The Vatsalya Foundation

Our Partners

We here at The Vatsalya Foundation would like to refer to our children as 'Partners' in a process of change, growth & reintegration into the family & society .

Who are these Vulnerable Children & Youth?

Commonly understood as 'Street Children' or 'Vulnerable Children and Youth'

They are children on the streets, between the age of 7 and 17 and youth in the age group of 18 to 25 years, who have run away from home - from a traumatic environment of conflict (abusive family), ill-treatment, economic constraints (acute poverty and hunger) and despair.

Children of Pavement Dwellers

They live on streets or pavements with their families who do not provide them enough support.

Girl - Children

They too live on the streets or pavements. They often take up roles of adults at a very young age. Some of them come to see Mumbai, the Glamour City or in search of jobs. Attached to the glitter of city life, their innocent dream becomes a potential nightmare.

Where do these Vulnerable Children & Youth Live & What do they eat?

The only home they know is the street - on pavements, in parks, under bridges with little or no support...
Often they eat from dust-bins, or, when lucky, have food doled out at religious places.

What do these Vulnerable Children & Youth do for a living?

They are rag-pickers, beggars, vendors, sorting fish, shoe shiners, odd-job boys, coolies, hired by catering or construction contractors - even exploited as gutter boys for sewage cleaning.

How do our Partners perceive themselves and what are the consequences of this perception?

Alone, ignored & marginalised in this big Metropolitan city of Mumbai
Being shunned by society and because of a lack of self-esteem, they join gangs and anti-social elements.
Exploited & Deprived of their rights to home, education, health and protection .
Victims…they become victims of homosexual abuse, gambling, drug-peddling… and partners n crime.
The life on the street robs them of their childhood and leaves them exposed and vulnerable to the harsh realities of urban survival. They 'grow up' mentally far beyond their age.
Being hurt and exploited by an authoritarian adult or relative, they distrust almost all adults, and trust only other street children like themselves.

How does society look at our Partners?

Our Partners do exist but often they are treated as non-existent realities on the map of Mumbai's society.
Shunned by society, a drain on the economy, parasites and additions to the populatio of the metropolis Mumbai.
Popular stereotypes attached to them…pickpockets, crooks…

The Rehabilitation Process - A Model of Intervention

Outreach Programmes - First Phase

Step One: Building a foundation of trust

Outreach is a process by which Vatsalya workers go out on to the streets to meet the children at their place of residence/work (street pavements, railway station platforms, places of tourist or religious interest, market places, theatres etc). This enables the worker to see and understand the child in his current natural environment, and thus anticipate and address his immediate problems and needs. Encouraged by the worker's attitude of listening and being with them, the child/youth begins to trust the worker thereby facilitating counselling and problem solving.

Step Two: Enabling him to make choices

The worker might motivate the child to go back home, encourage him to visit the contact centres or refer him to a shelter depending on the unique circumstances of the case.

The worker first undertakes to visit the family of the child from the pavements. Through this process, a relationship is built that ensures cooperation from the family in terms of sending the child to the school, centre and its activities.

Step Three: Building a support network

The Centre staff builds a rapport with the local community such as families of the children, shop and hotel owners and their co-workers. Various outreach and centre programmes have encouraged local communities to approach the staff and provide information about children and youth in distress in their respective areas.

Step Four: Child to child contact programme

Our Partners are the best means to carry the message of Vatsalya's Outreach. Our Partners act as agents of change when they refer other children in times of crisis, and motivate their peers by sharing their own experiences of growth. In the process they become role models, educating them on the ill effects of smoking, drugs and other anti-social activities.

Contact Centres - Second Phase

What is a Contact Centre?

A Contact centre is a place close to our partner's place of stay or work. Our partners can drop in for a few hours (also called "walk in" centres - during the day) to be with a caring adult. Through a series of counseling sessions, our partners are initiated into a rehabilitation process. They then utilize certain facilities and participate in the ongoing educational, recreational and developmental programmes of dance, drama, music, and interactions through group activities.

Where are these Contact Centres?

Day and Night (24 Hours) Shelters - Third Phase

What is a 'Shelter'?

A shelter is "a secure place to grow…away from the fear of life on the streets". It acts as a half-way home for children who have run away due to an oppressive home environment, or when unable to garner feelings of trust towards authority figures or have had threatening relationships with adults.

The children from the different Vatsalya contact centres as well as from CHILDLINE are referred, the 24-hour emergency telephone service for vulnerable children in need of support.

A process of rehabilitation

An attempt to integrate them into society is made by exposing them to the wider world and providing them with various vocational training to equip them to face the future with courage.They learn various skills like Electrician, Motor Mechanic Course, Driving etc.

Group Home - Fourth Phase

What is a Group Home?
A group home system involves two or more youth living together in a rented premise in the heart of a colony, a basti, which forms a crucial if not the final phase in their integration into mainstream society.

Repatriation - At any Phase

What is Repatriation?

Repatriation is the process that begins at any phase, when a child or youth expresses his/her wish to be rejoined to his/her family. This touching and emotional journey continues as the children keep in touch with Vatsalya through letters and occasional visits