Strengthening Families, Empowering Children and Communities | August Update
Miracle Foundation India
Empowering vulnerable children to reach their full potential.
Welcome to our monthly update for August 2024!
Through this edition, we are pleased to bring to you stories of transformation that has been made possible through the dedicated efforts of our social workforce - all aimed towards promoting the well-being of children and families.?
We hope you enjoy reading this edition and recognize the remarkable efforts being made by governments, communities and the social workforce. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we eagerly anticipate hearing your thoughts and reflections.
Thank you for your unwavering support and belief in our mission.
Warm regards,
Kusum Mohapatra
CEO & Regional Director, Miracle Foundation India
?
Transforming Children’s Lives through Family Strengthening
Sumit (name changed) and his younger sister belong to a tribal community in Latehar in Jharkhand. Following the untimely death of her husband, Sumit’s mother faced immense challenges, including severe economic hardships. Despite working tirelessly as a laborer, she struggled to support Sumit and his younger sister. When the situation became unmanageable, Sumit was placed in a Child Care Institution (CCI), while his sister was sent to live with a relative in Ranchi, where she worked as a helper.
When Miracle Foundation India’s team began facilitating the reunification of children living in institutional care with their families, Sumit was also identified for reintegration. A comprehensive assessment by the social worker, however, highlighted the family’s dire socio-economic situation. Recognizing the need for a multi-faceted approach, focused efforts were initiated to facilitate Sumit’s return home.
As part of those interventions, extensive counseling sessions were conducted to help Sumit’s mother overcome her fears about bringing him back home, given the hardships they had faced. Emotional support was provided to them, helping them reconnect and adjust to their new circumstances.
Sumit’s mother was enrolled in the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, ensuring access to essential healthcare, and a ration card was secured to promote their food security. Recognizing the importance of empowering her, she was also encouraged to join a local self-help group aimed towards not just making her financially independent but also bringing her community support. To ensure a sustainable livelihood, they were provided with goats, which helped augment their income. Additionally, sponsorship for Sumit was sought to further ease the family’s financial burden.
Meanwhile, Sumit’s sister was also successfully brought back from Ranchi. The process of enrolling her in Kasturba Gandhi Residential School, where she could receive free education, is now underway and is slated to join starting the next session. Besides, through the Ambedkar Awas Yojana, efforts are being made to enable the family to repair their house, thereby creating a safer and more stable living environment.
Sumit’s successful reintegration with his family, where he continues his education in a government school, has brought not just him but his entire family a sense of stability they once thought impossible.
Inspired by such stories of transformation, we strengthen our resolve towards promoting family-based care and strengthen community partnerships to ensure that every child grows up in a loving and supportive environment.
?
Celebrating Dr. Dilipsinh Vakhatsinh Bihola
At Miracle Foundation India, as we strive towards enabling children to stay with their families and reach their full potential, we honor the incredible social workforce that makes it all possible! This month, we celebrate the efforts and achievements of Dilipsinh Bihola from Gujarat.
Currently serving as District Child Protection Officer in the Aravalli district, Dilipsinh’s journey in child protection has always been driven by a deep commitment to working with children. His views that placing children in CCIs was the most effective solution for child protection issues however shifted when he interacted with Miracle Foundation India’s team during the training on? family strengthening and family-based alternative care. He recognized the challenges children face in institutional care and the importance of keeping children within their families.
Having learnt about the gatekeeping mechanisms better, besides the vital role of Village-level Child Protection Committees (VCPCs) in ensuring child protection, Dilipsinh, along with the Programme Officer, Non-Institutional Care, activated 386 VCPCs across District Aravalli, together with local communities and other relevant stakeholders. Towards this end, Dilipsinh’s committed efforts included coordinating with the District Development Officer, and ensuring active participation of concerned Block Development Officers and other local leaders in Block-level Child Protection Committee meetings.
Additionally, Dilipsinh’s team successfully linked approximately 1,300 children with the Palak Mata Pita Yojana, providing them with ?3,000 per month, and connected 668 children with the Mukhya Mantri Bal Seva Yojana during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of his most impactful achievements was identifying 106 children under the Children In Street Situations (CISS) program, subsequently helping them obtain essential documents and linking them with government schemes, such as sponsorship and education. The state government also provided a one-time assistance of ?2,000 to each child, and they were supported in opening bank accounts.
Looking ahead, Dilipsinh remains committed to focusing on family strengthening and family-based care to ensure that every child has a supportive environment for their growth and development.
A big shout-out today to Dilipsinh!
?
Regional Workshop on Transforming Child Care Services Held in Maharashtra
Miracle Foundation India, together with Prerana Anti Trafficking, Catalysts for Social Action and Snehalaya, organized a day-long workshop on ‘Transforming Child Care Services: Understanding Alternative Care and Family Strengthening Models’. Held on July 10, 2024, in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Maharashtra, in collaboration with the Department of Women and Child Development, the workshop focused on promoting family-based care and enhancing protection for children in vulnerable situations.
Relevant stakeholders from eight districts of the state, including members of District Women and Child Development Departments, Child Welfare Committees and Child Care Institutions, discussed the importance of prioritizing family-based care in child protection efforts and making institutional care the last resort. The program witnessed insightful discussions on foster care guidelines and the challenges faced by young caregivers, thereby highlighting the need for community-level work and family empowerment.?
Several innovative approaches towards prevention of children’s separation from families and on promoting family-based care were shared. The event concluded with a collective commitment towards enhancing sensitization among communities and stakeholders, building their capacities, and ensuring collaborative efforts to reduce reliance on institutional care.
?
A Special 'Family Strengthening' Project Initiated in Jharkhand
Miracle Foundation India has initiated a special project in Jharkhand, developed in collaboration with the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and the Government of Jharkhand, aiming to implement a comprehensive program across the Kolhan region (comprising East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum and Saraikela-Kharsawan districts). The project,? being implemented together with Bal Kalyan Sangh, would focus on supporting families at risk of child separation through family strengthening initiatives, besides transitioning children from Child Care Institutions (CCIs) to Family-Based Alternative Care (F-BAC) using ThriveWell methodology.?
Additionally, the project aims to build capacity among the Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) in the region to strengthen gatekeeping practices. A youth program, targeting the 15-25 age group, is also integrated into the program, focusing on academic support, employability skills, life skills education, psycho-social support, aftercare and youth ambassador initiatives.
?
Fourth Leadership Dialogue | Demystifying Family Strengthening
The fourth edition of Leadership Dialogues, organized on July 31, 2024, focused on demystifying the concept of family strengthening within the Mission Vatsalya framework, particularly emphasizing the transition process of children from CCIs to their families. Through its sustained work across various regions, Miracle Foundation India has seen significant success in family strengthening, resulting in a positive impact on children's lives.
The panel comprised Sonykutty George, Child Protection Specialist,? Hyderabad Field Office, UNICEF; Sr. Lourdes Mary, Chairperson, Child Welfare Committee, Belgaum, Karnataka; Girish Mehta, Director and Co-Founder, Care-Leavers Inner Circle Forum; Sathish Kumar, District Child Protection Officer, Namakkal, Tamil Nadu; and Yamuna Menon, State Head, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Miracle Foundation India. The entire recording of this insightful and engaging Leadership Dialogue can be viewed here.
?
Donor Testimonial
“I was intrigued by Miracle Foundation India’s vision and mission to establish stability for a child within their existing family and community structures. This approach to minimizing emotional trauma [and] confusion during formative years is what helps build stronger families thus leading to cohesive communities. Appreciation for this organization that is addressing a crisis at the grassroots level, is a true example of “think global, go local”. I find it inspirational, purposeful and impactful.”
- Ruby Upadhyaya
?
Resource Links
Communications Specialist | Sustainable Marketing & Creative. Content Strategy, Development. Digital Marketing
6 个月Amazing strides!
State Head- Karnataka and Telangana - Miracle Foundation India
6 个月Keep growing!