Model Community Learning Centre for Slum/Street Based Children
PAHAL SOCIETY FOR DEVELOPMENT runs the two Community Learning Centre at Dundahera, Gurugram & Arjun Camp Mahipalpur, Delhi for the non-formal education of vulnerable children from slums or on the street.A Community Mobilizer linked with these centresis responsible for ensuring regular participation of children by mantaining linkage with the families and community.
The focus of these centres are to provide bridging support to children from the nearby slums and ensure mainstreaming of interested children in regular schools. Even after mainstreaming, the the Community Mobilizers remain in close contact with children to follow up of their progress and provide all necessary support to ensure their retention in schools.Street based Children dependent on drugs at Dundahera and Arjun Camp Children are also provided with non-formal education and other supplies includingfood, clothes, shoes, study materials along with daily utility sanitary items (toothpaste, brush, soap, hair oil etc.)A reading corner has been designated within the centreto motivate children to participate in functional literacy and life skills classes.Crayons, colors, sketch books add vibrancy & spark to the dull life of children while letting them vent out theiremotions through artisticexpression.
Medical Care/Camp for Slum dwellers
PAHAL organises regular heath camps in its implementation areas in association with Max Foundation for the slum dwellers who are unable to access or be reached out by the Government facilities/schemes. This facility helps the bearer to avail hassle free Health Check Ups at free of cost within the close proximity of their habitat. Within the catchment area of Dundahera& Arjun CampTwo health camps are organised every month with Free Medical Consultation and medicine distribution. A qualified medical practitioner is available during the health camps for the medical consultation and medicine distribution is only on prescription. So far through these camps, PAHAL has been able to reach out 614 people from these slums.
Community sensitisation programs rights of women, children an elderly as well as drug abuse prevention.
PAHAL has also been organizing various programs for the members of the Panchayati Raj Institutions and community members on Acts and Schemes for children, women and older persons and how to access the related benefits. During these programs people are also sensitized about ill effects of substance abuse, particularly by children and young people as well as ways for its prevention and management. Specific sensitization programs for women from these communities are also organized to generate awareness on their rights and entitlements, accessing existing programs and benefits, important of education for their children, maintaining health and hygiene practices at the family and community levels for improved health outcomes. These sensitization programs have helped in increasing participation of children in the non-formal education classes at these communities. Through these programs, efforts are made to involve community influential leaders and opinion makers to support education of vulnerable and out of school children. In order bring positive attitudinal change in parents and community members towards situation of children in terms of their rights and child protection, awareness generation programs are organized at regular intervals.
Emergency Response
PAHAL also has experience of working in emergency situations like natural and manmade calamities. In several occasions, PAHAL team has regularly organized relief camps in the areas affected by Fire Outbreak or slums demolished by civic authorities. Some of these areas include Arjun Camp, Rangpuri Pahari, Kusumpur Pahari, Mahipalpur, Bangali Basti, Munirka, Vasant Kunj, Kishan Garh, Kapeseda Border, Dundahera, village, Gurugram, Haryana, During these relief campsFood, Dry Ration, Milk, Clothes, Shoes, blankets, along with daily utility sanitary items (toothpaste, brush, soap, hair oil) etc. are made available to the affected population. During the current epidemic relating to COVID – 19, PAHAL with the support from various corporate houses has undertaken relief work in the Arjun Camp, Rangpuri Pahari, Mahipalpur, Kishangarh, Vasant kunj slums area,Massodpurvillage,Bangali Basti, Dundahera Village, Kapaseda, Nathupur, & Gurugram, areas. During these relief operations, Dry Ration kit (Rice, pulses, Cooking Oil, Salt, Masala, wheat, Biscuits, Soap, Mask, Hand Sanitizer), clothes, & shoes have been distributed to the slum dwellers.
Women Empowerment through Skill Building
With the aim to empower women from the slums and making them strengthen self-reliant, PAHAL operates vocational skill building programs for them. These vocational training programs are organized for Stitching, tailoring and embroidery at Arjun Camp, Mahipalpur, Delhi &Dundahera Gurugram, Haryana. So far, these vocational training centres have trained about 112 women in these trades. PAHAL also provides them require information and linkages for availing soft loans for starting their own tailoring shops. Efforts are also made to link up some of the young girls with the vocational training programs being implemented through Skills India Mission for their skills enhancement and sustained employment.
Life Skills Education.
PAHAL imparts Life skills education to Children/ Adolescents to help them develop social & emotional skills including social competence and problem-solving skills, which in turn help them to form their own identity. These life skills sessions with children from nearby slums are organized at the community learning centres. So far, 155 numbers of children have participated in these life skills programs.
Camps for minorities to sensitize them about relevant Welfare Progarmmes of the Government.
The Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India implements a range of welfare schemes for the minorities in general. These includes programs like: a) Access to information on public schemes b) Information is a first step and a key to receive the benefit of any government scheme. c) Person receives authentic information in simple language then journey to avail the benefits gets easyIn order to generate awareness about these programs amongst minority community for improving their access of these welfare programs, the Ministry of Minority Affairs support various awareness and sensitization programs. PAHAL Society for Development has implemented several such programs in Delhi and National Capital Region since 2018-19. During these programs, This awareness camp on public welfare schemes opened the eyes of the community. They got to know about their rights and entitlement in the camp. Although, people are eligible for receiving scheme benefits but access to information hinder them to process their applications.
Awareness programs in schools to educate children on ill effects of substance abuse, STI & HIV / AIDS, and improving health and hygiene status.
The State Unit of PAHA Society for Development has organised various awareness programs on ill effects of substance abuse, STI & HIV / AIDS, and ways to imporve health and hygeine status amongst young school goinig children in various Kendriya Vidyalayas in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. A team from PAHAL visists these schools on a particular day agreed with school authorities to conduct a participatory awareness and sensitization programs with children of class eitght onwards.
Rescue and Rehabilitation of pavement dwellers.
PAHAL through its group of dedicated volunteers conducts rescue operations during the winter season and links the homeless with appropriate care and support facilities. The aim is to ensure that no one is forced to sleep on the streets so that the urban homeless does no fall prey to cold weather and lose their lives. Through this initiative PAHAL has been providing rescue and rehabilitaion services to homeless, particularlystreet children, women, senior citizen, mental health patients, drug dependents, among others. The activities undertaken through this initiative include:
- Sensitization cum awareness program on COVID-19 (Corona virus) Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
- Free Checkup and Medical Consultation.
- Prescribed medicines distributed free of cost.
- Referrals to specialized centers e.g. DOTS, ICTC, PHC for diseases like TB, chikunguniya, Dengue, malaria etc.
- Sanitary pads for women.
- Distribution of hygiene kits including tooth paste, tooth brush, comb, hair oil, bathing soap, and detergent soap.
- Conducts rescue operations during the winter season and links the homeless with appropriate care and support facilities.
- The aim is to ensure that no one is forced to sleep on the streets so that the urban homeless does not fall prey to cold weather and lose their lives.