PAKT: the way ahead
PAKT's Aila rehabilitation program at Chargheri area of Sunderbans came to an end in 2010 after more than 7 months relief / rehabilitation activity from Jun 2009 to Dec 2009 followed by 3-4 months of subsequent survey and feasibility assessment of further support.
PAKT has been dormant since the closure of Sunderban activity.
After discussing with members and contributors of PAKT who participated in the AILA relief & rehabilitation activities at Chargheri, it was felt that PAKT can get involved in some social rehabilitation activities in Kolkata and nearby areas.
Aim is to sustain the good work of extending assistance to those who need it most.
Niharkana
Of late PAKT has been in touch with Niharkana Rehabilitation Center, run by Mrs Kanta Chakraborty.
Niharkana Rehabilitation Center aims to rehabilitate a set of street children, mainly girl children, to self-sufficiency at adulthood. They aim to achieve this objective by providing continuous support to these children upto their adulthood on essential an developmental requirements like food, clothing, education (including support outside their schools), health and contributing to their overall development by involving them in extra curricular activities.
Current achievement of Niharkana is given in this link. [the page needs minor updation with more recent information]
The children are accommodated in an enclosure on Dum dum station and a vendor's union office (otherwise vacant at night) is allowed by relevant body to be used as there shelter for the night. The above arrangements are facilitated by Niharkana by making formal / informal requests and coordinating with the relevant authorities & bodies to provide security and partially protected environment for education & living to these children.
Preliminary visit to the area was done in Sep-Oct 2011 to carry out basic verification of Niharkana activities and the organisation was found to be genuine.
[Press coverage o Niharkana: http://niharkana.org/gallery]
PAKT's educational support to Niharkana
In early January 2012, Niharkana Rehabilitation Center got back to PAKT requesting support for the children's educational needs at the start of the academic session.
The requirement was as follows for approx 20 children currently adopted by Niharkana for long term rehabilitation support:
The required amount for the activity is around Rs. 7000/-
On 26th January 2012, PAKT made a visit to Niharkana's enclosure at Platform#1 of Dumdum Railway station. The cheque for Rs 7000/- was handed over to Mrs. Kanta Chakraborty. Sandeepan Choudhury and Angshuman Hazra visited Niharkana Rehabilitation Center on behalf of PAKT.
Niharkana will subsequently provide PAKT with formal expense bills specifying the actual purchases against the heads of expense as listed above. PAKT can also carry out a subsequent verification visit to review the fulfilment of these needs.
Observations during visit
When we visited Niharkana Rehabilitation Center, the children were participating in drawing lessons under tutelage of a gentleman, the drawing teacher. Subsequently they broke the class to have breakfast. Mrs. Kanta Chakraborty was supervising the discipline as well as the needs of the children. She was joined by another lady teacher.
We had taken some pictures during the visit. Those pictures have been captioned and placed in this link.
Please let us know about your thoughts on this latest activity of PAKT.
Request from Niharkana:
During our discussions with Mrs Kanta Chakraborty, we have come to know that a majority of the expenses are pooled from her personal earnings. With external supports being limited to minimal and sporadic one time supports, rising food prices are making it very difficult for Niharkana to sustain the expenses. She requests generous people knowing about Niharkana to visit the facility and extend financial support to help make a difference to the future of these children (long term assistance is preferred, but short term aid also welcome).
Interested individuals, those who follow this blogpost as well as all others who are willing to help, are welcome to independently visit / support / assist Niharkana as the case may be.
We thought it worthwhile to pass on this request from Niharkana to members & contributors of PAKT as well as all readers of this blog.
PAKT's Aila rehabilitation program at Chargheri area of Sunderbans came to an end in 2010 after more than 7 months relief / rehabilitation activity from Jun 2009 to Dec 2009 followed by 3-4 months of subsequent survey and feasibility assessment of further support.
PAKT has been dormant since the closure of Sunderban activity.
After discussing with members and contributors of PAKT who participated in the AILA relief & rehabilitation activities at Chargheri, it was felt that PAKT can get involved in some social rehabilitation activities in Kolkata and nearby areas.
Aim is to sustain the good work of extending assistance to those who need it most.
Niharkana
Of late PAKT has been in touch with Niharkana Rehabilitation Center, run by Mrs Kanta Chakraborty.
Niharkana Rehabilitation Center aims to rehabilitate a set of street children, mainly girl children, to self-sufficiency at adulthood. They aim to achieve this objective by providing continuous support to these children upto their adulthood on essential an developmental requirements like food, clothing, education (including support outside their schools), health and contributing to their overall development by involving them in extra curricular activities.
Current achievement of Niharkana is given in this link. [the page needs minor updation with more recent information]
The children are accommodated in an enclosure on Dum dum station and a vendor's union office (otherwise vacant at night) is allowed by relevant body to be used as there shelter for the night. The above arrangements are facilitated by Niharkana by making formal / informal requests and coordinating with the relevant authorities & bodies to provide security and partially protected environment for education & living to these children.
Preliminary visit to the area was done in Sep-Oct 2011 to carry out basic verification of Niharkana activities and the organisation was found to be genuine.
[Press coverage o Niharkana: http://niharkana.org/gallery]
PAKT's educational support to Niharkana
In early January 2012, Niharkana Rehabilitation Center got back to PAKT requesting support for the children's educational needs at the start of the academic session.
The requirement was as follows for approx 20 children currently adopted by Niharkana for long term rehabilitation support:
i) Notebooks for all kids for one academic year
ii) Admission cost for the kids
iii) A few specific books for class 8-9 (other books are provided by the schools)
iv) School bags (tailor made ones with low cost material to reduce costs)
The required amount for the activity is around Rs. 7000/-
On 26th January 2012, PAKT made a visit to Niharkana's enclosure at Platform#1 of Dumdum Railway station. The cheque for Rs 7000/- was handed over to Mrs. Kanta Chakraborty. Sandeepan Choudhury and Angshuman Hazra visited Niharkana Rehabilitation Center on behalf of PAKT.
Niharkana will subsequently provide PAKT with formal expense bills specifying the actual purchases against the heads of expense as listed above. PAKT can also carry out a subsequent verification visit to review the fulfilment of these needs.
Observations during visit
When we visited Niharkana Rehabilitation Center, the children were participating in drawing lessons under tutelage of a gentleman, the drawing teacher. Subsequently they broke the class to have breakfast. Mrs. Kanta Chakraborty was supervising the discipline as well as the needs of the children. She was joined by another lady teacher.
We had taken some pictures during the visit. Those pictures have been captioned and placed in this link.
Please let us know about your thoughts on this latest activity of PAKT.
Request from Niharkana:
During our discussions with Mrs Kanta Chakraborty, we have come to know that a majority of the expenses are pooled from her personal earnings. With external supports being limited to minimal and sporadic one time supports, rising food prices are making it very difficult for Niharkana to sustain the expenses. She requests generous people knowing about Niharkana to visit the facility and extend financial support to help make a difference to the future of these children (long term assistance is preferred, but short term aid also welcome).
Interested individuals, those who follow this blogpost as well as all others who are willing to help, are welcome to independently visit / support / assist Niharkana as the case may be.
We thought it worthwhile to pass on this request from Niharkana to members & contributors of PAKT as well as all readers of this blog.
