Aruna Asaf Ali Memorial Trust (Regd.)

AREAS OF ACTIVITIES: The areas where the Trust is presently focussing on and will continue to do so in the future comprise of the slums of Chandigarh, Panchcula (Haryana), Mohali (Punjab) and Himachal Pradesh.

ON GOING ACTIVITIES: The Aruna Asif Ali Memorial Trust has presently undertaken the following activities-

1. Three Child Labour Education Centres are providing educational facilities to working children for 3 hours every afternoon in Chandigarh & Panchcula. At present we are running four centres. All these schools are following the syllabus of OPEN SCHOOL.

2. One Open School at the Bhawan is being run for those children who do not attend any school or are drop-outs. All these schools are following the syllabus of Govt. Primary School. For the last 2 years, school children, at the Bhawan, are being given 200 ml. Milk, a bun and multivitamin, every morning. This is being taken care of by people’s voluntary donations.

3. Free Medical Camps for Children:

• A Medical Camp is held at the Bhawan every 6 months for eyes, dental & general check-up for children, their parents & their relatives.

• A gynaecology camp is held for women.

• To make the women aware of their rights and responsibilities, an Awareness Camp is held once a year at the Bhawan, Sector 25- Chandigarh and Mohali (Punjab). The camp is held for a week and then after a break of 15 days, for another 5 days.  It is a continuing process.

• The organisation aims at spreading awareness of legal aid & individual rights amongst women. Stress is laid on personal and general hygiene. Special sessions are held for home remedies for normal ailments, for the families.

• Food  and Nutrition is given special importance during these camps.Most important – managing of household with limited money, is stressed upon.

• We have had cancer detection camp with the help of Sahayata, in sector 25 & at the Bhawan, for the underprivileged & the marginalised. The camp was highly appreciated by the residents of sector 25, as it is a predominantly working class area.

• A workshop for 15 days was organised with the help of Radio Masters to train our students in voice modulation and theatre. Radio Masters then organised a competition on Radio Dramas. Various schools of Chandigarh and Punjab participated in the competition which was held at Bal Bhawan, sector 23, Chandigarh. Our children of Child Labour Education Centre presented a short skit on environment. Neha, was given a prize in appreciation of her performance.

4. Counselling Centre for Family Disputes: Every Saturday a meeting takes place from 11a.m. to 2 p.m. We hear both sides and try to bring an understanding between the two parties.

5. Tailoring, Embroidery & Craft Centres: These centres are being run at Naya Gaon, Nada Village, Labour Colony Sector 25-Chandigarh, Aruna Asif Ali Bhawan & Togan Village. On an average a class has 25 students who are given 6 months of elementary  and 9 months of advanced training. At the end of the course needy students are given sewing machines.

6. Beautician Training Course: This course is being run at Aruna Asif Ali Bhawan, Togan Village and Naya Gaon. Around 20 students are given training at this centre. It is a two-level course – 6 months of elementary level and 9 months of advanced level. At the end of the course needy students are given Beautician Working Kits.

7.  Computer Training Centre: Computer Training was introduced at Aruna Asif Ali Bhawan in 2006. The students are given 6 months of elementary and 9 months of advanced training and most of the students are absorbed by various organizations.

8. WAPCOS: Four projects were organized with the financial support of WAPCOS wherein we imparted electrical training to young boys at Mani Majra, and plumbing & computer training at Aruna Asif Ali Bhawan. Home nursing courses were also organized for 40 girls who were given training for six months at Mani Majra.

9. SOSVA: Society For Service to Voluntary Agencies ( SOSVA, N) Punjab, a mother NGO has been funding a craft & a tailoring centre at Naya Gaon and a beautician centre at Kansal Village.

10. With the financial help of the British Council, a room has been prepared in Savera and at the Bhawan for foreign married deserted girls’ stay.

11. Declamation Contests, Debates & Essay Competitions among college students are held every year. These contests have been organized under the Aruna Asif Ali Puruskar scheme. The 1^st essay competition was held at Amritsar in 1997 on the subject of “One Third Representation to Women in Parliament, Legislative Assemblies, Panchayats  & other Decision Making Bodies.”After that debates and declamation contests have been held in Chandigarh, Bathinda, Jalandhar, Patiala, Ropar, Panchkula, Sangrur, Yamuna Nagar, and Ludhiana. Relevant social issues are selected like:“Is Democracy in India Threatened by corruption, Communalism and caste system”, “Should Honour Killing be declared a Heinous Crime by    an Act of Parliament & the Perpetrators be punished as Murderers?”“Female Foeticide Causing Dangerous Imbalance in the Male- Female Ratio in the overall Population” Besides cash prizes of Rs. 5000/- to the first four best speakers, 1^st – Rs. 2000/-, 2^nd – Rs. 1500/-, 3^rd – Rs. 1000/-, 4^th – Rs. 500/- , a running trophy is awarded to the winning team. The object of these contests is to inculcate a spirit of    inquiry among young boys & girls, to orient their thoughts to social issues and to develop the ability to articulate their views.

12. Annual Picnic: Every year on 14th Nov. i.e. Children’s Day, teachers, trainees and all students are taken for a picnic. Going out on a picnic enriches the lives of young ones. It is an experience full of fun and learning. It is an important activity as it develops the spirit of togetherness. Children visited the Rose Garden, Sukhna Lake, the Chhatbir Zoo, etc.

13.  Historic days of 26 January and 15 August are celebrated with great fanfare. The tri-colour is hoisted and a small in-house function is held. Children of all the centres present patriotic songs, dances & skits. Guests and children are served juices and eats.

14. Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated every year on 2^nd October. A small entertainment programme is presented by the students of the Bhawan and all other centres. A cleanliness drive is held. Children decorate their rooms and the best decorated room gets a prize. Rangoli competition is also held.

15. International women’s day is celebrated every year on 8^th March in the Bhawan & neighbouring centres. We have periodically taken out a rally with banners which culminates in sector -17, Chandigarh. Then a brief programme, focussing on women & their problems, is presented.

PROPOSED ACTIVITIES:  The following activities have been proposed on the basis of availability of resources and the underlying need of the underprivileged:-

1. Construction and development of a new centre at Lalru (Pb.)
2. Free Day Care Centre / Crèche for children of poor working women at the Bhawan.
3. Vocational Courses in Electrical, Plumbing, Carpentry and Home Nursing at Janta  Colony, near Naya Gaon.
4. To start Open School at Parwanoo in Himachal Pradesh.

TIME FRAME: The projects enumerated above are working in the time frame of 1 – 3 years.

Right from the beginning, it has been our earnest endeavour to spread our wings in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. But lack of funds has always been an impediment. After starting the initial project in Parwano, we plan to move into the interior and empower women and educate young lives.

FINANCIAL REQUISITION: Keeping in view the rationale, objectives and activities of the Trust, the Trust proposes to create a “Corpus Fund” with the help of philanthropists, business houses and other interested individuals; so that its vision can be fulfilled and the activities begun are sustained by volunteers, administration and the communities.

Our organization has the tax exemption under section 80 C and also permission to accept donations from abroad.