Blog by Tanya Pinto, Founder, Baal Dan

8.12.2010

How far does $1 go in India?    |    Comments
Hi everyone,
People are always asking me how far $1 goes in India to help children in need.
In Hyderabad, India, there is a group of about 30 children that live in a “Pipe Village”. I first visited the Pipe Babies in 2008 and was horrified by what I saw. Families living without toilets, electricity, running water and making their homes in dark pipes. I was determined to do something to help these children, but the situation was complex as most were not orphans and the parents did not want to leave the village. Annamama a social worker I connected with had made sure that most of the children were enrolled in the closest school and through her own fundraising locally she was providing vitamins, eggs twice a week and soap. Some of the children were so malnourished that their hair was light and the nails were white and opaque. One child had a hole in her heart and Annamama was able to raise money for a life saving operation.
I worked with Annamama to try to do something sustainable for the children, but again because of the complexity of their circumstances, fear from the parents and other issues, we had to focus on their most critical need. Nutrition. So, every time I go to India, Baal Dan provides small grant amounts for the children for Pediasure and food so that their meager diet can be supplemented. And it is making a difference! Most of the children have gained weight and are doing much better. And should there be greater needs in the future, Baal Dan will be there.

I got an email today that shows what Annamamma was able to buy for the kids with a donation from Baal Dan.

As you will see, our money goes so far in India, which is why the Baal Dan approach of leveraging our dollar and making these small ongoing grants are critical to helping children in need.

15,000 rupees = $319

24 tins of Pediasure
8 tins of Ensure
6 packets of baby food
2 kilos of apples (considered a luxury)
40 bathing soaps
I talcum powder
Hair oil 500gm
I big bottle of Maza (mango drink)
5 big packets of biscuits
1 packet of toffee
A generous packets of different foods like dal, peanuts, poha, washing powder, tooth paste, toiletries etc.

Thank you so much for your support and grateful thanks to Annamama and Kim in Hyderabad for their dedication to these children.

Tanya

Welcome to a series of reports from my 2008 trip to India.

One of the NGO's that Baal Dan works with is CiniAsha. In 2008, Baal Dan sponsored feeding programs for over 150 children who come from the street and then are taken in to CiniAsha's Halfway House, Railway Shelter or Night Shelters.

RAILWAY BOYS NO MORE

When I arrived at the CiniAsha Halfway House for Boys, the kids all greeted me and I started to talk to them. Two boys came up to the social worker who was with me and quietly started telling her something in Bengali. She smiled and said, "Tanya - these two boys remember you from when you visited the railway platform in December last year. Now they are here at this center." I did remember these street boys whom I did meet while they were living at the railway platform. I talked to them, played a few games and talked to them about finding safety at the railway shelter that is provided by CiniAsha and that Baal Dan supports. It was truly an awesome feeling to see that kids that I had seen on the street just over 6 months ago were rescued and doing so well.

Bishodi, 14 years old
Bishodi's parents separated and his father remarried a few years ago. He spent most of his childhood picking up bottles and even worked as a bell boy in a hotel. He used to drop by the shelter located at Sealdah train station occasionally. Over time, he started to trust the social workers and decided to live at the center where he received counseling. He was then moved to the Halfway House and will soon be joining a vocational training program that is conducted by Don Bosco Boys School in Calcutta. There are a number of options for Bishodi depending on what interests him and what he shows an aptitude for. There are courses in carpentry, computer repairs, car mechanics and basic computing.

Raju, 14 years old
Raju comes from a big family. His father makes a living by selling vegetables and he would help his father by taking care of his younger siblings and also begging. He is a good natured boy, and because he is the eldest, he has a strong sense of responsibility. He started to drop in to the railway shelter, and although he still misses his family, he realized that this was a way for him to have more of a secure future and gain some skills, so one day he can return and provide for his siblings. But at 14, Raju is completely illiterate. He has been at the Halfway House since December, 2007 learning life skills and he has adjusted well. Raju will also attend the Don Bosco vocational training program. The social workers that work with Raju adore him and said to me that they know whatever he ends up doing, he will do well because he is so responsible and he tries very hard at everything he does. In fact, when the little kids come into the center, it is often Raju that will look out for them and help out the social workers when need be.

Click here to view photos of the boys!

HALFWAY TO A BETTER LIFE. A MUCH BETTER FUTURE.

What is life like at the Halfway House?
The CiniAsha Halfway House is a transition point for children that have come from the streets or high risk situation. It is a place where they stay for 9 months to a year, receive medical attention, counseling and basic schooling. It is at this center that they learn basic hygiene, living with a routine, and schooling. They also do a number of activities that help their confidence and self esteem, such as karate lessons, dance, drama and art classes. All these activities help the children to deal with any trauma they have experienced and gain confidence. Often when they first come to the center they might cry or be very clingy, but over time as they start to trust the social workers and teachers, they settle into a routine and get adjusted. The centers are clean, brightly lit and there are lots of activities to keep them occupied. Over time, the child can get moved into a permanent residential boarding school, a city school while they reside at the center or into vocational training. As CiniAsha is a well established NGO (non-government organization) in Calcutta, the children's progress is tracked over the years and CiniAsha will also try to assist the child after they have finished school if they need to find a job.

Halfway House for Girls
This is a transit home where children stay for 9 months to one year. They might have come from the streets, lost their parents or are runaways (due to abuse, child labor). CiniAsha evaluates them, and then provides medical treatment, interim schooling and gets them prepared for a more permanent placement (boarding schools, vocational training).

Patta Das, 4 years old
When I met Patta, she had only been at the Halfway House for 3 days. She was rescued from the Sealdah train station platform. Her mother was mentally unstable, unemployed and there was no record of a father. Patta was born on the railway platform and outreach workers classified her as a "high risk" child for some time. Patta's mother was finally convinced to turn her into CiniAsha so she could get proper shelter, medical care, food and care. Patta seemed to be adjusting well to life at the Halfway House when I met her and although she was very shy, she was very affectionate and wanted to play.

Twin Girls: Renu and Renuka, 10 years old
These girls were living in an urban slum area and were working in a leather factory. Their father was murdered and their mother was also working in the factory. As these girls are getting older, it is no longer safe for them to be in this very dangerous area, where girls could be raped or kidnapped. Social workers in the area identified the girls and with the mother's consent, and in fact blessing, the girls were moved to the Halfway House. Because these girls have some basic education, they will actually be mobbed to a residential boarding school where they will be given the option to continue their schooling or even try vocational training (sewing, cooking).

Jhumpa, 10 years old
Jhumpa's entire family was living on a railway platform. They would earn a living by picking up old bottles for recycling. Social workers urged the family to let Jhumpa leave the train station so she could be out of danger, and get some schooling before she gets too much older. Jhumpa is doing really well at the Halfway House and will be starting school soon.

Halfway House for Boys
Suraj, 5 years old
Suraj's father was handicapped and an alcoholic. His mother passed away. Suraj was seen wandering around alone in a busy market area begging for food or money. When social workers found him, he told them that his father made him beg for money. He was moved into the Halfway House and after an evaluation, he was able to start school. Because he is 5, this is the perfect age to get started with school immediately so that the child has a greater chance of succeeding in school. Suraj was very sweet and friendly, and although he is one of the littlest kids at the center, he was doing well and had lots of friends looking out for him.

Sajid, 11 years old
Sajid has always lived on the streets. His father left when he was young, and his mother was unemployed. Sajid started getting involved in gangs and drugs, and his mother actually turned him over to social workers at CiniAsha out of fear that her son would become addicted to drugs. After rehabilitation and getting into a proper routine, Sajid was placed in a nearby school. To everyone's surprise and delight, it turns out that Sajid is an extremely bright kid and in just 9 months he is already the top of his class. His grades are so good that he will be moved to a better boarding school in the Fall.

Click here to view photos of the kids at CiniAsha!

STREET KIDS GET A SAFE PLACE TO STAY

Girls Night Shelter
It would be easy to think that all you have to do when you see children on the streets is to get them off the street, put them into a shelter and then try to get them into school. With every child, there is a story. A set of circumstances that maybe has her working during the day as a maid, to support younger siblings. Maybe collecting old bottles to make some money for an ailing mother. But the streets are no place for these young girls at night.

These girls are free to come to the night shelter where they are provided a snack at 7.00 pm and then a full dinner at 9.00 pm. They are then given a safe place to sleep in the night shelter, access to bathrooms and toilets, basic clothing and blankets. The shelter is secure with 2 social workers on duty and security guards.

Baal Dan provides food for the girls at the night shelter.

Click here to view photos of the kids at the shelter!

MY RAILWAY BOYS ALWAYS TEACH ME SOMETHING

Sealdah Railway Shelter - Uttaran Shelter
When I visited "my Railway boys" this year at the Uttaran Railway Shelter at Sealdah Station, I was greeted with great enthusiasm from the kids. It was a Saturday morning and the kids were working with social worker, Ranjt Maykat. There were almost 60 boys aged between 4 and 15 and they love to dance and show off, especially when I show up! Child trafficking is a big issue in India and the social workers teach these kids about the child trafficking and things to do if they ever find themselves in a dangerous situation.

The kids put on a play for me, where they acted out a story of a child lost at a railway station who gets kidnapped by traffickers, and how he remembers that he can call a special help line to be rescued. ("Childline" is a toll free phone number (dial 1098 in India) that any child can call from any phone and be connected to help immediately. The kids did a great job with the play and then I played a couple of games with them.

They love music and to dance, so we played some "Bollywood" pop songs and some of them are amazing dancers and have the most animated expressions as they do some pretty funny choreography!

I feel humbled when I am with these children. Some have runaway from factories, from physical and sexual abuse, some have literally grown up on the railway platforms or streets. Yet, they are so joyful, so friendly and so affectionate. They have nothing but they are so happy. I felt suddenly so encumbered with all my "things". I saw in them a lightness, a light that shines in a way you will never forget if you have the honor of being in their presence.

Baal Dan provides food for children in this shelter. And they provide me with so much joy.

Click here to view photos of the kids at Sealdah Railway Shelter!

Click here to view older blog entries >>