Children's Home(Ashrama)

PAF is now functioning with 49 children with absolute responsibilities of food, shelter, education and bringing them up in a homely atmosphere with love, affection and security.

We also organize After School Assistance Programme (COACHING) for underprivileged and less meritorious students of nearby villages. Student strength of this programme, as of now, is 300

Pre-Primary Education Centre

Local infants are brought to our centre for rendering education through games and fun. Student strength is 36.

A Bridge Course for dropout children of the locality is running at Purokonda. Student strength as on now is 12.

Free Text Book Library (Jagarani)

Books on both syllabus and non-syllabus areas for class V upto Graduation to all needy children of nearby villages.

Vocational Trainning Programme

Vocational Training Programmes are being organized for needy boys and girls of the nearby villages. As of now, 29 girls have been enrolled under these programmes.

Background

In our society, there are children who are either parentless or are having single parents. As they have to look after themselves to fill their stomach, they often land up in streets or at railway platforms and start begging, picking rags, or getting involved in anti-social activities. The government has started some juvenile homes (an institution to provide shelter to a child in need of care and protection) but these government-run juvenile homes are very less in number as compared to the number of child in need of such institutions. Considering the above and in order to secure future of our nation, Purbachal Ananda Foundation has set up two shelters for these children. These homes are situated at Purakanda Village and at Indus in Bankura district. Purokonda is 14 Km from Durgapur and 40 km from Bankura by road. Indus is 40 Km from Burdwan and 80 Km from Bankura by road.

Criteria and Process of Selection

The ashrama extends support to the children of 3 years of age and above, irrespective of their sex, caste, religion or geographical location. After receiving information about a child in need of care and protection, our volunteers carry out a visit to analyse the vulnerability of the child and based on the same we take the responsibility of that child. One the responsibilities of Purbachal Ananda Foundation aiming at ensuring proper upbringing and education of these children till they attain thr age of eighteen and/or till they find gainful employment. Presently, with our meager resources, we are trying to serve forty nine children.

Outcome

Forty nine children are in need of care and protection, provided with much needed shelter and an appropriate environment for their proper upbringing, so that, they become respectable citizen of India.

Activities Undertaken

Providing Shelter to children

The children are provided with shelters which are made of child-friendly environment. There are three rooms, one for boys and girls each along with tube well and proper toilet facility. Land for the shelter of Purokonda has been donated by Gouriya Math. Infrastructure for the Ashrama has been built with the support from Rotary Club, Ramakrishna Mission, Bankura, CSR-DSP,SAIL, Tapasya Foundation and Calcutta Foundation, and by individual donors. Infrastructure of Indus, Bankura has been given by a noble person of Indus. However, the infrastructure at both these places needs maintenance to keep them in good shape.

Nutritional Support to Children

As the inmates are passing through a very crucial juncture, during which major development of the mind and body occurs. Evidently, a balanced diet, which includes carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and other necessary nutrients is very important for these children. A proper diet chart will be prepared in consultation with the dieticians and will be followed religiously.

Medical Support for Children

Routine health check up is a very important part for proper fitness of any individual but when it comes to the proper upbringing of a child, the health check up becomes an important issue. In order to monitor the health conditions of the children, monthly routine check ups are being organised by registered doctors. Apart from that, the children will be taken for consultation by doctors and provided with appropriate medication, as and when required.

Educational Support to the children

All the children of school going age are admitted to the nearest government-sponsored schools to continue with their formal education. But often they are found to be lagging behind without proper guidance. To take care of this eventuality, remedial coaching facilities are being provided for bridging the gap.

Psychosocial Support:

In order to ensure all round development of the children, other aspects like physical health, along with cultural and creative skills are also being given due importance. Presently through resource mobilisation, the children are being provided with some games and sports materials. Apart from this, based on their area of interest, art, music and dancing skills are being honed under the guidance of able teachers. With the help of these skills they will be able to participate and perform nicely in various events organised in school. This, in turn, will boast their self confidence and personality.

Indicators

• The inmates register of the ashrama which shows the number of inmates in the home at a given point of time.

• The report cards of the children of present academic year and the previous academic year through which improvement in the performance in schools can be assessed.

• The diet chart of the ashrama and daily food register mentioning the daily menu.

• The health cards for the children which will indicate the monthly routine check up.

• The number of events in which the inmates have participated and performed nicely.

Programme Management

The superintendent will be the person responsible for overall running of the home, its documentation and relationship building with various stake holders. The Ashrama Mother will be the in–charge of the day to day activities of the home and ensures that the routine of the home is followed. The cook will be responsible for preparing the food for the inmates of the home. Watchman has been given the responsibility of cultivating vegetables from the land belonging to the ashrama, so that the inmates can consume the home-grown vegetables. Two caregivers, one for boys and other for girls, will take care of the rooms of the children, look after the discipline and provide educational support to the children.