Referral and Linkages

This year, our help desk continued to play a vital role in providing referrals and linkages for our beneficiaries, especially in the post-COVID era. We successfully connected 158 individuals to various services, including educational tools, skill training programs, government schemes, and medical support. Our network of partnerships with NGOs and government offices has been instrumental in achieving these linkages. In the legal domain, we referred one beneficiary for legal support, with the case currently in process, while following up on two cases from the previous year. Our medical assistance efforts were bolstered by a collaboration with Budrani Eye Care Institute, which conducted eye check-ups for 108 children and parents/caregivers. As a result of this initiative, 52 individuals received much-needed eyeglasses, and those requiring further treatment were referred to specialist doctors. These efforts demonstrate our commitment to providing comprehensive support and improving the overall well-being of our beneficiaries.

Rehabilitation

Our rehabilitation efforts this year focused on providing essential nutritional support and career guidance to our beneficiaries. We distributed nutrition kits to 182 children and 48 adolescents, including orphans, single orphans, and family members living with HIV infection. This nutritional assistance aims to reduce the risk of opportunistic infections and support ART medicine effectiveness. Some of these kits were generously donated by other social organizations. Additionally, we conducted career guidance activities for 10th and 12th-grade students, recognizing the critical nature of this period in their academic journey. These sessions helped 21 students prepare for board exams, adopt SMART study techniques, and make informed decisions about their future career paths. By addressing both physical health through nutrition and mental well-being through career guidance, we strive to provide comprehensive support for our beneficiaries' overall development and future success.

Network & Activity

Networking and advocacy were pivotal to our project's success this year, focusing on capacity building for our beneficiaries. We actively participated in HPNN, an NGO group that advocates for beneficiary rights and addresses their issues through regular meetings. Our networking efforts extended to various organizations and government departments, including Lighthouse, Tech Mahindra, VIPLA Foundation, the District Collector's office, PMC Commissioner, PMPML Director, and Samaj Vikas Vibhag. These collaborations facilitated access to crucial initiatives such as free bus passes, the Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojana, urban poor health cards, and the formation of self-help groups. As a result, we successfully linked 158 beneficiaries to various schemes including SGY, PM Swayam Rojgar Nidhi, health cards, and free bus passes. Additionally, we partnered with CFAR to strengthen our advocacy efforts with the Legal Aid Authority and government, aiming to secure rights and improve scheme access for our beneficiaries. These networking and advocacy activities have significantly enhanced our ability to support and empower our community.

Successes Stories

1) Meera Rakshe received support from SSS during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing her to obtain kiran material. She responded well to this support and purchased an iron to set up her own business. Her husband found an additional source of income after losing his job. At the same time, Meera bought a tailoring pico foll machine, and within one shop, she expanded her business successfully, earning enough income to sustain her family.

2) Vaishali Jawanjai, who has two children living with HIV, has been managing her family independently and has been associated with SSS for the past 12-14 years. Her children receive support from SSS. From the beginning, she had business skills, and SSS has supported her in her endeavors. This year, she secured a stall at the PMC SHG stall organized by the Samaj Vikas Vibhag for four days during the Diwali festival. During this period, she successfully sold Akash Kandils, Pantis, Rangoli, Zadu, and Uttans, making a good profit over the course of the four days.

3) Roshan Kute is a youth group representative and one of SSS's youth group leaders. He completed his graduation with the support of SSS and received guidance through career guidance sessions and SSS staff. Now, he has joined his father's previous position as a storekeeper in the Army department. He completed his probationary period in February 2024.

4) Prasad Mohite has achieved significant success in business. He has been associated with SSS since childhood, and his entire family has been on ART medication. Despite facing many struggles, Prasad was not very interested in education; instead, he focused on business. He initially started a grocery shop with the support of his mother and also drove an auto-rickshaw. After finding success, he started a purified jar water plant business and acquired a small tempo for transporting materials. He married someone from the same category with the support of SSS. Prasad's success in life has been substantial. His strong leadership qualities have led him to become the president of the youth federation.

5) Sagar Somvanshi has been associated with SSS since childhood and has received substantial support from the organization to develop his career through various SSS activities. His strong leadership qualities enabled him to hold the position of secretary in a cluster youth group, where he completed a successful term. He was then promoted to Secretary of the federation. Sagar now runs his own successful optical shop and has expanded it to a second branch. He initially gained experience in this business as a support staff member.