1. Home
  2. About Us
    1. Our Vision
    2. Genesis
    3. Concerns
    4. Executive Board
    5. Audit Report
    6. Our Team
    7. Our Funding Partners & Associates
  3. OUR INTERVENTIONS
    1. Education
    2. Health
    3. Gender Equality & Social Justice
    4. Strengthening Democratic Process
    5. Livelihood Promotion
    6. Local Governance
    7. Children Home at Varanasi
    8. Community Intervention at Varanasi
    9. Research & Documentation
  4. NEWS & EVENTS
  5. Publications
  6. CONTACT US


Children Home at Varanasi

Although a Saga Behind Success of Children Home


Saksham Project – VARANASI (U.P.)

No one can believe that a child dies from poverty in every 3 seconds - that's 30,000 children die each and every day. India has a third of the world's poor - more than any other country and 456 million people, or 42% of the population, live below the international poverty. Estimate shows that 18 million children are on street and millions more are out of school and are involved in child labour spending their day on the streets begging, and in the nights sleeping at the side of the road or on railway platforms. These are the reason why PRAYATN started to serve those children who have never dreamt of a good quality education and other basic needs.

Varanasi has a good cultural environment located on the banks of River Ganga is one of the holiest place of India and known as centre of learning and civilization for over 2000 years. Varanasi is also a city of temples and River Ghats. But in other side, socio-economic condition is very poor and the lower economic status deprives the children of several developmental needs and opportunities. The basic facilities like health and education are often neglected. In order to provide an enabling environment for mainstreaming the deprived children, Prayatn have joined their hands with BACK to Life Germany to help the underprivileged children of our country to realize their potential.


Origin and evolution of the Children’s Home

This home was started by a loving lady Stella Deetjen (In India known as Tara) from Germany came to India to help some leprosy patients at Dashaswamedh Ghat of Varanasi, and coined an idea to start a children home for the kids of these helpless people and finally it came out with a name called “Back to life”.

Her compassionate heart was deeply moved when she saw the children of leprosy patient who were in need and in a very pathetic situation at Dashashwamedh Ghat, the children were absolutely deprived from his childhood necessities. This was the beginning of Children’s Home.

Tara’s caring work expanded in scope and in 1992, started with few children in rented house then it shifted to Assi Ghat to accommodate more children, and acquired their own building at NAGWA.

In 2008, Prayatn came to serve the children through project SAKSHAM, took building on rent in Mehmoorganj (Varanasi).

From handful of children in 1995 in Dasaswamedh to 96 children nurturing their dream, studying in best schools and enjoying the milieu with special care for the special children and involvement in extra curriculums activity like Tabla and Kathak, Karate, Yoga, Tye and Dye etc.

Prayatn Children's Home, located at Shivaji Nagar, Mahmoorganj, Varanasi, is a warm and caring center for the destitute and neglected children. Girls and boys are residing in separate homes. PRAYATN Children's Home was registered by State Control Board, of Women and Child Development Department, Uttar Pradesh on September 5th, 2008.

Prayatn strives to nurture, protect, care and develop the destitute children who are left in the streets, GHATs of Varanasi, and also children from poor, suppressed by diseases like AIDS, Leprosy, and broken families. Its purpose is to promote the total development of children through loving care in a homely atmosphere with adequate nutrition and healthy social interaction and to educate all children till they are old and mature enough to venture out independently.

Salient Features of Our Children Home

         
     Separate hostels for boys and girls

               Centrally located, all schools are within reach

               School bus for the kids to take and drop

               Separate Bicycle for the elder children

               Tuition classes for every child

               Separate guard for both the building

               Separate teacher for special children (for Physically and mentally challenged)

Currently we have 84 children at Prayatn Children's Home out of which 40 children belong to leprosy patient’s families, 7 were engaged in begging, and 3 are from those families who are suffering from AIDS. These children are from different age group as well as from different locations and background which is as per the table given.
 

S.No Place of belongingness Boys Girls Total
1 Bhadohi 6 13 19
2 Sankatmochan 11 2 13
3 Dashaswamedh 2 5 7
4 Luxa 0 2 2
5 Nagwa 3 5 8
6 Tulsipur 3 0 3
7 Dashawamedh Ghat (Migrant from Bihar) 27 1 28
8 Other Places 2 2 4

Total    

54 30 84

Out of 84 Children 48 are boys and 28 are girls below the age of 18 and mostly are from Ghats, temples and streets of Varanasi. The number is expected to increase with time but because of resource constraint and our commitment for quality in service for holistic development of the kids, we have restricted to increase the number of kids.

Class wise distribution of kids is very interesting we have 6 boys and 2 girls who have crossed the age of 18. Prayatn has provided him all the facilities, but accommodating him outside the children home taking care the philosophy and legal implication of the home. Rest children are below the age of 18 and they are getting a good quality education in the best schools of Varanasi and performing well at their levels. The below table has been drawn in accordance with the educational level of kids.

Here are some major activities, being performed by children with support of 26 team members of Prayatn, out of which 16 are female and 10 are male employees. The team comprises of teachers, Drivers, Kitchen staff, cleaning staff, Nurse, storekeeper, Accountant, Security Staff, Warden, Project level officers and Coordinators.

Now PRAYATN Children’s Home is a sanctuary for many destitute children who are either orphans or whose parents are mentally or physically or socio-economically incompetent to look after their children and all of these children attend school. The main source of income for BACK To LIFE is the donation or the help rendered by compassionate people.

 

 

 Home  |  Site Map  |  Contact Us
Copyright @ Prayatn - 2014. All rights reserved.