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The 61st republic day was celebrated with great pomp and enthusiasm at the dumping ground under the Niramaya Rag picker Health care Program. Ms. Jamuna Vradachary, Niramaya’s most committed volunteer, doctors and Health workers attended the function.
The program started with the National anthem. 32 children, 12 adolescent girls and 22 women from the rag picker’s community took part in the various activities during the day. The children delivered speeches and sang patriotic songs. One Health worker addressed the crowd regarding the importance of the day and commitment of every Indian to the country.
Adolescent girls and women participated in Candle lighting and Mehandi competitions. Game of Musical Chairs created greatest excitement among the children of Drop-in center. They thoroughly enjoyed all the running around without the stress of daily working in the dumping ground. Three prize winning entries were selected from each Activity and given to the winners. The Program was concluded with distribution of snacks and chocolates. |
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Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s birthday is celebrated as “Children's Day” in India on 14th November. It is a day to remember a leader who, in his quiet but determined way, laid the foundation to convert a nascent nation into a world power. A visit to ‘Nehru Planetarium and Science Center in Worli’ was planned for the unprivileged children from the “Rag Pickers Project” On 20th December.
Niramaya has Drop- in- Center at Raffique Nagar in Govandi, Deonar under ‘Niramaya Rag-picker Healthcare Project’ sponsored by Glaxo SmithKline Company for children of rag pickers community. The purpose of this picnic was to create awareness among these kids about importance of education, science and technology in particular and to take them for an outing away from the mundane and routine work of rummaging through the garbage. 41 children and the staff of Niramaya participated in this event.
Our first visit was to Nehru planetarium. Here they were completely awed by viewing the Planet configurations, Stars, and their movements on the wide dome screen—something which they had never thought or imagined.
We then moved to Science Center for the next attraction of video show about the habitat, Behavior, eating patterns, and the life of wild animals in the forest settings of Africa. The video also showed underwater sea world and one could see the excitement and the wonder on the faces of these children.
Another video seen by the kids with 3D animation was on Nasa Space Center models and their working, light and Sound theories and computer usage. There were shrieks of fear filled with excitements at the 3D experience!
Next, the children visited science technology center where they could with the press of a button see scientific experiments in chemistry, physics etc. Children enjoyed all kinds of games and were most happy as they were allowed to personally handle the buttons and create whatever their imagination allowed. It was most satisfying to see their faces lit up with their achievements when the right buttons were pressed and answers were correct! All in all, the children were very happy and content and ready to go home after refreshments. |
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Niramaya has 2 static clinics in Bainganwadi and Raffique Nagar in Govandi catering mostly to migrant zari workers and karigar, Rag pickers and their families, and underserved and marginalized population residing there. Our Health care includes preventive, promotive and curative services at the clinic and on home and Karkhana (Sweatshop) visits. In addition, Niramaya with the help of other charitable organizations conducts ‘Special checkups camps’ for the beneficiaries in these communities. Two eye checkup camps were organized through ‘Vision Foundation of India - BCEI’ located at Babulnath and ‘Mahatme Health and Happiness Hospital’ of Mulund 23rd and 16th December respectively. 158 Beneficiaries took advantage of these camps. Of these, 17 clients had refractive errors and were provided free spectacles while 14 patients were diagnosed with cataract and were asked to report for FREE cataract surgery at the respective hospitals. Niramaya will follow up with these clients and assist them to have surgery as soon as possible. |
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1. In Tribal Area of Nashik district… |
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‘World AIDS Day’, observed on December 1st every year is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. The theme for year 2009 is “Human rights and Universal access”. The theme implies the critical need to protect rights of people living with HIV (PLHIV) and focuses on HIV prevention, treatment, care and support accessible to all. The theme acts as a call to every nation to remove discriminating laws against people living with HIV.
Niramaya Health Foundation in collaboration with Gramin Arogya Vikas Sanstha (GAVS) and K.B.H school observed this day at Karanjali-a village in Nasik District on the 4th of December 2009.
Stressing on awareness campaign, a huge rally of 600 school students, teachers and Niramaya health workers was organized from a school to gram panchayat ground with various posters, slogans and banners addressing prevention and ABC (Abstinence, Be faithful, Condom promotion) approach for local community to make them aware and understand the issue.
Poster exhibition was arranged at gram panchayat ground where rally concluded. Special invitees for the occasion were Sabhapati of peth taluka, local Primary Health Center medical officer. They addressed the community and adolescents about the deadly disease, its prevention and importance of Behavior Change Communication, and living with PLHIV people after formal inauguration.
After the formal opening of the exhibition, people gathered around the posters which gave information on what is HIV/AIDs, how it is contracted, spread of disease and prevention, symptoms and signs, and development of opportunistic infections. Posters on living and care of people with HIV/AIDS and myths and misconceptions were depicted through pictorials. There were several queries which were answered by the organizers. It was a success beyond our expectations. |
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2. In slums of Mumbai… |
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Niramaya is working on creating awareness and prevention of HIV/ AIDS under the project “Workplace Intervention among Migrant Zari workers to reduce HIV/AIDS and create Awareness” supported by Avert society. The project works in slums of Mumbai -- Dharavi, Bandra, and Govandi which has a large migrant population working in zari karkhanas and community. The zari workers are mostly from Bihar and Utter Pradesh states, living in groups mostly without their families and form a High Risk group having same sex relationships and also frequently visit commercial sex workers. They are reluctant to use condom and hence are likely target to get STIs, including HIV/AIDS. They in turn infect their wives back home on their visits to their hometowns and thus spread continues.
Niramaya has made all possible efforts to make migrant community and target groups aware about the HIV/AIDS as per theme of year during HIV/AIDs week.
Activities focusing mainly on prevention and ABC- Astinence, Be faithful, Condom promotion
Street play have major role to play in mass communication and is always effective to pass desired information towards the beneficiaries. Niramaya has organized such show through ‘Rachna Foundation’ in Dharavi and Govandi areas with theme on “Living with PLHIV, discrimination issues, myths and misconception and availability and use of services to everyone”. The street play had a great impact on the people as there were so many questions asked and discussion held about such an issue which is normally not talked about.
Poster exhibitions and awareness sessions were also held at most of places with stalls to distribute various IEC materials to community on HIV/ AIDS, STI infections and importance of voluntary counseling and testing.
Documentary film screening of ‘Main Jeena Chahta Hun’ –“I wish to live”, was organized for target beneficiaries of every working area; The Theme of documentary is about people living with HIV/ AIDS, difficulty in accepting the truth about being HIV positive, and the discrimination they face. The film also discussed about the need for counseling for HIV positive persons and also to the families to dispel myths and misconception associated with being sero- positive.
We also had one to group discussion with target groups explaining importance of life and how a PLHIV can live wholesome life with proper lifestyle, good nutrition and medication which are well available now. They are encouraged to think on positive aspects of life and work towards self independence.
We have thus used Poster exhibitions, Stalls, Street plays, IEC distribution, and Documentary film shows as a tool for awareness in communities for this event during a period of Week. Niramaya will continue to focus on awareness and prevention of HIV/AIDS through out the year as one of its major health activity. |
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Niramaya participated in NGO MELA organized by Concern India Foundation at BPCL sport club on 29th November 2009. The objective of the Mela was to create awareness of individual NGO’s programs and projects among the participating NGOs and create future collaborations between them for effective community impact. It was a full day activity and all the participating NGO’s had stalls for posters, exhibitions and sale of products.
Niramaya also had a Stall with posters with information on various health issues like addiction, Nutrition, anemia & balanced diet, growing up, family planning and HIV/AIDs.
Several other NGOs after visiting our stall were interested in having collobaration with us in some of our projects and having future activities jointly for the community.
We also organized various games for children, community people and participating representatives of other organizations. |
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