Aasara - Success Stories

AASARA REUNIFIES A RUNAWAY STREET CHILD BACK TO HIS FAMILY

N.S., 13, has been in contact with the organisation for the past two years. He was contacted by the Aasara worker at the Thane railway station and was taken to the contact center. At the contact center he was motivated and counselled by the worker and was reffered to the shelter home. In the beginning N.S. did not wanted to go home and preferred continuing his education staying at the shelter itself. Over the time he gradually mixed with the other children and started taking interest in studies. Though he was average in studies, he showed great interest in drawing and painting. He was also sent for computer classes, sponsored by a teacher from St. John's High School, alongwith other two children.
N.S. also had minor psychological problem for which he was referred to Child Psychotherapist and was treated for it.

One day when N.S. was about to appear for his final exam he met with an accident and was taken to Chatrapati Shivaji Hospital at Kalwa by the worker. His uncle who happened to be there in the hospital for some work at the time, identified N.S. He approached the worker and the child and revealed the condition of the child's family. After the incidence and when the child got well from his accident, the worker counseled the child and made him realize the problems his family is undergoing due to his absence and the child agreed to go back to the family.

Then with the consent of the child, his family was contacted and the professionals did family counseling. Finally the child was reunited with the family in 2000.

Today, N.S and his family is very happy and grateful to Aasara. He continues to keep in touch by either telephoning at the office or by visiting us when he happens to be in the vicinity. He is an extremely happy child now.

A CHILD IS HAPPY TO FIND A 'SHELTER FOR CHANGE'AT THE AASARA DIGHA SHELTER-HOME

D.V., 13 years old, was met at the Thane Railway Station in 1996, when one of the boys informed the workers about him. Having the night shelter at the time, D.V. readily agreed to stay and attend the day care educational class of Aasara alongwith the other children. soon from non-formal education, D.V. was introduced to formal education. Taking note of his progress, he was admitted to the nearby Municipal school in class I.
He continues to remain in the shelter and excel in studies. Presently, he is studying in the VI standard, and ranking most of the time no.1. He is going for the sponsored computer class once a week. He has also taken part in the Zee Close-Up Antakshari programme. He is good at outdoor games, art and craft and is learning to play the casio organ. He is also part of the group of the shelter-home that perform regularly the dance items at various occasions both of the organization and outside.

A CHILD FROM THE SHELTER IS SUCCESSFULLY REHABILITATED BACK TO THE SOCIETY

J. P., 16 years old, had come in contact with Aasara whilst he was staying at the Thane station. Before coming to Thane, he was at the V.T. station. He was for sometime at a NGO, in Mumbai, also working for street children but could not adjust there and came to Thane. J.P. soon started to attend the non-formal day educational classes at Aasara, in 1995. He started to reside in the Night Shelter, for youth at the time. After giving some basic formal education, J.P. was referred to the vocational training in welding. He successfully completed the 2 year course and after some time procured a temporary job as a helper in a factory. He is now employed at a metallurgical firm in Mumbai and resides at the Aasara Night Shelter for Youth, situated in a slum community, at Vithalwadi. He will continue to reside here for another couple of years whilst he continues to save his earnings before he and the other youth move to place of their own.

A CHILD FROM THE STREET IS REHABILITATED BACK TO SOCIETY THROUGH EFFECTIVE NETWORKING:

N.M., a 13 year old boy was a runaway child & met by the workers at the Thane Railway Station and he began visiting the Thane Day Centre. He had a background in formal education upto Standard VI in his village at Aurangabad. He continued to attend the center and take part in the activities. Soon he expressed his desire ‘to do something’ constructive and even wanted to study. At the station he used to assist in stalls, sell petty items in trains and shoe shine for a living. He was good at studies and seeing his motive and his ability, he was referred to an NGO for vocational training. He completed his training in screen printing and then continued his formal education to pass the SSC exams. Presently, he is on the look out for a suitable job and assist at an extension counter.

A MISSING CHILD IS FOUND :

A call was received from the Railway Police, that they are in possession of a boy, and did not know what to actually do with him since the child would not speak anything. The worker took charge of the child and had an initial intervention. As a preventive measure and for further intervention, the child was put in the Aasara’s shelter, Digha. After a couple of days, the child slowly opened up and told of his actual story. He got separated from his father whilst on their way to his uncle’s village at and he landed in Mumbai. Immediately, all the relevant parties were contacted of the case, including those NGOs at his home village. Shortly, we received a call from his father, who incidently, had also lodged a Missing complaint with the police and Railways. In a day’s time the son/father relationship was verified and they could meet each other. The boy’s father came to the office and took the child home with him.