SOS Social Centres in India

In India there are currently 31 Social Centres for children and the local community, examples of which are Bhubaneshwar, Bhopal, Raipur, Rourkela and Bhuj.  Many SOS Social Centres operate via Family Strengthening Programmes, which aim to support the wider community.  Below is some information about some of the Social Centres that SOS Children runs in India:

SOS Social Centres around India: In-Depth

Bhubaneshwar

Description of SOS Social Centre/FSP:

In 2003, SOS Children's Villages India launched its family strengthening programmes in Bhubaneshwar. These programmes are intended to support families at risk of abandoning their children and to encourage families to stay together. SOS Children's Villages therefore works with local authorities and other service providers to support families and enable them to take good care of their children. The Bhubaneshwar family strengthening programme provides nutritional, educational and health support as well as vocational training, career counselling sessions and job placement support. Families are linked with existing self-help groups; if there is no group, a new one is formed. The programme also aims at raising awareness of hygiene and child rights and improving people's parenting skills.

Work and Achievements:

The Family Strengthening Program supports 607 children who live in very vulnerable situations. It is working within the periphery of 20 kms radius from the village. The program functions in 15 villages of 5 panchayats around Bhubaneswar.
Families are empowered through 12 Self Help Groups. These groups will be able to start small enterprises to increase their family income. Apart from these, FSP beneficiaries are encouraged to start individual income generating activities. Till date, 36 FSP mothers have started their own business. With our efforts, 33 FSP mothers were helped to find employment. We have supported the beneficiaries to obtain birth certificates for 18 children, 8 mothers have received widow pension and 7 mothers have been assisted through National Benefit Scheme.
Children are regularly being involved in different activities like debate, essay, painting and exposure to different educational places. Their attendance and progress at schools are monitored. Through our SOS-FSP merit cum poverty scholarship scheme, 25 diploma students from all parts of Orissa are receiving support. 

Bhuj

Description of SOS Social Centre/FSP:

In 2004, SOS Children's Villages India launched its family strengthening programmes in Bhuj. These programmes are intended to support families at risk of abandoning their children and to encourage families to stay together. SOS Children's Villages therefore works with local authorities and other service providers to support families and enable them to take good care of their children. The Bhuj family strengthening programme provides nutritional, educational and health support as well as vocational training, career counselling sessions and job placement support. Families are linked with existing self-help groups; if there is no group, a new one is formed. The programme also aims at raising awareness of hygiene and child rights and improving people's parenting skills.

Work and achievements

The Family Strengthening Program today supports 971 children living in 232 families. We achieved the goal of involving rural women in small savings through Self Help Group (SHG). Now there are 15 SHGs comprising of 10-15 women in each group & are functioning well in terms of savings, following bank procedures, internal loans & repayment.  These groups were imparted with various skill training like book keeping, managing internal loan, embroidery, tie & dye, cutting & tailoring, quilt work & beauty culture. 

At present 85 target caregivers, 53 community women & 25 adolescents have been trained in the skill of their interest & many of them have started earning additional income by using their skill in tie & dye and embroidery.  Slowly these groups are encouraged towards their contribution in accessing potable water, keeping their environs neat & clean, attending to their health issues in the form of Community Based Organization & Health Committees.  In the field of education, we achieved 70% success in enrolling school drop out children in stay homes by equipping them with all educational materials.  Educational support linkages were also provided in terms of residential schooling, scholarships and subsidized educational materials and fee. 42 children are attending Government Anganwadis.  Constant counseling & facilitating tuitions increased the academic progress of children up to 60%.  Out of 378 school going children in Madhapar & Bhuj, 55% children scored ‘A’ grade in their annual exams.

In the field of Health & Nutrition, our efforts towards eradication of malnutrition & proper immunization to vulnerable children in the age group of 0 to 5 years of our target community. We developed linkages with Public Health Centre, District Health Centre, Integrated Child Development Services & local NGOs like Lions Club & Max India. To assess their health status, a general health check-up was conducted twice this year. We also conducted various awareness programs like parenting skills, swine flu, kitchen gardening, food & nutrition, sports, recreational activities, exposure visits and competitions for children & families.

Bhopal

Description of SOS Social Centre/FSP:

In the aftermath of the Bhopal Plant disaster, as FSP was set up in Bhopal to help vulnerable members in the community.

Work and Achievements:

The Family strengthening Program at Bhopal presently covers 509 children from 202 families spread over 31 habitations, including 12 villages. These localities are spread around the village within a range of 0.5 km to 10kms.  In the year 2008-09, overall academic result of FSP Children was around 70%. 71 students of age group between16 & 20 appeared in class 10th and 12th.  Among them,   80% have passed securing good grades. Two children are doing Bachelor of Engineering, two are undergoing ITI training and two are in polytechnic. FSP team promoted several micro-enterprise & Income generating activities through the concept of SHGs constitution, and facilitating them by developing links with financial institutions for micro credit or micro finance. Currently 6 SHGs have been constituted and 70 caregivers are the members of these groups.

It is worth mentioning, that with the help of a tie up with Krishi Vigyan Kendra , we arranged 9 vocational training centres  for 188 FSP beneficiaries from the institute. In the month of October 09, a Vocational-Training Centre was opened where training on different job oriented skills is offered. Soon, the center will get affiliated as recognized training center of Usha International Company Ltd. Bhopal FSP is developing partnership with other like-minded organizations, groups, institutes, individuals and departments for actively meeting its goal.

Raipur

Description of SOS Social Centre/FSP:

In 2008, SOS Children's Villages India launched its family strengthening programmes in Raipur. These programmes are intended to support families at risk of abandoning their children and to encourage families to stay together. SOS Children's Villages therefore works with local authorities and other service providers to support families and enable them to take good care of their children. The Raipur family strengthening programme provides nutritional, educational and health support as well as vocational training, career counselling sessions and job placement support. Families are linked with existing self-help groups; if there is no group, a new one is formed. The programme also aims at raising awareness of hygiene and child rights and improving people's parenting skills.

Rourkela

Description of SOS Social Centre/FSP:

Since April 2006, an SOS Social Centre has been under construction. It consists of two big halls and two small rooms. The social centre will be a multi-purpose facility for vocational training, self-help group meetings, workshops and seminars for beneficiaries of the family strengthening programme. Besides, five community centres are under construction in five villages around the SOS Children's Village for running community based family strengthening programs in partnership with local women's groups.