receive food, medical help, and some informal education. They can also rest, listen to music and play. At sunset they return to the places where they live to try to earn money, run errands, meet up with their friends and spend the night finding what shelter they can.

They alone decide whether or not to carry on attending the day centre, whether to join the AASARA 24-hour residence, or whether to try to find another option.

24-hour residence
This is a refuge for children who have run away from homes where they suffered abuse or for those children who have difficulties integrating into the adult world. This shelter aims to prepare children for the future through education, vocational training and guidance.
The ages of the children in the residence range from 5 to 14. These children have already made up their minds to give up life on the street. They are provided with housing and supervision 24 hours a day, washing facilities, clothing, food and everything they need. Furthermore, entertainment is provided either inside or outside the shelter.

Night Shelter for Youngsters
The night residence for young people is located in Vithalwaldi West. This is the final stage of their social integration. The residence serves as a temporary home whilst youngsters save money, search for a job and finish their education. Only after completing their basic training at the AASARA centre and finalising a plan for the future do they leave the shelter.
These young people are between 16 and 25 years old and they can live here for a maximum of two years. During this period they are expected to draw up plans for the future and to move to flats shared with other young people or with their families. They save up money to allow them to share a flat with groups of friends. These shared flats are located in small communities and become the final, and most important, staging posts in their struggle to change their lives.

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
1. To create small-scale residences run by a couple for a maximum number of 15 children. These couples would assume the role of parents; they would live and work with the children day and night under the supervision of an AASARA social worker. By taking care of a group of 15 children they would be able to develop a deep personal link with each one of them. At the moment, AASARA is trying to create 2 groups, focusing more on quality than quantity. We also encourage voluntary workers to dedicate a portion of their time to education, training and different activities.

2. To create small professional training centres that will allow these children to find jobs, thus, to be independent and self sufficient as craftsmen, painters, sign painters, or mechanics. This is without losing sight of technological changes that can provide opportunities for them if they develop skills in computer science…

3. AASARA is convinced of the urgent need for a mobile medical service (van or ambulance) able to reach people quickly in an emergency or get to remote areas with no medical facilities.

4. AASARA plans to enlarge the number of Contact points to reduce childrens’ exposure to the dangers inherent in life on the streets.