Salaam Baalak Trust - working for street children

i would ike to begin with a BIG thankyou to all our donors for their continous support - which is helping us to support the children in need. 

Thankyou for believing in our cause. 

Introduction

Aasra,  boys child residential home, is one among the four long-term homes of Salaam
Baalak Trust (SBT). It provides a secure and nurturing environment for youngsters between
the ages of 6-18 years who are rescued from the streets. At Aasra, we aim to supply
youngsters with all the required support to assist them to lead healthy and fulfilling life.

 Objectives:

@  to supply healthy and nutritious food to the boys living in our shelter homes.At
Aasra, we believe that providing nutritious food is important for the physical and mental
development of our youngsters.
@: Provide all children with basic education and skill development or vocational training.At Aasra, we offer our youngsters with formal education also as non-formal education through the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) and non-formal education schemes. We also provide skill development and vocational education to assist our youngsters to acquire the required skills to become self-sufficient.
@ Provide all youngsters with basic health facilities.At Aasra, we take the health of our youngsters seriously. We make sure that all our youngsters receive regular health check-ups and any necessary medical treatment.

 Brief on Residential Program

The residential program at Aasra was a key component of the support provided to the children. The team made sure that the children had access to all the necessary amenities and were living in a comfortable and secure environment. This helped to create a sense of belonging and stability for the children. Overall, during the reporting period, Aasra children’s home for boys was able to provide vital
support and care to 76 children, helping them to build a foundation for a brighter future. The
team at Aasra remained committed to the well-being and holistic development of the children
and worked tirelessly to ensure that they received the care and support they needed to thrive.

 Key Highlights and Update
.

Educational Support

One of our primary objectives at Aasra is to provide education and skill development
opportunities to all the children in our shelter homes. During the reporting period, we are
proud to report that we were able to enrol all 76 children in either formal or non-formal
education programs.

Out of these 76 children, 43 are currently enrolled in schools, while 30 are pursuing non-
formal education. We believe that non-formal education is just as important as formal education, as it can provide children with practical skills and knowledge that can be directly applied in their daily lives. Additionally, we have 3 children who are pursuing their education through the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), which offers flexible and open learning opportunities to students who may have difficulty attending traditional schools.

Mental Health Support

At Aasra, we understand that the mental well-being of our children is just as important as
their physical health. We recognize that many of our children have experienced trauma and
difficult life situations before coming to us, and we have made it a priority to provide them
with the necessary mental health support.
During the reporting period, we were able to provide a full team of mental health professionals to work with our boys. Our team includes a full-time psychologist who is available to work with the children and address any issues they may have. In addition, we have a psychiatrist available to provide medication and treatment when necessary.Our team of mental health professionals works tirelessly to ensure that the children receive the appropriate mental health care and support they need. We have implemented various therapeutic approaches such as play therapy, cognitive-behavioural therapy, and group
therapy, among others. We also work with the children to help them develop coping skills
and resilience, which is an essential part of their healing process. We have seen positive
outcomes from our efforts, and we will continue to prioritize the mental health of our children
in the future.

 Health and Hygiene Support
At Aasra, we understand that good health and hygiene are essential for the overall well-being
of the children. During the reporting period, we took several measures to ensure the children;s
health and hygiene needs were met.
To begin with, we had a full-time doctor visit the centre once a week. The doctor conducted a
complete health check-up of all the children at Aasra. This was done twice during the
reporting period, ensuring that each childs health status was monitored regularly.During the
check-ups, it was found that two children were suffering from tuberculosis. We immediately
took the necessary steps, and they were put on medication and regular follow-up from the
DOTS centre was ensured.
Additionally, two children came to Aasra with eye problems. One child, Jaggi, had a
damaged left eye due to an accident, and he had no vision in his left eye. The other child,
Shivam, had blurry vision in both eyes. We made sure that they received the necessary
medical attention and care.
One child, Ashu, had difficulties in his legs and needed support to stand or walk. We took
him to Safdarjung Hospital, where he needs to undergo surgery once some essential tests are
conducted.Furthermore, two children were admitted to SPYM D-Addiction Center for
addiction treatment, 

Achievements

Total Beneficiaries: 76
Number of Children Restored: 11

 Aasra has successfully provided all the children in our care with
three nutritious meals and one evening snack. We believe that providing a balanced diet is
important for the physical development of children. Our team made sure that the meals were
healthy and met the dietary requirements of each child. Additionally, we provided special
nutrition, such as eggs, juice, paneer, and milk, to children who were suffering from
malnutrition or were taking any medication.

 Emphasis on Safety and Security

Aasra also takes the safety and security of the children seriously. We understand that some of
the children who come to us have experienced traumatic events, including safety issues, in the past. Therefore, we have taken several measures to ensure a safe and secure environment for them. We have 24/7 security guards on the premises who monitor the children and ensure that no unauthorized person enters the shelter home. Our security personnel have been trained to handle any emergency situation and provide immediate assistance to the children if needed.
Aasra has been successful in providing a safe, nurturing, and healthy environment for the
children in our care.

Skill Development and Vocational Training

At Aasra, we believe in providing our children with not just education but also vocational and
life skill training to equip them with the necessary skills to become self-sufficient in the
future. During the reporting period, all 76 children at Aasra were provided with art and craft
classes, sports activities, kickboxing and computer classes as well as life skill programmes.
In addition to these, we enrolled 4 children in vocational training during the reporting period.

One child was enrolled in SAATHIYA skill academy for housekeeping training, while
another was enrolled in GMR for housekeeping training. Two special needs children were
enrolled in a candle and envelope-making and life skills programme.
The children at Aasra Children;s Home have been actively engaged in various vocational
training and co-curricular activities throughout the year.

Four children have been enrolled in vocational training, and rehabilitation efforts are in
process. Additionally, four special needs children participated in Special Olympics
Bharat, an athletics state selection camp held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Overview

VOCATIONAL TRAINING: 4 children enrolled -  rehabilitation is in process.

4 special needs children participated in SPECIAL OLYMPICS 

5 children participated in world wind day drawing competition organized by DCPU

10 boys from Aasra Children Home participated in Delhi State Kickboxing Championship.They won 4
Gold, 3 Silver and 1 Bronze medal

5 boys participated in dance competition organized by DCPU on Kargil Divas

4 children participated in Drawing competition (Water conservation) organized by DCPU and 1 child
won 3 rd prize

1 child participated in solo dance competition (Pratibha keParkh) and won 2 nd prize

5 children participated in Dance competition (Azadi ka amritmahotsava) organized by DCPU

4 children participated in chess competition organized by DCPU, won 1st, 2 nd , 3 rd prize

Children participated in Inter SBT competition on the occasion of Azadi ka amritmahotsav and won 1 st
prize in speech and dance competition.

Children participated in INTER SBT KICKBOXING championship and 17 children won medals (Gold –
6, Silver – 4 , Bronze – 7)

15 children participated in NAKSHATRA by Bhumi NGO 2 children won 2 gold 1 silver in, clay
modeling, fancy dress competition , storytelling.

3 special need children participated in Art and craft activity on the occasion of World disability day
organized by National gallery of art.

3 children participated in Special Olympic bharat and 2 children won 1 st prize and 1 won 2 nd prize in 100 mtr race.

EXPOSURE VISITS

18 children and 10 staff went for local tour to a   Water Park
32 children and 6 staff went to up to the hills for a summer get away