Improved Care and Protection of Girl Children

Introduction

Arushi is the first girls’ shelter home started by Salaam Baalak Trust (SBT). It offers 24 hours shelter to 50 girls between the ages of 5 years to 18 years coming from the streets or other difficult circumstances. The centre is located in Gurgaon, Haryana. Arushi home is registered as a Child Care Institution under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015.

Number of children reached

In this period, there were 89 girls who availed the Arushi home facility.

Education

Education is an integral component of SBT programme and very important for children living or coming to shelters from difficult circumstances.

Non-Formal Education: All new children coming to the centre are initially linked with Non-Formal Education and only after a formal assessment, they are linked with formal education.

Formal Schooling: 28 children were admitted to regular private schools and they are attending the classes regularly. All the children are happy to be back to school after a long hiatus due to the pandemic.

National Institute of Open Schooling: 8 children were enrolled in the NIOS which is an open learning programme for the children who have either passed the age to be enrolled in a formal school or are pursuing a vocational training.

Computer Education: The home is equipped with a computer laboratory for children to learn computers, an integral part to today’s education curriculum. Most of the girls know the basics of computers such as word, excel etc.

Higher Education: 1 child is pursuing a course in Aviation, Hospitality,Travel and Management from Frankfinn Institute of Airhostess Training.

Life Skills education: Regular sessions on life skills such as anger management, improving interpersonal skills, team building etc were also held with the children.

Vocational Training: 8 children are in vocational training and the process of rehabilitation upon attaining adulthood is on. 3 girls are undergoing training in beauty culture and 5 are working in the kitchen of a cafeteria.

Children with special needs

There are 5 children with special needs in this home, with conditions of Autism, Schizophrenia, and Mild Intellectual difficulties and need individual attention and care. Regular therapy is being provided to them by the therapist.

 Provision & Nutrition

Nutritious food is vital for children’s growth and development, and very significant for children coming from vulnerable backgrounds. To meet the nutritional needs of children, nutritionally-balanced and hot-cooked meals are served in the shelter home. The meals are prepared in the kitchen space provided at the residential centre under the supervision of staff members to ensure safe and hygienic practices. In some cases, children have special nutritional requirements due to illness such as tuberculosis and malnutrition. Such children are provided with special nutrition including protein supplements, additional servings of fruits and milk as prescribed by the doctor.

Health Care

SBT medical team, including doctors, visit the shelter home regularly, conduct routine checkups children and prescribe medical treatment for children with health issues.

143 medical investigations were carried out, 65 children were referred to hospitals, 4 children were hospitalized and 9 children had to undergo long term treatment.

Eye and dental camps were organised in the shelter home in which around 40 children got themselves checked and received required treatment.

In this period here were 24 cases of COVID-19 in the Arushi home and all infected children were provided proper care and treatment and they recovered soon. The children were vaccinated against tetanus, hepatitis B and COVID-19.

 COVID-19 safety measures

SBT ensured proper safety protocols in all its shelters/ programmes. As part of this, RTPCR tests were conducted and infected children were given proper medical treatment, adolescents were given COVID prevention vaccines and health sessions were conducted with children and in the communities on the disease.

Mental health programme is important component of SBT health care and dedicated mental health professionals conduct group and individual sessions with the children. In this period, 8 girls were referred to the mental health programme and they were provided with the required treatment and counselling.  

Sports and recreational activities                                                                                     

A number of activities including educational games were organised for the children in the home and outside as well.

Celebration

Important events like festivals are celebrated in all homes and also in Arushi home by SBT.

Restoration to families/ Rehabilitation

In this period 30 children were restored to their families from this shelter home. Also, 16 children were transferred to other homes/ facilities based on need. And 2 children were rehabilitated (placed with aftercare) upon attaining adulthood.

Stories of Change

Story 1

Kareena (name changed) is now a nineteen year old girl who came to Arushi home of SBT through another NGO. Her father had died because of some terminal disease. Her mother was not keeping well and brother was also having several health issues. This year Kareena completed 12th standard through CBSE board examination. She is excellent in all activities. Kareena wanted to pursue an Airhostess training. So, with SBT’s support, Kareena has been enrolled in a course at Frankfinn Institute of Airhostess Training, New Delhi.

 Story 2

Mumtaz (name changed), is a seventeen year old girl who came to Arushi home in year 2020. She belongs to a village in Haryana. She was sent to Arushi home on the orders of a Child Welfare Committee as she was not safe at her home. She was brought to this home along with her siblings. Initially it was very difficult for Mumtaz to adjust in the institution. She was very upset because of the trauma she faced in her life. And she was unable to study which further added to her misery.

Mumtaz was provided with mental health support, non-formal education, medical care, good diet and opportunities to participate in sports and recreational activities. Gradually she started showing progress. Later she was enrolled in the 10^th standard in the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS). At present Mumtaz is pursuing a hospitality training with the support of GMR.

 Challenges

1. A number of cases of pregnant adolescent girls were referred to Arushi home by the authorities. These are usually cases of sexual base (under PCSO Act) and are challenging to handle.

1. Rehabilitation of children with special needs, after they attain adulthood, since there are very few facilities for such young people.

About Arushi Home

Arushi is one of the girls’ children home of Salaam Baalak Trust. It is a registered child care institution for girls in need in need of care and protection under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015. This is residential care project which caters to the need of the girls between the age group of 6 to 18 years, located in Gurgaon. This place provides full-fledged support to the children including medical care, hot cooked meals, education, mental health support, vocational training; for rehabilitation of every child.

Details of children (Girls) in Aarushi home in the period

Kinds of Service/ Intervention  and number of girls :      

Number of girls who availed the home services  54

Restoration to family  6

Availing higher studies   1 (rehabilitated)

Formal Education    27

National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS)  5

Non-formal education (NFE)  22

Vocational training  2

Medical Care:

Individual psychosocial support- 173

Group sessions- 17

Referral sessions- 80

In house check-ups- 61

Medical Investigation-  48 children

Referred to hospital – 16 children

TT vaccination- 38 children

De-worming- 42 children

Hospitalisation- 2

Human Resources

SBT engaged 20 staff members to manage the home for girls, which includes Centre In-Charge (Coordinator), caretakers, cooks and guards. The medical team including doctors and mental health professionals also visit the home regularly.

Food

Children are provided with 3 hot and nutritious meals and evening snacks. For sick children special nutrition is provided in the form of milk, eggs, paneer, juice, nuts, etc.

Achievements

• In the computer education programme in the home, there are 27 girls enrolled. These girls have become tech savvy and have learnt the importance of using computers in the present digital age. They are using computers to remain abreast with recent national and international happenings and complete their assignments and school home work. They are also envisioning computer classes as a prerequisite for skill development classes and job placement.

   

  • In this period, 6 cases of sexual abuse (under POCSO Act) were handled by the team.
  • One girl who has completed her standard 12 and is pursuing aviation training through Frankfinn Institute.
  • The children and staff celebrated all the Indian festivals during this period.
  • At present 8 girls are preparing themselves for board examination (4 in standard 10 and 4 in standard 12). They are doing well in education.

  Challenges

  • COVID- 19 impacted children’s mental and physical health. 21 children were infected with COVID-19. They are fully recovered now.
  mputer classes as a prerequisite for skill development classes and job placement.

• There are 5 children who fall under the category of children with special needs and it has been particularly difficult to manage them during the lockdown and closing of their schools.
• Rehabilitation of the girls (mostly restoration to family) became a challenge due to the lockdown.

Stories of Change

Young pregnant girl gets support

A young girl Seema (name changed) was sent to Arushi children’s home by the authorities for care and protection as she was pregnant and her husband was in jail. She was given special care, mental health support and healthy diet.

After sometime Seema shared that she is an adult (above 18 years of age). So the SBT staff carried out a bone ossification test and it was found that Seema is actually above 18 years of age. So soon she was transferred to NariNiketan (home for women) in her native place Karnal, Haryana.

Girl pursues career in aviation industry

A child Meena (name changed) was brought to Arushi home for girls through an organization named Chelsea at the age of five years. Her father died from a terminal illness and her mother and brother also have some severe health issues. Meena found it difficult to adjust to her new life in the home initially but later she started settling down. She was good at studies so she was enrolled in Rotary Public school. She scored 81% in standard 12.Presently she is pursuing a course in “Aviation, hospitality and travel Management”.