Gender Equality India Project #14114

Old age home for 300 abandoned elderly women

by Maitri India

Old age home for 300 abandoned elderly women

Project Report | Mar 13, 2014
Almost there.

By Hilary Roberg, Anna Marie | Intern, Communications Programme Officer

Dear Friends,

We are pleased and excited by the amount of progress made to the facility, which is beginning to look more and more like a complete structure each day. Much of the floors and casting are complete and electrical and plumbing elements are in the progress of being installed. According to General Bhopinder Singh, President of Maitri, “We are very hopeful that by the 4th finish the kitchen, as well as begin the implementation of the nutrition programme.” Here are some of the changes since the last report:

• Roof of the ground floor and first floor has been cast. Second floor roofing in progress.

• Earth filling completed along with retaining walls.

• Piling, pile capping and foundation beams have been cast.

• Brick work and plastering of ground floor is complete.

• Floor tiling of ground floor is in progress.

• Brick work of first floor is complete, and plastering is in progress.

• Window frames of ground and first floors have been set in the walls.

• Bathroom fitting and plumbing is in progress.

• Sewage lines have been laid and connected to the main sewage system.

• Electrical wiring of ground floor is in progress.

• Boundary gate has been erected and boundary wall is under construction.

• Kitchen tiling has commenced, and the slab casting for the cooking counter, sink and washing area have been completed.

• Tubewell installation is complete.

• Maitri and REC sign boards have been affixed at prominent places.

Several impoverished women have already approached Maitri Ghar coordinators asking to be placed on the facility’s waiting list. The projected number of women this facility can house is just over one hundred, and it will serve as a residential facility with the aim of improving the quality of life for these women, as well as help restore a sense of dignity and respect. Some of the enrichment programs will include opportunities for independent income generation as well as the creation of liaisons with state government in order to receive essential identification cards. Maitri already implements many of these programs at its current facility and hopes that the new facility will have an even broader reach; assisting even more women and touching even more lives.

One life touched by Maitri’s work in Vrindavan is Kalli Kunda. Kalli got married at the young age of 14. Her husband used to work at a shop that made brass utensils and used to drink heavily. They had three sons and one daughter. Since their family was extremely poor, her sons worked as labourers in a hotel to somehow make ends meet. About 17 years ago, her husband passed away. After his death, Kalli's sons did not even give her food to eat, and sometimes she had to beg from her neighbours to feed herself and survive. With nobody willing to support her or take care of her, she came to Radhakund and has been here for about 12 years. Life in Radhakund is also very difficult, and Kalli barely survives by begging on the streets. "Thanks to Maitri, at least I get one square meal every day and do not have to go hungry,” she says.

Maitri currently provides a mid-day meal as well as basic healthcare and other support programs to over 500 widows in shelter homes, and hopes to scale up care and support to 2,500 widows by 2015. This facility can help Maitri realize this goal and help more women in an unfortunate and difficult situation.

We at Maitri would like to thank all of our supporters for their generous contributions, and for helping us to further our efforts to restore dignity and respect to the destitute women of Vrindavan. We are grateful for the over $16,000 USD we have received, and appreciate Global Giving and their continued support in our future endeavours.

One of the dorms

Kalli Kunda

Links:

Recent recognition on BBC News of our work with Elderly Widows

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Dec 13, 2013
How Far We've Come - Old Age Home for 100 Abandoned Elderly Women

By Alya Husain, Anna Marie | Intern, Communications Programme Officer

Shakti Dassi

“Freedom cannot be achieved unless the women have been emancipated from all forms of oppression.” – Nelson Mandela

A native of Agartala in Northeastern India, Shakti Dassi came to Radha Kund, Uttar Pradesh eight years ago. When her husband died, Shakti’s son physically abused her, and took her business and her house. Shakti, unwanted by her sons and deprived of the needed support even from other community members, says “It’s a struggle to survive but I can manage on very little. Like everyone else, I too hoped that my children would grow to take care of me, but they didn’t. So I had no choice but to come here.”

Shakti chants prayer songs twice a day, four times a week, in order to earn 20 cents and a bowl of rice.

Maitri’s Ageing Resource Centre is being constructed to shelter Elderly Women like Shakti Dassi, whose lives have been shattered by oppression and abandonment.

We are pleased to announce that the construction of our Aging Resource Centre is progressing at the desired rate with the entire ground flooring complete and roof cast. Further more, the ground floor mercenary and plastering has commenced, and pillars on the first floor have been cast.

Please view the link to see plans of the Old Age Home http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOxz8fW18g0

Completion of the Ageing Resource Centre will allow Maitri to provide 100 Abandoned and Destitute Widows with the necessary support they need.

Your contribution will help provide these Widows with housing and nutrition, in addition to the needed healthcare, social support, and ageing resources. These resources include vocational training, pension, and security. Additionally, resources for the academic and policy community will include the enablement of research, workshops, and forums.

Sincere thanks to each of our supporters for every generous contribution sowed into this project for the betterment and wellbeing of Elderly Women in need.

Old Age Home Construction Site

Pillars cast on the 1st floor of the Old Age Home

Links:

Walk through the Old Age Home

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Sep 16, 2013
Progress on our Old Age Home

By Aliya Husain, Nandini Choudhury | Intern, Programme Officer

Maitri's Old Age Home under construction

The construction of our Old Age Home in Vrindavan has been an exciting and hopeful process so far. With completion of this project, we anticipate the progression of our goals here at Maitri, in empowering beneficiaries with self-respect, independence, and rights education. The Old Age Home will provide 100 abandoned and destitute widows with comfortable housing and the necessary nutrition, healthcare, and social support. Additionally, the widow mothers will be provided with vocational training, pension and security, and a community of educational empowerment. The Aging Resource Center will provide the academic and policy community with a platform for research, workshops and forums, and political enablement.

Thanks to your generous support, the completion of our Old Age Home will allow for the Widows of Vrindavan to be provided with the necessary care and accommodations.

“I was married at the age of 13 to a laborer. My husband used to sing bhajans (devotional songs) in local temples to help scrape together a living for us. We had three sons and four daughters. However, to our dismay, one of our daughters passed away from malaria when she was just a child. The rest of our children grew up, our daughters got married and our sons started living separately. About 40 years after our marriage, my husband passed away due to a heart attack. After his death, I had nobody to turn to - our sons did not even visit, let alone offer to take care of me. None of my children were willing to shoulder responsibility. Left all alone, I would sometimes go to the temple where my late husband used to sing, with the hope that I would get something to eat. Eventually, I decided to come to Vrindavan, where I have been for about ten years. I share a small one-room hovel that has no electricity or water with three other women, and beg for a living. I would like to go back and visit my children, but none of them want to see me or care about me. However, Maitri provides the support I need to retain my respect and dignity. Now I no longer have to go hungry – I receive a hot midday meal, every day, clothing, warmth, and healthcare. “

Gayatri is one among the thousands of abandoned and destitute widows who live in Vrindavan. Maitri’s Old Age Home will, through providing necessary support in skill building and income generation, provide a purposeful impact in offering the tools needed to provide for a dignified and fulfilling end-of-life. The addition of academic and policy empowerment will enable a surrounding community with the efficacy necessitated for change. Each widow in Vrindavan has a unique story, yet our project in Vrindavan strives to promote a unity of purpose, through strengthening the efficacy of the widows in leading lives of dignity and self-respect.

We at Maitri thank you for your support!

Gayatri Dassi

Links:

Maitri's support to Widows featured in BBC News Magazine

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