Friday, July 20, 2012

Snehalaya’s Students Shine at Ashter Aadhar Maharashtra State Chess Championship 2012


Snehalaya students once again proved their mettle in yet another successful voyage. This time it was the field of brain mine of Chess. Shruti Kumbhar and Shaikh Jayada participated in under-19 Maharashtra State Chess Championship 2012 held at Kolhapur from 10 July to 13 July. They both qualified for the state championship after sweeping honors at district level in Ahmednagar. It was really a commendable effort without having any professional training in the game. They scored 2.5 and 1.5 points respectively out of 7 rounds securing 30th and 34th place in the state.
Shruti Kumbhar & Jayada Shaikh with their certificate & award
President Suvalal Shingavi, Co-president Sanjay Gugale,  Secretary Rajiv Gujar, Milind Kulkarni, Hon. Director  Girish Kulkarni, Asst. Director, Trustee Dr.Suhas Ghule, Mr. Ambadas Chavan , Asst. Secretary Mr. Anil Gawade, Rehab Center project coordinator Mr. Sharad Jadhav and the whole Snehalaya family congratulate the budding champions and wish them good luck for their future endeavors. 

Friday, July 13, 2012

Female Percentage Increased in Ahmednagar District


Ahmednagar, 11th July, 2012

The female percentage of the population in Ahmednagar district is increased due to the consistent and coordinated  efforts of Snehalaya  and govt. agencies.  Last year's survey, since June 2011, reported the ratio of female births at 813 per 1000 males.  This year in the official  survey of April, May and June 2012, the number of female births was found increased up to 850 against 1000 boys. These statistics were officially announced  by Mr.Ashok Pawade, Dy.CEO of Ahmednagar Zillah Parishad on 11 July, 2012.

Snehankur Adoption Centre  had organized a felicitation ceremony on today at Snehankur Centre. The NGO has respectfully invited  those who have played the conscious roles in converting conventional efforts into an encouraging  success story.

Dr. Ravindra Niturkar (Dist. Civil Surgeon ),  Mrs. Vaishali Shinde (Dy.Police chief),  Dr.Priti Deshpande, well known social worker,  and many others were present as chief guests to celebrate this success on  the occasion. Dr.Niturkar  said that , mainly the  "Stree Bhrun Hatya Mukta Gaon Abhiyan" (People's Movement to make a village free from  female feticide) by Snehalaya -Snehankur, the strict implementation of PNDT Act, the schemes by Gram panchayats like depositing 2000 rupees in the name of  female immediately after her birth, the get-together program of pregnant women at village level, etc.  have proved as  very effective measures in changing the trend. Government agencies alone cannot face the complex social challenge of female  feticide but it needs the active involvement of NGOs and society to fight the social evil of female feticide. Snehalaya and Snehankur volunteers have reached out to grass roots with positive messages. This movement is  working 24 x 7 and also saves the underweight and premature girl children who were the victims of social customs.  "These efforts need no money but a strong will power for social change," Dr.Niturkar said.


4 Children get their Mummy & Papa…..

On this occasion,  4 children  were given in adoption to families by Snehankur Adoption centre .Out of these 4 kids, 3 were girl children. They are the survivors as their  lives were  saved after the  attempts of feticide. They were underweight and premature when saved by 'Team Snehankur.'  Mr. Ajay Wable concluded the function by giving a pledge to all to save the girl child & to work hard  for achieving  the goal  of an equal  male to female ratio  by the end of  2015 in Ahmednagar district. 20 volunteers  who had contributed in this mission were also honored at the occasion.


Present  statistics of  females per 1000 males….

Present available statistics of Ahmednagar district shows that the female percentage is worse  in economically-progressed areas than from the economically  backward areas of the district.

Rahata  tehsil is famous due to the international pilgrim centre of Shirdi. The female ratio in Shirdi-Rahata area is just 758 . Sangamner is the tehsil of state revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat where the percentage is  752. Shrigonde is the tehsil represented by  Dist. Guardian Minister Mr.Babanrao  Pachpute of NCP.  Here  the percentage is  804. In shevgaon-820, Rahuri-814, Karjat-922, Jamkhed-903, Pathardi-909, Jamkhed-903, Shrirampur-912.

Akole is the tribal, socially-economically-educationally  backward  tehsil of Ahmednagar district. Here the female ratio is 952, found much better than other well-off tehsils.

"Snehankur has decided to concentrate more  on Shrigonde, Rahata, Rahuri, Sangamner and Shevgaon tehsils in the next 2 years," informed Kundan Pathare,  Asst.coordinator of Snehankur Adoption Center.  He urges every citizen to step forward  to stop female feticide &  help in empowering the girl child in every possible way.  "The action must begin at home, in our families, in our communities," he added.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Taking Up Social Causes



Taking Up Social Causes
NGO Snehalaya has recently start a new venture in Pune to empower the children in slums
-Omkar Ekbote
Snehalaya is an NGO which was founded initially to improve the lives of the victims of commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking. It started its work in the red-light areas of Ahmednagar in 1989 and is currently working in all 14 Tehsils of Ahmednagar and neighboring districts of Nashik, Pune and Solapur. Today, while supporting over 400 homeless destitute children in residential homes, providing shelter and vocational training to more than 60 women in distress, educating over 900 children in slum based Bal-bhavans, empowering and rehabilitating over 2100 commercial sex workers to lead a better life, providing medical treatment for over 6000 HIV men and women every year, managing a 24x7 Childline and rescue operations, regularly saving children and women from abuse, facilitating adoption and placement of hundreds of infants into good families - Snehalaya is a place of vibrant activities that is making a positive difference to peoples’ lives and the society every single day.

“Every child and woman has the right to lead a life, free from discrimination, inequality and exploitation. This is the key to our nation building,” says Dr. Girish Kulkarni, founder, Snehalaya. Snehalaya’s Rehabilitation Center was setup with a vision to address the specific needs of vulnerable children and women in difficult circumstance like destitutes, ex-prisoners, victims of sexual abuse, including those trafficked and rescued from brothels, those who have been rendered homeless due to natural calamities like flood and earthquake, etc., through a home-based holistic and integrated approach. It provides a home, hope and future for more than 350 children and women.

Snehalaya started adoption and rehabilitation of unwed mothers in 2003 as project ‘Snehankur’ within the Rehabilitation Center. It was later expanded and setup as a separate facility for child care and adoption in 2005 as a professionally managed, licensed adoption center. ‘Bal-bhavan’ is a unique model of social change primarily focused on providing education and improving health conditions of the children living in the slums, in and around Ahmednagar. Snehalaya is actively working in these slums for their improvement and rehabilitation, since 2007 and is educating more than 900 students everyday. Snehalaya runs six Bal-bhavans in slums around Ahmednagar town - Sanjaynagar, Dashrathnagar, Mukundnagar, Ramwadi, Bharaskarnagar and Borkarnagar. Snehalaya started a 24 x 7 helpline for children and women in distress in 1996, which was integrated to national childline network in 2003. The CHILDLINE service can be reached by dialing 1098 round the clock - 365 days a year.

On June 15, 2012, Anna Hazare celebrated his 75th birthday in Snehalaya by inaugurating the foundation of the new English medium school in Snehalaya. Anna Hazare also paid a visit to Snehalaya’s dream project, ‘Himmatgram’ at Isalak village near Ahmednagar. Himmatgram is an extension to the Rehabilitation Project which strives to provide a new life to HIV patients by encouraging them to engage in self-sustained farming and dairy activities.

Well-established in Ahmednagar, Snehalaya is now extending its activities in Pune, at Katraj, starting with a ‘Bal-bhavan’ project. Snehalaya believes that the development of the society, no matter how large the city is, lies in the roots of its slums. And this development can be brought about by first empowering the underpreviliged youth living in these slums. An employment guidance and opportunity center at Katraj along with computer training facilities will ensure that every child living in the slum is competent enough to compete with any other child in the city. Along with these primary activities, a ‘Bachat-Gat’ and a library for books will also be established here in due course of time. To inaugurate this project, an event was organised at ‘Nivara Vrudhashram’, Navi Peth, Pune on June 30, 2012. Dr. Girish Kulkarni, founder, Snehalaya, spoke at the event along with social activist and writer, Anil Avchat.
Photo Caption(s):Dr. Girish Kulkarni, founder, Snehalaya

Published Date:  Jul 06, 2012

Monday, July 2, 2012

Self-Help Activity in Slum


Snehalaya’s Two Girls Passed Physician Assistant Exams With Flying Colors

1st July, 2012

Two smiling girls shyly showed their mark sheet. They had cleared their P.A. exams with 75% and 72%.  At a very basic level, the difference between a PA and a nurse is that a physician assistant is trained to diagnose and treat medical illnesses, although under the supervision of a physician, while a nurse primarily provides nursing, or bedside care.

One of the girls (aged 18) had come to Snehalaya 6 years ago after the death of her mother. She has a younger brother who also lives at Snehalaya. Her dad was not able to take care of the kids after his wife’s death and as a result handed over the children to Snehalaya. He regularly comes to visit the kids. They were tested HIV+ after coming here. She enjoys dancing and writing in English. Her aim is to pursue further education and secure a good and stable job.






The other girl (aged 17) came to Snehalaya in 2009. She has an elder sister who is married now and a younger brother who lives at Snehalaya. Her parents died due to AIDS. After that, her brother and she were rehabilitated at Snehalaya. She enjoys Indian art forms like rangoli and mehndi. Her aim is to work at Snehalaya for the unprivileged people.


These girls are unique. In spite of being HIV+ and coming from a poor background they have worked diligently. Both of them are happy and have dreams and hopes which they are eager to fulfill.