:: News Updates ::
|
|
|
|
:: Snehalaya Day 2010 ::
|
The 10th of January 2010 was an auspicious day when the joyful occasion of Snehalaya Day was celebrated at Guwahati Refinery Field (sector II). The occasion was graced by the distinguished presence of Shri. Silvius Condpan, MP (Rajya Sabha), Mr. W. R. Borbora, Dy. Manager (HR) Indian Oil Corporation- Guwahati Oil Refinery , Shri Captain Robin Bordoloi, MLA, Fr. Davis Aricatt, SDB, Finance Secretary of Don Bosco Guwahati, and a large number of guests. A crowd of about 1000 well-wishers and friends of Snehalaya and children attended the function. The theme of the celebration was “Matri” (Mother) to highlight the sacred relationship that exists between a mother and a child and to focus on the importance of this relationship and the disastrous consequences of its break-up. An association of Mothers committed to the cause of child development was officially launched during the Snehalaya Day celebration, inaugurated by Srimati Preeti Saikia. This associate organization of Snehalaya, appropriately called “Matri”, will in the course of time grow into an autonomous voluntary organization which will render high-quality services in the field of Child Development, and become a pool of Resource Persons and Consultants on matters relating to Children. Already, 25 women drawn from various walks of life have joined “Matri”. They aim to undertake activities for enhancing parenting skills, spreading the concepts of positive discipline, promoting and protecting child rights, and for the capacity-building of mothers, child counseling etc. “Nobody’s child is every body’s child.” said Fr. Lukose Cheruvalel at the end of his welcome address inviting everyone present to feel socially responsible for every destitute child. Mr. Silvius Condpan recalled his long standing association with Snehalaya and congratulated the Director and the staff for all the achievements so far and for Snehalaya’s growth. Mr. W.R Borborah expressed his happiness to be part of the Snehalaya Day celebration and on behalf of IOC spoke of its Corporate Social Responsibility services and expressed the willing of IOC to involve itself with all NGOs committed to the development of marginalized children. Fr. Davis Aricatt in his brief speech highlighted the various projects of Don Bosco Organisation at local and nation levels to educate and accompany the young who are vulnerable and at risk. Captain Robin Bordoloi recalled that he had inaugurated “Auxillium Snehalaya” on January 2003 the first ever Shelter Home for destitute girl children in the private sector in Guwahati. He was happy to see the growth of Snehalaya. Preeti Saikia spoke in glowing terms about the discipline and standard of care in the Snehalaya Homes particularly “Jyoti Snehalaya” which in located close to “Aarohan”. She also congratulated Snehalaya for its initiative of launching “Matri” to take forward the cause of Child Rights in the society. She officially launched “Matri” by giving the members a specially designed scrap. As a run-up to the Snehalaya Day celebrations, inter-school essay writing and art competitions were held in the city on the “Role and the Dignity of the Mother”. The prizes were given away to the winners during the celebrations. The programme was a success with the generous contribution of the Indian Oil Corporation(I.O.C.) who had taken all the pains to arrange the pleasures of the evening. The celebration was held in the field premises of Guwahati Oil Refinery in Noonmati with the special permission from the I.O.C. The task of erecting the pandal and the decoration of the stage were also taken up by them. The pandal had a sitting capacity of 1000 people. There was also a provision of dinner for all the children of Snehalaya. Mr. W. R. Borbora, Dy. Manager (HR) Indian Oil Corporation-Guwahati Refinery was the guest of honour for the evening. In a magnanimous gesture of their own, Greenwood Resort provided light and sound for the evening including the band on the musical nite. Needless to say, everybody had a rocking time. Children from different Snehalaya Homes added another tinge of excitement to the celebration with their outstanding cultural performances throughout the beautiful evening. Their performances include ’Jai Jai maa’ (A prayer dance) by Jyoti Snehalaya, ‘Mama Don’t Go’ by Auxilium Snehalaya, ‘Meri Maa’ by Snehalaya Children’s Home, ‘Amare Moina’ by Shelter Home, ‘Ankho me Nindiya’ by Jyoti Snehalaya, ‘Paisa’ by Snehalaya Children’s Home, ‘Shake a little bit’ by Ila Snehalaya, ‘Bang bang’ by Savio Nivas, ‘Lets move, move, move’ by Snehalaya Drop-in Centre, ‘Pagala’ Bosco Home. The musical nite added more value to the celebrations with the voluntary performance of renowned guest artists J.P Das, Tarali Sarmah Sandhya Menon, Chinmoyee Bordaloi, Tushar, Nasima, , Sonu and his Troupe. |
|
|
|
|
:: Helping Hands ::
On
the occasion of Sn
ehalaya Day 2010 Airtel took the initiative to improve the
communication f
acilities between the different homes of Snehalaya by
arranging for free Fixed Wireless Phones in all the homes of Snehalaya,
along with Data Cards and computers. Now
the staff of the homes can communicate with
each other
and e-mail one another at no cost.
A new basketball court which came up under the supervision of Fr. Marak at Dhirenpara Snehalaya
premises was sponsored by Dr. Martin Kasper of Childaid Network, Germany.
The children are very fond of playing basketball. This new recreational
facility is indeed a boon to the children of this home.
The construction of the court was completed
by the first week of December 2009.
“We are very thankful to those who extended their helping hands to us from both India and abroad.”
:: Juvenile Justice Services ::
|
The Director of Snehalaya, Fr. Lukose Cheruvalel SDB has been appointed by the Government of Assam as a Member of the Juvenile Justice Board of Kamrup District. This Board is the competent authority to adjudicate matters relating to Juveniles in Conflict (Contact) with the Law. Further, he is also a member of the Drafting Committee of State Rules related to Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2000/amended in 2006. Snehalaya staff and children under the leadership of Assistant Director, Fr. Thadeus Kujur, SDB, conducted several therapeutic sessions for children in the Observation Home run by the Government at Boko. Snehalaya has facilitated the release of several children who were detained in the Observation Home for petty crimes. |
:: Literacy Centers ::
|
Snehalaya conducts a bridge-course under Sarva Siksha Abhijan at its Jyoti Kendra (literacy centre) attached to the Children’s Home, Dhirenpara with about 100 out-of-school children. Of these 50 were admitted into regular schools this year. ‘Deepjyoti School’ in the premises of the Auxilium Snehalaya, Noonmati is carrying on its nole job of spreading primary education among the slums. This is a joint venture of Snehalaya (with the collaboration of Childaid Network) and Young India. 8 students were mainstreamed into the regular school this year |
:: Psychosocial Support Project ::
|
Supported by UNICEF, the Psychosocial Support Project, that is going on in the Children’s Institutions at Jorhat and Nagaon has been renewed for yet another year. The project centers round providing counseling services, case management services and therapeutic activities. Many difficult restorations have been made possible by the commitment of our project staff. Recently, our combined efforts with Human Rights Law Network made it possible to restore a girl of 17 years to her family. She had been languishing in the Children’s Home for 4 years due to the apathetic attitude of a Chief Judicial Magistrate. Counseling services provided by our qualified staff has made it easy to address the emotions buried deep down in the children and help them cope with adversities of life. This has really boosted up their confidence and made them fit to adjust themselves better in the society. |
:: Don Bosco Centre for Child Rights ::
In the context of “rights-based approach
to child-welfare and development” Snehalaya is building up a Centre for
Child Rights at Paltan Bazar. This will be an advocacy centre for the rights
of children. It will take up activities like Child Rights education and
promotion, Awa
reness
Programmes on Child Protection issues like child labour, child abuse, and
child trafficking. Under the aegis of this centre, studies will be conducted
on Child Rights issues, Juvenile Justice Delivery and other related topics.
This will also act as a training centre for the staff of Snehalaya and other
organizations working for
children.
The present Drop-in centre functioning out of a temporary bamboo-crete structure in Mission Compound, Pan Bazar since March 23, 2002 will be shifted to the Child Rights Centre. The senior boys of Snehalaya who are studying in College or who have already entered the world of work and are getting ready for standing on their own feet will be accommodated in a youth hostel on the 3rd floor of the Child Rights Centre. The presence of the marginalized children in this administrative, advocacy and training centre will lent a touch of realism to all the activities and interventions of the centre on behalf of Children in need of care and protection as well as the children in conflict with the law.
The administrative office of the whole Snehalaya programme will also be housed in this centre. The construction works are making good progress. The finances for this come from Jugend Dritte Welt, a Don Bosco NGO in Germany which has mobilized the finances from German Ministry BMZ and Childaid Network
:: Children’s Assistance Booth ::
The Children’s Assistance
Booth at the Guwahati Railway Station is one of the out-reach programmes.
Guwahati Railway Station is a favourite destination for vagrant children. It
is also a route for trafficking of children and for run away kids. Homeless
children find their natural shelter here where they easily fall into the
hands of middlemen who exploit them economically. As a response to these
problems Snehalaya on April 20, 2005 opened the Children’s Assistance Booth
at Guwahati railway Station on platform number 1 with the permission of the
Railway authorities and the police. This has become a very useful service
for the protection of children in extremely difficult circumstances.
Another significant activity of the Booth is
conducting a monthly Mela for the children who loiter about in the Railway
Station. The contacted children are first taken to the Drop-in Centre for
hair-cut, bath, change of clothes and refreshments. Then they are taken to
an out-door destination for games and a good meal. They return to the
Drop-in centre for entertainment (Cinema Show etc.). The objective behind
conducting the Mela is to motivate the children to give up their bad habits
like addiction to dendrite, stealing, and teach them to live in clean and
healthy atmosphere. They are also taught about health and hygiene.
:: Okonir Snehalaya (A day-care centre) at Chandmari ::
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
A day Care Programme was started for the children of single destitute working parents 24th June 2007. The centre provides all the facilities like toys, games, mid-day meal etc. They are also taught alphabets and rhymes. At present there are 22 children coming to this centre. In the morning the parents come and drop their children leaving them in the care and protection of loving care-givers for the whole day while they go for their own work. In the evening they take them back home. These children are very vulnerable. This is a preventive measure
:: Reunion Service ::
Reuniting
children with t
heir
families is the priority of Snehalaya. Over the past 9 years, nearly 250
chil
dren
have been reunited. Some of these were lost children, others were run-away
children. The experiences of reuniting children with their parents and
family members have been very satisfying.
One of the
recent reunions was of a 10-year old girl. She was trafficked for child
labour by an Army Jawan. But fortunately she was rescued by Snehalaya staff
at Guwahati Railway Station with the help of Guwahati Railway Police Force
on 24th January of this year. A social worker of Snehalaya and
Coordinator of Literacy Centres Miss Sikha Bhuyan took a lot of pain to
take the girl to Chandni Chowki of Uttar Pradesh which was just on the Nepal
border. She was assisted by Sr. Grace of Ashalayam, Lucknow whose support
facilitated this reunion. Another recent story of reunion was that
of a 15-year old boy Pankaj Kr. Yadav of Bihar. He stayed in the Shelter
Home at Pan Bazaar for about one and half years. Finally on 4th
February 2010 he was reunited to his parents.
Hlk/Mcs Program
Under HLK/MCS Program, Snehalaya has contacted and
documented the personal profile of 1000 children at risk in Guwahati city.
These children are most vulnerable and are like to become street children or
victims of trafficking. They are Snehalaya’s next target group.
Ekta Meeting
An emergency meeting of Ekta,
a Guwahati based network of Non Governmental Organizations, was held on 4th
February 2010 at Pan Bazaar to think up an immediate and appropriate
response to the issue of trafficking of children from the northeast India to
other parts of the country. After a brief discussion on the details of the
recent rescue of 76 children of Manipur and Assam from Bedesta Blessing Home
near Kanyakumari, the members of Ekta resolved to set up a task force at
Guwahati Railway Station by mid-February to keep a strict vigil on the
people passing through, to prevent illegal and unsafe movement of children.
This task force will be oriented by experts in identifying traffickers. The
meeting was chaired by Fr. Lukose Cheruvalel, the vice- President of Ekta
whose current members are sSTEP, SOS, Snehalaya, Ashadeep and Destination
and World Vision.
Hepatitis B Vaccination
On 3rd of February 2010 the
children and staff of Jyoti Snehalaya and Auxilium Snehalaya were given
vaccination against the deadly Hepatitis B. The programme was held at Dispur
Hospitals. (Name the Doctors) with the cooperation of the nurses and the
administration of the Hospital. It was initiated and coordinated by Mr.
Ujjwal Saikia. Administrator, Dispur Hospital.
Mela
for the children of Guwahati Railway Station
A Mela
(Fair) was conducted on 6th February 2010 for 20children who hang around
Guwahati Railway Station. It was held at Don Bosco University campus,
Tepesia. The Children passed the whole day with various activities like
training in health and hygiene, games, grand meals, get-together and
entertainment. After all these activities they were taken to the Drop-in
Centre located at Pan Bazaar for prize distribution and then entertained
them with a Hindi children’s movie ‘Uranchoo’ based on the adventures of two
dwarfs. The moral of the film was that it is better to help and serve others
than to indulge in self-pity. The positive experiences during the Mela will
help motivate these children to give up their bad habits and live in clean
and healthy atmosphere.
Birth Anniversary of Desho
Bhakta Tarun Ram Phookun
About 50 Snehalaya boys took part in the
Birth anniversary celebrations of Desho Bhakta Tarun Ram Phookun on 22nd
January 2010 at the park at Bharalumukh named after this great patriot. It
Fr. Lukose Cheruvalel offered pushpanjali at the statue of the Desho Bhakta
along with other dignitaries on the occasion. This programme was organized
by the NGO “Save Guwahati Build Guwahati” under the initiative of its
president Shri. Dhiren Barua and Shri Suren Ram Phookon.
New Year Party
Snehalaya family thanks Mr. Mayur
Talukdar and his wife Bobby Talukdar and the whole Khobor team for
organizing the New Year Party at Gorchuk for the Children of Snehalaya
Homes. The children had a great time during the party with songs and dances
and plenty of food. Towards the end of the party gifts were distributed to
the children. This is the 4th year that the New Year Party is
being given by the same well-wishers of Snehalaya.
Snehalaya is grateful to Hotel Dynasty
for the great party they gave to 50 of Snehalayans on the New Tear’s Day
morning. The kids had lot of fun playing games and winning prizes. The party
was complete with a New Year Cake and sumptuous lunch.
Pre Christmas Celebration
Christmas music, carols and
children’s laughter filled the compound of Snehalaya’s Children’s Home at
Dhirenpara on 23rd December 2009. All the 200 children from the
five Snehalaya Homes gathered together to celebrate the birthday of Jesus
Christ. As a part of the day long celebration various chance games were
organized for the children. It was a joyous sight to see the children
enjoying themselves immersed in those games. After the chance games there
was a Basketball match organized for the boys in the beautifully newly
completed Basketball court. Later there was an hour long programme wherein
children from all the homes came forward to present their items with the
Christmas message of Love, peace and joy. The variety programme started with
a prayer dance by the children of Jyoti Snehalaya. The highlights of the
programme were the short Christmas skit performed by the children of
Dhirenpara Snehalaya, the coming of Christmas Papa and Santa Clause and the
Christmas message by Fr. Lukose. The celebration culminated with the family
Christmas meal.
Snehalayans at Don Bosco Engineering College
On 22nd November 2009 Sunday the students of Don Bosco
Engineering college of Science and Technology took initiative to organize a
day long programme for the children of Snehalaya in the premises of Don
Bosco College, Azara. The students of Don Bosco Engineering College took
special care to organize and conduct value-based games for the Snehalayans.
The games were followed by cultural programmes in which the children of both
Snehalaya and Don Bosco Engineering College performed.
Exposure Trip to Kolkata
In order to build up the
capacities of the staff of Snehalaya, an exposure cum training visit to
Kolkata was arranged for in the month of October 09. The team consisted of
11 members. The Assistant Director of Snehalaya, Fr. Lucas Marak led the
team. The team started off for Kolkata on the 13th Oct with great
enthusiasm and an urge to gain more experience and learning.
The group reached Howrah
station on the 14th Oct and was received by the staff of Ashalayam, Don Bosco. Ashalayam is a 25 years old establish-ment of Don Bosco
doing services similar to Snehalaya. It has 25 residential facilities, apart
from its out-reach services.
The trip was for 10 days and
during those days the staff were able to interact with the children, see
their technical centers, literacy centers, out-reach programmes, residential
Homes, documentation facilities as well as their out-reach programmes.
Academic performance of
Snehalayans
Around 24 children from Jyoti Snehalaya appeared for
their final exams and all them were promoted to next class. Among them Priyanka Das and Sanjay Chetry secured 1st and
2nd positions
respectively and were promoted to Class II.
From Auxilium Snehalaya and Ila Snehalaya 18 and 5
children respectively appeared for the final exams and all were successful.
Moina Das from Auxilium Snehalaya secured the 1st position
in Class IV. Moon Moon Ghosh secured first position in Class VI.
From Children’s Home, Dhirenpara Dipak
Sarmah secured 1st position
and was promoted to class VI in Sonaram High School. Of 58 children who
appeared in the final exams of various classes in various schools, all
except 7 were promoted to the next class.
Job Placement
Richard Naidu, Ganesh Chetia and Tapan Das who spent several years in
Snehalaya succeeded to establish themselves in this world of competition by
grabbing jobs in a House-keeping Company in Bangalore. Earlier, about 20
senior boys of Snehalaya got employed in various fields.
Driving
For senior boys there is
also the opportunity to undergo driving lessons which will enable them to
take driving as their profession.
Apprenticeship in various skills
Snehalaya also places boys
in printing presses, restaurant, shops etc as apprentices and encourage them
to pick up a skill that will help them to stand on their own feet as they
grow up.
| Yoga |
Computer Education |
|
 In an effort to keep the children physically fit and mentally healthy through the age old practice of Yoga, Snehalaya has recently started Yoga classes for the children at Snehalaya Children’s Home, Dhirenpara. Classes by Sanjay Gogoi, an alumnus of Gandhi Gyan Mandir, Hyderabad, started on Monday 8th February 2010 for the younger residents, and are expected to be joined by the rest shortly. |
Children
are gradually introduced |
Tailoring
Snehalaya has a Tailoring
Unit in the Children’s Home premise, Dhirenpara. There are 8 boys undergoing
training at present.
1. An alert and concerned citizen who befriends and guides missing persons.
2. A person who reports missing cases and guides lost persons to the police station or organizations that deal with missing persons.
3. A volunteer organization for identification, re-domiciling networking and documentation of missing cases.
Please visit www.missingchildsearch.net for details
Jyotisnehalaya, Ph. No. 0361- 2231629
ILa Snehalaya, (M) 09435552781
