Project Overview:
Saathi Children Program focuses on providing roof to the children who are abandoned, abused, have poor economic state, victims of domestic violence and to the orphans since 2001. The children aged between 5 to 19 years are kept in the safer homes of Saathi children program. Altogether Saathi have five children safer homes, two for 85 boys and three for 106 girls. The children are provided long term shelter till they complete high school.
“Saathi Youth Program” was started in 2015. It is as an initiative to help and educate children who were sheltered by Saathi after they finished their high school (+2 or education of similar standard) and were re-integrated with the family or guardian. This program helped aspiring children to achieve their higher education so that their future would be safe and so that they could make a living out of it. The children, who do not have family, are provided rental room which they have to share with their friends from Saathi. They are provided those facilities till they are independent and can earn their living themselves. Total youth =29 (15 girls and 14 boys)
The four shelters and youth program have been successfully running with the support of Smart
Pharma Consultancy (Jean Michel Peny) and FSNB Health and Care (Francois Sarkozy) of France.
Saathi Crystal Kid project is being supported by Crystal Kid which comprises bunch of donors from
France.
“Drop in centre” was started from 2001 till 2009. Its aim was to meet the immediate needs of street children in the area while fighting against child abuse and exploitation by allowing the children the right to education. Total entry-822, family reintegation-228, scholarship-22, vocational training-77, referral to long term Saathi children home-115.
Objective:
- To provide protection to the children who are living in high risk and provide them safer environment, utmost love, care and child friendly environment.
- To help the children at the Shelter to become confident and self-reliant to live an independent life.
- To assess the family and to reintegrate them to their family.
- To find out the deep cause of their problem.
- To provide them psycho social counseling and life skills training to empower them.
- To give formal education and vocational trainings.
Activities:
In order to accomplish the proposed services certain activities are outlined which will act as a guideline to ensure the smooth implementation of the program. The activities are as follow:
- Safer Home
- Psycho Social
- Family Counseling
- Reintegration
- Follow up visits
- Formal Education
- Non-Formal Education
- Recreation/ Extracurricular activities
- Medical Support
- Group Care
- Training
- Cultural program and festivals
- Birthday Celebration
- Annual program
- Outing
Extra Activities:
“Bagali ma Kala” workshop that was held by Saathi and L’ArtenPocheasbl (organization at France) has created an impact on children in terms of developing their creativity, artistic skills and even boosting their confidence. The collaboration between Saathi and L’ArtenPocheasbl was initiated in 2008-2009 has been able to enhance children by molding their minds to learn these artistic abilities.
Classes for Tabala, flute, theatre activities and even vocal coaching are held which in return does not fail to provide us with optimistic outcome. Many of our students were trained in this workshop and it was successful to scoop out the inner talent within them
Awareness Raising Program:
The children and staffs are provided with various awareness raising programs on the following issues:
- Anger Management
- Health and Hygiene
- Child Sexual Abuse
- Family Values
- Child rights and child protection
- Value of Education
- Life skill
- Teenage & behavior problems\
- Parents Meeting
Key Achievements of the Program
- Six youths who had stayed in Saathi children home for a long period of time are now pursuing higher education abroad. Two of them are doing hotel management internship—one in China and the other in Doha in Qatar. One of the youths is earning bachelor’s degree in Information and Technology at Kyungdong University in Korea whereas 3 girls are pursuing higher study in Australia. Among them, one is placed at Canterbury Business College for diploma in Software Development while remaining two girls are doing bachelor’s level nursing and business studies respectively. These students are doing well as they are able to finance their study on their own and support themselves while working during free time.
- Three youths are doing very good in the field of Music. They are also teaching different musical instrument such as guitar, tabla, and fife for children at Saathi children home.
- Three youths are taking tuition classes as a teacher in the children homes.
- Four girls have been reintegrated with their families after they completed staff nurse degree, and are now working as nurse in reputed hospitals of Kathmandu.
- Two youths have completed Bachelors in Hotel Management and are working as chef.
- One youth had gone to Dubai investing the money he had earned and with the money supported by Saathi. He has come back to Kathmandu completing his 2-year study. He is currently working as a plumbing technician earning decently. Additionally, he is also responsible for the plumbing related maintenance works in Saathi’s children homes.
- Three boys from youth are doing Master’s Degree in different subjects.
- One of the youths is working as a tattoo artist.
- All the youths who are working at the moment are independent and supporting their families financially. They all are being paid well and their works have been liked and appreciated by their owners as well as the customers.
