WAY FORWARD AFTER THE RESCUE

Following is the report for the period Jan 1st 2020 to March 13th 2020

We have seen a steady growth in numbers at the Aftercare Home.  Few of our released girls from Pune and Boisar Home have been admitted to the Aftercare Home in Mumbai to enable them to seek jobs opportunities after their release from the Homes

For the School and College going girls it has been a stressful time of concentrating on their studies as the examinations approach in March and April 2020

Where health is concerned we have had few Health issues which have been referred to the local government hospital

No of Girls at Aftercare Home

22

Heatlh

HIV Follow Up

We have one college going girl who is living with HIV and doing well.  She is being supported with Education Materials, College Fees and Travel Expenses.

One of the newly admitted girl transferred from our Pune Home has severe Piles and is being treated at the govt. hospital 

Education

4 Girls have been preparing for their Grade 10th Examination.  

3 Girls have been attending regular college and they too are preparing to appear for their examinations.

1 has appeared for her 12th Grade examination and awaiting results

1 has appeared for her first year Banking Examination and awaiting results

1 has appeared for her Grade 14th Examinations and also attending a Police Training Program

All the girls attending Schools and Colleges are being supported with fees, travel allowances, pocket money and extra coaching by expert teachers

Vocational Training

2 of our girls are being trained in Tailoring Unit at the Shelter Home along with othe girls.  The training is being conducted by our partner organization.  They have been trained to make small pouches, bags, purses.  The team also conducts Life Skills for the girls who attend the training.  

Working Girls/Jobs

 3 Girls are working at Tailoring Units situated outside the Shelter Premises.  They travel daily to their workplace.  

1 of our girl has been appointed as a Care Taker/Security Guard in the month of March 2020.  Her appointment was in accordance with the request from Women & Child Development Dept. Mumbai.  

Me Too Experience

An organization visited the girls and did a Mime/Skit to share experiences of girls with regards to sexual abuse.  It was a good way to enable the girls to internalize the trauma they have been going through.  They realized they were not the only ones and scores of girls women across have gone through traumatic experiences which they need to share and not be ashamed of.

Menstrual Hygiene

All the girls attended a Menstrual Hygiene Session conducted by an organization. The session taught them the importance of Menstrual Hygience and they were also provided with Sanitary Pads and Hand Sanitizers 

Dance Sessions are being conducted on weekly basis to help them the girls to express themselves through dance movements.

Celebrations

Republic Day on 26th January 2020 was celebrated with much enthusiam by all the girls along with the other girls of our Homes across the State of Maharashtra.  Its been a long standing tradition to observe National Days at Rescue Foundation.  The girls learn and showcase the importance of our country and its history through songs, skits and dances.

Holi the festival of Colours was also celebrated within the Home with sprinkling of colours and enjoying sweets and special lunch for the occasion

Womens International Day 2020

Many of our girls wait for such important days to be able to express their desires, fears, experiences through skits, songs and dance.  Much preparation goes into this. This year too the staff were witness to these stories which ended in empowerment and overcoming of obstacles which our girls experience in their lives.  It also reaffirms our faith in the goodness of people around who can make a difference to the lives of our girls.  The staff took this opportunity to recognize and appreciate the achievements of our girls.

Brief Summary

This quarter has seen on an average some 20 girls as part of the project.  We have had some girls being handed over to their families and few of them have decided to make life on their own after a short period of support.

Some of the girls have been attending school college other have continued with their jobs and doing well.  We have also introduced some training for the girls who have time for skill building

Overall health has been good, and Rescue Foundation supports them in counseling and guidance with regards to their life ahead

Few girls have been upset that their families have refused to have them. They have been counseled and helped.  4 girls were feeling down and were supported with a short visit to their families.  They came back freshed and in good spirit.  They continue with their jobs in Mumbai

Care & Protection

Though the girls are released and majors Rescue Foundation is accountable for their Care & Protection and as a part this objective we montior and support in interventions with regards to their health, education, counseling, vocational training, job placements.

Besides these we also are a link between the girls and their families, support them during their struggeles in job hunting, are present during thier court hearings

Heath Monitoring 

Health has been good for all the girls.  

One girl living with HIV has been doing wel, she is regular with her treatment and her CD4 count(levels for monitoring )is good.  She is also doing well in her college studies

Another girl has had some eysight problem and could not contiue with her job.  She was treated by an eye specialist but had to leave her job and decide to go back home

Mental Health

Regular counselling is done by the in house counselor besides another organization which has intitiated a Counseling Cell .  This Cell will be instrumental and handling cases of girls with trauma

Education

4 girls have been registered to appear for their 10th Grade Examination.  They are also supported with private and special coaching for preparation

3 Girls attend college and are doing well in thier studies

Job Placments

6 girls are working, some work in tailoring untis, some are private assistants to elderly persons

We have also visited the work places to ensure safety and better payment for some of our girls

Vocational Training

Fabric Painting, tailoring and making products such as bags, pouches is conducted at Rescue Foundation Training Center

Celebration

Diwali the Festival of Lights was celebrated with great excitement

Childrens Day in November was celebrated by participating in Balmahotsav which was orgainized at the District Level by the District Women & Child Development Department.  4 of our girls participated in the Sports Competition and took away some prizes in Drawing & Mehndi contests.  We are proud of our girls who secured one 1st Prize and another 3rd Prize

Networking & Partnerships

We have partnered with Majlis an organization for legal support for women and girls.  We have also partnered with different govt. organization to support our girls during their court hearings 

We have also got support for giving identity proofs for our girls 

Ensuring Safety During Travel

Most of the girls travel in groups and theres always one girls in charge whio has acess to a phone. One staff is connected to the group on the phone to ensure help in times of needed

Admission /Discharge/Transfers/Uniting with Families

1 girl decided to move on and got into a paying guest accomodation after spending 1 year with us.  She is doing well

2 Girls were handed over to their families.  One was handed over to her grandmother and the other to her father

1 went back to her sister

Admissions

4 new girls 2 from Mumbai, 1 from Boisar and another from Pune were added as per their consent after their release from the Shelter Home.