Balprafulta : Brochure of Balprafulta

Balprafulta is a part of Prafulta, a project of the Salesians of Don Bosco, initiated by the Salesian Province of Mumbai. Balprafulta was initiated in March 2000 in response to the needs of children in communities, slums and on the streets. It is a Child Rights Organization, aiming at the holistic development of the child. Children are most often the innocent victims of societies and families that malfunction. They are the silent victims of abuse and exploitation, neglect and abandonment. Their very survival is at risk, when they are deprived notjust of their basic needs such as nutrition, shelter and clothing, but also the love and belongingness of a caring and supportive family.

OUR PROJECTS

Balprafulta Child line

Balprafulta Childline is a 24-hour emergency phone service for children in need which began on the 14th of April 2000. Balprafulta Childline (1098) is run in collaboration with Childline India Foundation for the zone from Bandra to Bhayandar in Mumbai. Children or concerned adults call for a range of reasons varying from medical aid to urgent rescue operations from exploitative situations. An average of 700 calls are received daily with 4-5 follow- up cases on a regular basis.

Project Talaasti

Several children on the streets and in institutions are children who have run away from home, been missing or lost on the streets, or misguided and left to themselves. Talaash is a mission to identify and trace such children, reach out to their families if they have one, reunite them explore community ­based alternatives to support the child, and if the family is not traceable, support the child in an institution.

B,ALMITRA

Balmitra, a pioneering initiative that works not just with children but also with other important stakeholders who influence the lives of street children. Here we interact regularly with families, community members, older youth in the community, school teachers, community leaders and others. BaIPrafulta has formed groups of children and youth through which campaigns and activities are planned, implemented and evaluated making it an extremely participatory process.

You too can be Part of Balprafulta

CALL the 24 hour help-line 1098, if you find a child in need or a child whose rights are being violated.

SUPPORT: In the follow-up of cases; Sponsoring medical cases. Volunteer for development programs with children on the streets, in slums, in institutions and in schools; Provide financial assistance to the programs conducted by Balprafulta.

ACT: Talk about Balprafulta and the issue of child rights to different people to build a social mind-set;Write articles on Child Rights in the newspapers; Organize a dialogue and campaign on Child Rights wherever you reside/teach/work; Be part of Balprafulta's resource pool for training and resource building.

Be child-friendly: Do not tolerate violations of children's rights and human rights; Stand up for human rights and the rights of children wherever possible.

FUTURE PLANS
Documentation and publication:

1.            Preparation of a document on issues and concerns of Missing Children the State of Maharashtra and intervention strategies.                        
2.            Preparation of a Document on situational analysis of children in the city of Mumbai.
3.            Strategy paper on Interventions for Rights violations in` the city.
4.            Analytical reports on processes and strategies for reflection in the organization.
5.            Publication of child-friendly material on child rights.
6.            Booklets on cases and strategies.

Expansion of interventions with Missing children in the State of Maharashtra and initiation of inter-state networks for repatriation.
Initiation of a resource centre on Missing Children in coordination with other YAR Organisations within the network of Don Bosco (Salesian) institutions in India.

Other initiatives:

1. Community development centres for children in schools.
2.  Mobilization of area development councils in communities.
3.  Setting up of a ward level children's council - Bal Manch.
4.  Launching of a child rights training program for staff.
5.  Initiation of children's councils and youth cadres around issues of child rights and violations of child rights.
6. Training modules for sensitization training with stakeholders.

Baprafulta
Dominic Savio Institution, Mahakali Caves Road, Andheri East, Mumbai 400 093, India.
Telephone: 91-22-28265618128302323/28362549;28255889; Fax:91-22-28302323
Contact persons: Fr. Godfrey D'sa (godfrey_dsa@hotmail.com)
Fr. Baptist Monteiro, Director (balprafulta@gmail.com)
Santosh Shinde; (balprafulta@hotmail.com)