Salaam Baalak Trust - working for street children

IntroductionWith the valuable grants of Select City Walk, Salaam Baalak Trust has brought a transformation in the lives of girls rescued from streets and difficult circumstances. Living in the child-friendly environment of Arushi residential centre, these girls have shown immense progress in academics and extra-curricular activities in the year 2017. The girls’ continued to improve their personalities and are excelling in various latent talent development and vocational training courses. Progress UpdateA detailed overall progress update of various activities and performance of girls is provided below.

Education

The girls at the residential centre are being supported through a pliable education programme to cater to individual needs of the girls. The different modes of education offered at the centre include formal schooling, non-formal education and open schooling. Teachers with the support of the volunteers took regular classes for children. The academic performance of each child at the centre is mapped by the in-house teachers. Additionally a monthly education report is being sent to the Executive Council to show the progress of the children.

To improve children’s general knowledge quiz and debates were organised. Career counseling workshops were conducted to streamline children’s higher education choices and guide them on the possible avenues for vocational training. The girls who are pursuing higher studies secured more than 80% in Class 12.

Food and Nutrition

The girls were provided three hot cooked and nutritious meals at the centre. Elder girls were involved in preparation of evening nutrition which includes buying groceries (under staff assistance) along with monitoring and distribution of utensils to create a sense of responsibility and discipline. Further, sessions were organised on the importance of choosing nutritious food for school tiffin. These sessions improved girls’ understanding of food, nutrition and balanced diet and resulted in visible changes in their dietary behavior.   

Health

To ensure holistic understanding of health and its components, awareness sessions on good hygiene and sanitation practices including tooth cleaning and hand wash techniques were held. Dental check-ups and tetanus vaccination camps were organised at the centre to cover all children. Two dental camps and one eye camp was organised for children.

Skill Development and Job Placement

The girls who are above 18 and/or have passed Class 10 opt for vocational training. Presently the girls are pursuing beauty culture training, guitar classes, piano classes, classical singing and dancing, sketching classes, photoshop editing, English speaking classes

Rehabilitation

In the last year three a number have been rehabilitated. Many of them are pursuing higher studies and have successfully stepped into adult life. The centre team organised a lunch party for the rehabilitated girls to bid them farewell and assure them of extended support from the team. The staff members also ensure regular follow up of the children. The details of various girls who have been rehabilitated are as follows.

• Roma, Jyoti, Yashmin and Rani are pursuing higher studies in reputed universities.
• Salma was rehabilitated on 25/11/2017. She working a beautician in a reputed parlor.
• Poornima was rehabilitated on 25/11/2017. She working a beautician in a reputed parlor.
• Surbhi was rehabilitated on 21/4/2017. She working as a store helper in a retail shop.
• Preeti was rehabilitated on 21/4/2017. She working a peer educator in one of SBT’s day care centres.
• Ruhi was rehabilitated on 28/8/2017. She a tour guide in SBT’s City Walk programme.

Extra-Curricular Activities and Celebrations

The children engaged in following extracurricular activities in the last year.

• Monthly birthday celebration  of the girls
• Girls went for different activities during the summer camp
• Movie outings
• Girls celebrated all the festivals with great fun and enthusiasm. 
• Girls went to Sattal, Uttarakhand for a trip. The girls went for natural trails and participated in various life skill sessions.  
• The girls  visit an old age home once in 15 days.
• 15 girls are going for football classes arranged by bank of America.
• 5 girls  have been to Ranikhet for fun camp with Parvah Team . 

Challenges

While working with the girls rescued from streets and managing the centre, the team faces the following challenges.

• Communication gap with the Child Welfare Committee overseeing the enrollment and transfer of girls rescued to residential centres. Detailed legal discussions on provisions on various juvenile legislations is done to ensure that the rights of the girls rescued are protected and they get an opportunity to stay in safe shelter home.
• In the context of education of girls, many girls find it difficult to cope up with the curriculum of age appropriate classes for this the team is planning to provide proper bridge course to these girls.
• Dealing with the needs of special children. Since most of the staff members are unaware about the needs.

Future Plans

The centre team has envisioned following plans to improve the functioning of the centre.

Introduction

Children living and working on the streets form an invisible part of the urban landscape. Surviving on streets many of these children are exposed to different forms of abuse including physical, psychological and sexual and also suffer from malnutrition and other communicable diseases. The vulnerabilities of street children intensify in case of girls who grapple with challenges of sexual abuse, physical insecurities and in worst cases forced prostitution. Therefore, these children especially girls need immediate care and protection.

In an attempt to rescue girls from streets and provide them a secure and thriving environment, Salaam Baalak Trust (SBT) provides a comprehensive package of services ranging from shelter, food, medical, education to rescue and restoration to family. With an explicit recognition ofaccentuated security and safety concernsin case of girls, SBThas channelized efforts to provide specialised residential care and other services to girls. One of the first steps of SBT in this direction was establishment of Arushi shelter home/residential centre for girls in Gurgaon.

The shelter home is specially designed to cater to all aspects of a child-friendly home, ventilation, amphitheatre, open space for playing, classrooms and dormitories. Arushi is an initiative to offer 24 hour shelter to girls between the age of 5 years to 18 years living and working on the streets. To enable young girls at the threshold of adult life, their vocational training and rehabilitation becomes an integral programme component at Arushi.

ProjectGoal and Objectives

Against this backdrop, the present project was envisaged and is being executed to achieve following broad goal and specific objectives.

Goal: Providing a safe and child-first environment to girl children from the street for their overall development and to empower them as responsible citizens of the country.

Objectives and activities: 

• Providing a safe and secured space for children
• Providing education and recreation
• Restoration and repatriation to family
• Health and nutritional care
• Psychological counselling
• Vocational training and skill development
• Job placement and rehabilitation programme

Progress Update

In tandem with above mentioned objectives, following activities were conducted to meet the stated project targets during the reporting period March 1-August 31, 2016. 

Education

1. Enrolled 40 children in formal schools
2. Provide non-formal education to 40 children, and of these 75 percent would be motivated to join formal schools

Academic and intellectual development of children, positive exposure towards society and preparation of career goals

1. A total of 36 girls were enrolled in the formal education out of which 29 girls are going to schools and nine in NIOS in the reporting period.
2. A total of six children successfully made a shift from non-formal education to regular schooling. Three new admissions were made to regular schools.
3. Non-formal education is being provided to 26 girls. They are being prepared to join the formal schooling system.

1. Instilling confidence among girls for English speaking and use of correct grammar remains a challenge. Many girls also face difficulties in mathematics. The team is working hard to motivate girls to improve their mathematical capacities.
2. Shortage of teaching staff to tackle the multiple academic needs of children is another issue with the team is grappling.

Food and nutrition

1. Provide three hot cooked meal for every girl
2. Special nutrition for children as prescribed by doctor

Anthropometric measures (height, weight, body weight)

Health indicators of physical well-being

1. Three hot cooked meals are provided to all the girls.
2. Besides that we also provide evening nutrition to girls on daily basis and the team also work towards provision of healthy food and snacks as evening nutrition in donation.
3. Special nutrition is provided to the children who are unwell.
4. Most of the girls in the centre are growing normally with increments in height and weight as per recommended growth standards.
5. A total of 221 children were provided meals at the centre.

Physical health care

1. Medical check-up of children twice a month
2. Medical investigation in within 15 days of registration and repeated after 6 months
3. Monthly sessions with counsellors

Physical growth as per ICMR standards

Reduction in malnutrition

Sound physical and mental health

1. Medical check up of children is conducted two to three times a month.
2. Medical investigation is done within 15 days of registration of a child in the centre and a health performa is regularly filled and maintained.
3. Regular mental health and life skill sessions are taken at group and individual levels.
4. In the reporting period through health check-ups of 80 girls was done.
5. The team is not ableto avail support from reputed hospitals in Gurgaon. For instance, we did not get concession for speech therapy of our girl from MedantaMedicity.

Repatriation

1. Repatriation of 10 children (subject to tracing of families and CWC orders)
2. Regular follow-up of repatriated children
3. Developing strong networking linkages and strengthen advocacy

Realisation of children’s right to stay with family in a safe and secure environment

1. The team repatriated 38 girls from March 1, 2016 to August 31, 2017 with due permission from CWC.
2. The team established strong networking ties with all legal stakeholders.
3. The team also organised quarterly stakeholder meetingsto further strengthen these networks.

Psychosocial support

1. Individual supportive session – all children to be covered within a quarter
2. Group sessions with children twice a month

Children’s attitude towards life become positive by helping them overcome their past trauma

1. Every child has been covered under individual psychological sessions were conducted.
2. Individual sessions- helped children cope with daily stressors.
3. Groupgroup sessions were also organised.These sessions encouraged girls to strengthen self-understanding and engage in introspection. The session helped children to share their ideas and thoughts and boosted their self-confidence.
4. Sometimes, girls showed little or no interest in the sessions and that in turn affected the quality of the sessions. During group sessions, small girls often remained distracted and engaging them was also a challenge.

Life skill education

1. Regular life skill sessions with children (in groups of 10-12 children and twice a month)

Increased and improved decision making power, problem solving skills and life skills, critical thinking among children

1. Regular life skill sessions were conducted in the reporting period.
2. These sessions have made the girls adept in daily skills. Together they were able to explore their personalities and developed problem solving capabilities.
3. Girls sometimes find life skill education sessions monotonous. Therefore, the life skill educator tried tomake these sessions more interesting.

Vocational training

1. Enrol 20 children in vocational training
2. Enrol children above 11 years in computer classes

Making young girls self-reliant

Mainstream and empower them as respectable citizens of society

1. 23 girls have been enrolled in vocational training in the reporting period.
2. Computer classes are also being offered to many children in the centre.
3. There is a dearth of government institute providing vocational training in Gurgaon.
4. The team faces logistical issues in sending girls to these institutes.

Future Plan

In the remaining reporting period, the team plans to build upon English and mathematical skills of the girls. The project team will also make efforts to network with vocational and skill training institutions in Gurgaon and nearby areas. Steps will also be taken to modify the structure of life skill education sessions. On the whole, the team would aim to improve project outcomes and bring substantial differences in the lives of the children being supported under the project.

Links:

• celebrating 30 years
• Founder Trustee - Sanjoy Roy

Food plays an integral role in ensuring health and well-being of all individuals. Consumption of a balanced diet is important to meet the nutritional requirements of maintenance, growth and development of the body. Significance of having nutritious food increases tremendously in childhood and adolescence due to rapid physical and psychological growth in these stages of life. At the same time, a regular meal pattern not only keeps body healthy but also keeps diseases at bay. Food has social and emotional significance as well. Having meals together inculcates the feeling of sharing and caring among children. Therefore, SBT has made conscious efforts to provide children a well-balanced diet.

 As part of the present project the children of the shelter homes are being provided food and nutrition. 

Food Menu:

Deciding on a balanced yet interesting menu for children is challenging as children like to have tasty and colourful meals with ample variety. Apart from this, children have also developed preferences for fast and junk food which are laden with fat, calories and high sodium. Therefore, in order to plan for a menu which is nutritious and enjoyable, food committees at different centres had meetings with children to include their choices in the menu. Based on the findings of the meeting and food committees’expertise on food and nutrition, menu with foods from different food groups was formulated for children. 

The menu is an attempt to include different foods such as cereals, pulses, vegetables, fats and oils and fruits. An effort has been made to include dishes of children’s choice for example chole bhature, maggi and samosa. However, such dishes are prepared in ways to make them nutritious, as in the case of maggi, vegetables are added. Similarly, murmure or rice puffs rich in iron are offered as evening snacks with namkeen of children’s choice.

Quality of Food: The formulation of menu though an essential pre-requisite does not assure that well-balanced meals are served on children’s plate. To ensure this, stringent quality checks are made by the coordinator and staff at home at different stages from buying the raw materials to preparing the actual food.Staff members make regular checks in a day in the kitchen while meals are being prepared so that the cooks observe cleanliness and hygiene. In addition, before the meals are served to the children coordinator or a staff member tastes all the dishes to ensure food is palatable and safe. To further improve the quality of meals the budget for breakfast, lunch and dinner has been increased.

Progress Update

As part of the present project following activities are conducted regularly at the centre to ensure health and nutrition of children.

• Regular health check-ups of children are conducted at the centre. The results show that most of the children are growing according to their age with ideal body weight for height.
• The reported illnesses and diseases have also been low in the home.
• Children are being provided well-balanced meals, with food items from all the food groups including cereals, pulses, vegetables, fats and oils.
• Care is taken to ensure that meals are colourful and attractive and children enjoy having them.
• Specific care is taken to ensure that those children who are thin consume adequate amount of food to reach their ideal body weight according to the height.
• In addition, children have been enjoying the practice of having meals together.
• They have learnt to eat together, share and serve others.
• Most importantly, the children have developed the habit of praying before the meals.
• Sincemeals are served at a particular time, children also have a sense of having meals on time.

In the current year in average 345 to 400 children are being provided meals per day at SBT shelter homes. 

Having food together has helped the children in bonding well with each other and has instilled a feeling of unity among them. While sitting and eating together children feel a part of a big family. Thus, apart from having a positive effect on well-being of children, the practice of having meals together also plays a crucial role in their psychological and social development. This has been a remarkable achievement of the present project.However, the team often faces a challenge in organising food for fluctuating number of children in the home. Sometimes food is required for 50 children and at other times for 75 children as the number of children staying in the home varies based on the ordersof the Child Welfare Committee.

 Future Plan

The staff members have envisioned timely menu and food quality review meetings with children. In addition inclusion of healthier diet options such as gourd vegetables and more green leafy vegetables is also being explored

IntroductionStreet children are deprived of protective environment of family. Article 20 of United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes the right of such children who cannot be looked after by their own family to special care. The Government of India also accorded serious attention to provide protective environment of children in need of care including street children through enactment of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 and subsequent amendments to the Act. The Act in its Section 37 provides for establishment of shelter homes for children in need of care and protection.  Significance of shelter homes and residential centres for street children is immense, given the exploitative, violent and hostile situations they face in cities. Shelter homes or residential centres act as safety nets protecting street children from sexual abuse and exploitation, physical violence and child labour

Unlike orphanages, shelter homes and other child care institutions, full-care and short stay residential homes provide an enabling environment to children to realize their potential to the fullest. An attempt is made to educate and help children develop intellectually at these centres. However, children who are not inclined towards academics are not pushed towards a definite career path. Children are provided opportunities to develop their hidden talents and skills. They are encouraged to pursue dance, puppetry, acting, painting and photography as well.Aasra was the first shelter home/Centre started by SBT. With a capacity of 50 it caters to boys of five to 18 years. The home was set up under the JJ Act, 2000.

Under the present project, the funds from the donor were utilised for operation of Aasra Centre.

 Activitiesand Progress Update

Understanding the importance of ensuring a safe environment for children, SBT runs the Aasra Centre for boys rescued from the streets Besides serving the prime purpose of providing a ‘safe living space’ to children, residential homes offer a comprehensive package of services including food, education, medical care, mental health and psychological support. Children’s admission in the Centre is ascertained after they are duly presented in CWCs as per the provisions of the JJ Act, 2000. Identifying the unique background and needs of the child, individual care plans are drawn for each child in these Centre. Regular academic, psychological and medical assessments of the children are done to provide individualised education and health facilities. Full-time mental health professional and medical coordinator are appointed in the centre to provide psychological support, counselling and facilitate medical check-ups and treatment of children, respectively.  The continuum of care and protection services provided at the residential centres have been depicted in the Figure below.

In the year 2016-17 a total of 776 boys were provided shelter in Aasra centre.

A snapshot of services provided by the residential centres from April 1, 2016- March 31, 2017 has been presented in the Table below.

Activities

No of children

New Registration

714

Total beneficiaries

776

Shelter provided

776

Restoration

592

Place to other NGO boys

134

NFE boys

674

Produced to CWC boys

714

Referred from CWC boys

714

Restoration follow up(Telephone)

58

First Aid

570

Medical check up(no. of children)

369

Referred to hospital

65

Hospitalised

11

Operated

1

Tetanus injection

109

MMR vaccination

0

Typhoid vaccination

45

Hepatitis 'B' Vaccination

0

Medical investigation

162

long term treatment

6

HIV test

5

Eye check up

1

IQ Assessment

8

Dental check up

0

Referred to MHP

19

Referred to Drug de-addiction

4

Group Counselling

112

No. of children(annual tour)

25

Apart from these activities children celebrated festivals such as Eid, Holi, Diwali, X-Mas, and national holidays etc. Children also went for educational trips and tours. A total Trips and Tours: 350 children went to Sattal and while about a 100 girls went to Manali.

The  children also participated in various competitions and won numerous prizes. A child was second runner-up in HUDCO Painting Competition and received INR 7500 cash prize, around 10 children were participated in Goody beg program of PRC and two children won in inter Salaam Baalak Trust Quiz Competition.

Additionally, Mr. William and Ms. Kate (Duke and duchess of Cambridge) visited the Centre and interacted with children. Other donors and students from University of Delhi visited the Centre.

Case Study

Waseem, a 15 years old boy came to Aasra Centre in May 2016 on the direction of Child Welfare Committee.  When the social worker at Salaam Baalak Trust interacted with child, he was not able to recall anything about his family.  He only shared that he had worked in a hair salon in Old Delhi. He seemed to be grappling with some behavioural issues such as no eye contact, lack of social interaction, inability to make friends, loneliness, slow movement and unusual smile. In view of these signs the staff referred him to the Mental Health Team. The team and psychologist in particular interacted with, held sessions and counselled him. However, his overall condition worsened he became more aloof and locked himself in a room or began sitting in an enclosed almirah. The case was presented before the Salaam Baalak Trust Psychiatrist Dr. Amit Sen. The doctor diagnosed him with Catatonic Schizophrenia and recommended hospitalization immediately. His condition was also shared with the CWC and post their order Waseem was admitted to Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences, Shahadra for two months.

Once Waseem came back to the shelter after the treatment, there was a drastic change in him. He was doing very well and showed active involvement in all daily activities of the Centre. The social worker tried to trace his family but they were unable to do it. Thus, he was transferred to Apnaghar Shelter home for vocational training. At present, he is on medication and psychological therapy. He is also interning in a hair salon and performing very well earning around INR 7000-8000 per month.

Future Plan

SBT team plans to improve the existing quality of services at Aasra Centre through increased networks, better opportunities and staff capacity building. The team is making concerted efforts to reach more number of children in the coming year.

Introduction

Street children are deprived of protective environment of family. Article 20 of United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes the right of such children who cannot be looked after by their own family to special care. The Government of India also accorded serious attention to provide protective environment of children in need of care including street children through enactment of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 and subsequent amendments to the Act. The Act in its Section 37 provides for establishment of shelter homes for children in need of care and protection.  Significance of shelter homes and residential centres for street children is immense, given the exploitative, violent and hostile situations they face in cities. Shelter homes or residential centres act as safety nets protecting street children from sexual abuse and exploitation, physical violence and child labour.

SBT Residential Centres are Unique

Unlike orphanages, shelter homes and other child care institutions, full-care and short stay residential homes provide an enabling environment to children to realize their potential to the fullest. An attempt is made to educate and help children develop intellectually at these centres. However, children who are not inclined towards academics are not pushed towards a definite career path. Children are provided opportunities to develop their hidden talents and skills. They are encouraged to pursue dance, puppetry, acting, painting and photography as well.

Brief Overview of Different Centers

Centre Catering to Boys or Girls

Brief Overview

Aasra Boys

Aasra was the first shelter home started by SBT. With a capacity of 50 it caters to boys of five to 18 years. The home was set up under the JJ Act, 2000.

ApnaGhar Boys

It is a short stay centre, where 30 children come stay short duration and then they are either restored or posted in a long stay home. The home was set under the JJ Act, 2000.

DMRC Boys

DMRC Children’s Home was established as part of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s corporate social responsibility. The home houses 125 boys from the age of five to below 18 years.

Old Delhi Railway Station (ODRS) Open Shelter Boys

ODRS is an open centre catering to 30 boys. It is a short stay centre, where children come stay short duration and then they are either restored or posted in a long stay home. The home was set under the JJ Act, 2000.

Arushi Girls

Arushi was first girls’ shelter home under SBT. It is an initiative to offer 24 hour shelter to 50 girls between the ages of five years to 18 years living on the streets.

Udaan Girls

Udaan was initiated with the support of Give 2 Asia in March 2010. It started with eight girls and currently shelters 60 girls at a time.

Activitiesand Progress Update

Understanding the importance of ensuring a safe environment for children, SBT runs full-care residential homes for girls and boys who live on streets. Aasra, ApnaGhar, Old Delhi Railway Station Open Centre (ODRS OC) DMRC Children Home are home for boys; Udaan Home and Arushi are shelter homes/residential centres for girls. Besides serving the prime purpose of providing a ‘safe living space’ to children, residential homes offer a comprehensive package of services including food, education, medical care, mental health and psychological support. Children’s admission in the centres is ascertained after they are duly presented in CWCs as per the provisions of the JJ Act, 2000. Identifying the unique background and needs of the child, individual care plans are drawn for each child in these centres. Regular academic, psychological and medical assessments of the children are done to provide individualised education and health facilities. Full-time mental health professional and medical coordinator are appointed in the centre to provide psychological support, counselling and facilitate medical check-ups and treatment of children, respectively.  The continuum of care and protection services provided at the residential centres have been depicted in the Figure below.

In the year 2016-17 a total of 2271 children (192 girls) were provided shelter in six shelter homes of Salaam Baalak Trust (SBT). Approximately 10% childrencame to open shelter directly or without Chile Welfare Committee(CWC) referral.

• SBTGeneral_ReportResidential_CentreFeb072017.docx (DOCX)