Bal Ghar and St. Kabir Academy

Bal Bhawan

This Project became the lightening rod for Sahaita after reading an article in Tribune in March 2005 describing the dire situation of an 80+ year old woman trying to take care of 60+ children.

Previously, this was a sole Red Cross institution, and due to other priorities and lack of funds this facility was being neglected. The whole facility infra-structure was in need of repair due to the fact that there was only a single care taker responsible for its upkeep. Bal Bhawan’s campus had two schools; one was for the children mentally challenged and other a Government school for normally active Children. Education level was sub-standard and majority of children were not successful in passing their classes. The serving of the meals was dependent on the availability of donors and food.

Sahaita took over the Bal Bhawan facility with the understanding and goal to provide all these children with a better future and to live a life of dignity and knowing that someone cared and they were wanted. These children had already suffered a great deal in life, and continuous suffering may sometimes become a drastic step in life where they lose trust and respect for society as a whole.

Bal Bhawan Cause Summary

This facility contains two schools and a residential complex for the children. The residential complex houses children, who are physically and developmentally challenged, abandoned and of parents who are themselves disabled.

Key Sahaita Accomplishments

Sahaita Redcross Model School

This facility is privately run by Sahaita and employs highly educated teachers who are very devoted to the studies and helping these children. The school exam results for the past two years speak for themselves, showing that the level of education these children are receiving and the 100% passing rate is equivalent or better than the other schools. In addition, Sahaita is providing the funding to provide the students evening coaching classes in order for them to be able to better utilize their time and in turn increase their level of education. Currently, 7 children are going to high school utilizing Sahaita’s funds and support.

Library and Media Room

Created a separate library and media room with its own study desks and chairs, and a television and a DVD player for children’s entertainment. In addition for the developmentally challenged school, a television and DVD player with corresponding educational program CDs.

Sahaita’s School for the Developmentally Disabled

This School is focused on providing the facilities, education and supporting the associated activities for the developmentally disabled children and with hearing problems. This school also supports the education of surrounding communities for children with development and hearing disabilities.

Sponsor a Child Program

This program continues to support the education of Bal Bhawan children even after they leave Bal Bhawan due to age limitation upon receiving approval from their parents.

Storage Rooms

Provided storage rooms fitted with custom cupboards so that the children have their own space to place their belongings.

Playground Lawn and Gates

New lawn for the children play ground and for the beautification of the surroundings of the Bal Bhawan, and in addition, two separate security gates are installed for children’s safety.

Facility Improvements & Maintenance

Built new bathrooms, increased the height of the facility walls (including glass and barbed wire) and continue to fund and support on-going facility improvements and maintenance activities

Caretaker

Funded an additional caretaker for sweeping, lawn and landscape maintenance.

Extra Curricular Activities

In order to address the variety of talents these children possess, a part time music teacher was hired to train the children. In addition, dance workshops, Gymnastic classes and other vocational training programs were instituted in order to add variety in learning and address the many interests of the children. It is exciting  to report that only after a year of introducing the children to gymnastics that they were able to achieve a runner-up status in Punjab’s gymnastics competition held in Khanna City.

Healthcare and Wellness

Sahaita provides funding to support not only the daily needs but also the healthcare (medical, dental, and psychological) and wellness for all the children within the two Bal Bhawan schools. Additional funding and on-going needed support is provided by donors that are located in local surrounding areas to the facility.

Holiday and Birthday Celebrations

Every month the Bal Bhawan facility holds special events that include both different festival celebrations, magic shows (conducted by caretaker’s husband whose mother was a previous caretaker of this facility), birthday parties for those children whose birthday fall within that particular month. These celebrations include music, dance and just overall fun for all the children. Sahaita India team, local Red cross and Lions club join us in these efforts and make these children feel that they are special.

Future Plans

1. To continue and support Bal Bhawan as long as the local Red cross organization allows us to maintain control with the clear understanding that our only goal is the welfare and meeting the needs of all the children within the facility.
2. Teach and provide the children the necessary educational tools so that they can better themselves and support the day to day needs of the facility.
3. Upgrade the school and provide the necessary facility space for lab and equipment with Computer and labs in order to be able to support higher education plans.
4. Children who show the potential and interest in particular areas will be provided the opportunity and necessary tools in order to be able to excel in their chosen areas.
5. Continue to support Vocational training so that the children have the opportunity to learn other trades which will help them to become self sufficient and support themselves in life.
6. Future upgrade and equipment needs will be supported. The main goal is that the children have the opportunity to receive similar levels of education and rewards as other schools within the community at large.
7. Continue to support the dance, gymnastics and music workshops
8. Sahaita USA and Canada Teams – Special Bi-annual and annual trips by the US and Canada team members will continue. The main goal of these trips is not only to visit, but spend quality time with the children in order to gain a better understanding of the work sahaita is doing, and at the same acquire the experience as to what these visits mean to the children.

Farmer Support Project

Sahaita started the Punjab Farmer support project in late 2015. Punjab, the bread basket of India since the Green revolution, is enduring epidemic of farmer suicide. The small farmers and the farm labor are the most vulnerable and are committing suicide as an escape from their debt burden or bad crop. The affected families include young children, elder parents and spouses who are left behind hopeless. Multiple cases are being reported in majority of villages across Punjab. Sahaita acknowledged this crisis and resolved to lend the helping hand to the affected families.

Sahaita has committed to supporting farmers and farm labor and are offering necessary financial and legal support.  Sahaita is taking a three-pronged approach to supporting farmers and their families:

Prevention

• Work proactively to prevent suicides via grass root mediation
• Crop diversification education
• Fiscal responsibility education

Family support

• Education for children (including school fees, books, uniforms and other child support)
• Monthly support allowance for family

Debt consolidation

• Early stage exploration into Indian laws regarding loan consolidation and refinancing options

Currently Sahaita is supporting 25 families from 8 different villages (Kokri Kalan, Nihal Khote, Bhaini Bagha, Burj Rathi, Akalia, Joga, Ralla, Aatla).  Considering the enormity of the situation, the target is to cover 100 families by the end of 2016.  We need your support to realize this goal and help us serve more families.  Donate today or help adopt a family for as little as $500 per year.

Blind & Deaf schools

Sahaita has been providing financial assistance to children at Blind and Deaf schools in Patiala and Ludhiana for a number of years now. At Patiala school, Sahaita provides for the expenses of about 25 children and at Ludhiana about 10 children. Students at these institutions are provided computer-based learning.

Blind & Deaf schools Cause Summary

Bal Ghar and St. Kabir Academy

SGB International foundation was created in 2003 and they established Bal Ghar with 3 abandoned children rescued from Railway Station, Ludhiana by a couple of selfless volunteers. Since then Bal Ghar has been rescuing orphans, disabled, unwanted and unclaimed children and giving them a secure home and future. In 2004 Saint Kabir Academy school was established for education of these kids, right now it teaches up to 12th and is CBSE affiliated. In 2005, Bal Ghar was recognized by State & Centre Govt.. as Indian placement agency for adoption of children. Over 200 adoptions have been made possible from Bal Ghar. At this time (April, 2015) there are about 55 children at Bal Ghar and their age ranges from few months to 17 years old.

Sahaita’s association with Bal Ghar has started from 2003 itself. Sahaita is the only organization that funds Bal Ghar and St. Kabir Academy apart from some individual donor contributions. Many Sahaita volunteers regularly visit Bal Ghar and always come back impressed by the care provided to the children. Many Sahaita volunteers have adopted children from Bal Ghar. There have been numerous instances where disabled children have been able to receive medical assistance in some of the best hospitals in India thanks to the generosity of Sahaita volunteers.

Bal Bhawan Cause Summary

Eye Clinic

Sahaita funds an eye clinic in village Sarinh and most of the funding comes from Sahaita volunteers in Kenya. This clinic is located on the older premises of Sarabjit memorial hospital facility. This clinic operates 6 days a week and Sahaita has an opthamalist assistant and nursing assistant on-site . Most of the eye camps are held at this facility. Initially there was no fee for treating patients but now there is a minimum fee to make sure that only genuine patients come in to the facility.

Cause Summary