Aasara - Activities

NON FORMAL EDUCATION
This acitivity is mostly carried out at the Day care 'contact' centers, where children from the railway stations and street corners come. They mostly have some form of education. To re-introduce them to formal education, they are given sessions of non-formal education in the form of story telling, prayers, pictures and articles that relate to their day to day life, etc.

FORMAL EDUCATION
Children start with basic alphabets to form words and with those words to make sentences. Children are prepared and admitted to formal schools. All supplementary needs like books, uniforms, stationery, etc. are provided. Some of the children also attend the sponsored computer classes once a week. This activity is mainly carried out at the full time residential shelter-home.

PREVENTION & CURATIVE HEALTH
Awareness of various diseases, the importance of self and environmental hygiene is imparted. Children are sent to nursing home run by voluntary organisations for aftercare. The children at the shelter-home get treated in the home itself, except for any contagious diseases. Nutritious diets are provided to the weak and infirm.

MEDICAL AID
Children avail the facility of First Aid for minor ailments such as bruises, wounds, flu, etc. However, in case of a persistent or more serious ailments like skin diseases, T.B., fever, cough, dog bite, epilepsy, accidents, bronchitis, etc. they are referred and treated at government & public hospitals. This activity takes place both at the shelter-home and the day care educational centers.

NUTRITION
Children at the shelter home get 3 full meals consisting of milk & bread, pulses and cereals, rice, all types of vegetables, occasional non-vegetarian items and fruit. On festive days children get a sweet dish instead of the fruit. Children at the day care contact centers get a mid-day meal of rice, pulses, cereals and vegetables supplanted with milk.

COUNSELLING
Childrenat the shelter home and the centers are provided with individual personalised as well as group counseling by professional staff in the organization and as required referred to a clinical psychologist.

RECREATION & ENTERTAINMENT
Indoor and outdoor games like carom, chess, cricket, football, volleyball, throwball, are provided to the children at the shelter-home and the day care centers, including a television. Children are also taken to amusement parks and attend the school annual picnic.

EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES & SPORTS
Children take part in drawing, painting, elocution, craft work. Educational visits are also arranged to planetarium, museums, acquarium, science center, nature visits, historical sites, public speaking. Children also are exposed to yoga and meditation techniques. This helps in enhancing their overall personality development.

15 children in the age group of 8 to 14 participate in the football and cricket training for one month during their summer vacation

ANNUAL CAMP
The organisation conducts an annual camp every year for about 8-10 days at different out-of-town locations to enhance their overall performance, promote group bonding and have a hands on experience of nature living, self help and individual living. These locations are mostly situated in a village and hence also reminds them of their roots.

CULTURAL PROGRAMS
In order to foster national integration and secular character of the future citizens,
Children celebrate all national festivals like Republic Day, Independence day, Children's day and some cultural & religious festivals like holi, diwali, Ganesh Chaturti, Jamasthami, Rakhsa Bhandan, Christmas, New year, etc. Celebrating some of these festivals in the community is the beginning of their acceptance and rehabilitation in society.

PERFORMING ARTS
Considered also therapeutic, children take part in various activities enhancing their talents in the form of dancing, singing, music, martial arts, drama, etc. They exhibit their performances at annual, school, community occasions, inter organizations functions and also television competitions, where they have won some prizes and trophies in recognition of their excellence.

VOCATIONAL TRAININGLearning a trade for a street child gives him/her a self confidence to get on with life in a constructive way. With this in mind a Computer Lab has been started, with the help of GTL Limited to train the children in computers, at the Digha boy's shelter. Also very recently basics of carpentary has begun and the children are making study tables for themselves. Other trades like tailoring, embroidery, housekeeping, gardening, etc.are being imparted at the boys and girls shelters respectively.
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INCOME GENERATION
To achieve one of the organiationn's aim of making them self reliant and productive, various techniques like greeting cards, articial flowers, clay modeling, decorative articles, paper bag making and phenyl production are being imparted to the children.

SAVINGS
The old adage - every penny saved is a penny earned is effectively put into practice by the children, who are encouraged by the staff. Some of the working children and youth are made to save part of their earnings as personal savings for future use. When a substantial smount is collected it is deposited in the bank.

JOB PLACEMENT
On successfully completing his vocational training or education, the Aasara staff with great effort land the youth a job appropriate to his skills, as far as possible. At times, the youth himself/herself, through personal contact developed during the training period get themselves appropriate jobs. Regular follow-up is maintained with the youth and the employer as far the child is with the organization.

REHABILITATION
One of the greatest achievements is one of being part of the society for these children. After going through the various programmes and activities, and procuring a job on successfully completing a vocational trade, the child is all set to leave the final stage at the youth night shelter and live on his own in a community he feels comfortable. Thus leaving completely the streets and getting back to from where he began - in society, with dignity.
Aasara rehabilitates approximately 45-50 children every year.

REUNIFICATION
Aasara believes that the first place of a child should be his home. The Aasara shelter provides an excellent platform for any child wanting to go back to his/her people. After feeling the love, affection and security, at the shelter, a child starts to have some longing to at least 'see' his parents or guardians. Sensing this, process of counseling starts to fa tate his reunification. The family is contacted and visits cum counseling is done. With both of them ready to accept each other in a healthy environment the child is reunifieAasara reunifies approximately 20-25 children each year with their families. Aasara keep in touch as far as possible with these cases through correspondence.

NETWORKING
Aasara networks with a several government, non-government organisations, intitutions, allied systems like the police, municipalality, hospitals, etc.

Suraksha - Crisis Shelter for Girls at Risk

Aasara has recently inaugurated this building, at Neral, Karjat, for girls in the age 0-18 years at risk. This structure is built in accordance to the government 'Fit' institution specifications and is having a capacity of 40 girls at any given time. It contains large dormitories, infirmary, counselling, library, main hall, kitchen cum refrectory, staff rooms, main office, guest rooms, store rooms, and a play ground alongside the building for outdoor games.

Any girl who is missing, runaway, rescued, trafficked, abandoned, orphaned will be sheltered until the next best oppurtunity for her rehabilitation to appropriate institutions.

HIV/AIDS AWARENESS AND PREVENTION

Aasara is now embarking on a new project i.e. “HIV/AIDS AWARENESS AND PREVENTION” among street children, in Thane District, which is awarded by Avert Society and a pilot project. It was Fr. Joe D’Gama, Founder Trustee’s long wish to start this kind of a project for street children due to the exposure, risk & lack of knowledge. Altgough this project commenced on the 1st of July, the formal Inauguration function was held at the St.John Special School Terrace hall on 14^th August 2006. The date 14^th August coincided with the International Conference on Prevention & Awareness of HIV/AIDS at Canada, where India was a part of and Aasara’s event was a small significant at the local city level. The age group of children that this project is from 12 to 18 years and various activities like one to one, one to group, small events and mass events, will be used to spread the knowledge of HIV/AIDS. Aasara has set a target of covering at least a thousand children in this year.