Project AARUSHI, started in December 2014, is a sequel to our earlier Poject ANKUR. It is aimed at complete development of unprivileged girls like ragpickers, orphans, girls rescued from trafficking & child labour etc. through shelter, healthcare, education, co-curricular activities and vocational training, to make them competent enough to stand on their own feet. Under this project, we are running a hostel for 65 such girls, aged between 6-13 years in a rented house at Rajeev Nagar, Patna, combined with a school, viz. Sister Nivedita Balika Vidyalaya, having classes up to Std VI, with a plan of gradual extension to Std X, by adding one class per year. This school, supported since 2013 by Glaxo Smithkline Pharmaceuticals Ltd, and recognized under RTE by the State Government, has been converted into a residential one from April 2015. Our plan is to educate these girls upto std X, and train them up in suitable vocations like Office management, Accounting, Nursing, Food Processing, etc., depending on their aptitude. In case of exceptional students, further studies are also an option.
We are combining healthy lifestyle with education, and apart from regular inputs on health & hygiene, we are providing them nutritional food, healthy living condition and pure water. Periodical health check-up, regular sessions on Yoga and P.T etc. are also included in the curriculum, along with classes on music, sewing, art & craft and TAIKWENDO. We are trying to find out hidden talents in these girls, so that we may provide them opportunity to excel in a particular field. Our mission is to prove that given equal opportunity, any child has the potential to excel, irrespective of his / her family background.
Running this project requires substantial resources, especially as we do not have any place of our own and the entire show has to be run in a rented house with exorbitant rent. We are fortunate to have several Corporates in our Sponsor’ list, alongwith a large number of individual donors, who are supporting us throughout our difficult journey. While State Bank of India is supporting the entire food expenses of these girls, SBI Life and National Insurance have sponsored non food expenses for 10-12 girls each. Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank and SBI Life have donated furniture like cots, fans, benches, computers, projector, inverter and school dress. Refrigerator and informal dresses have been provided by SBI Officers’ Association, Blankets have been donated by IAS Officer’s Wives Association, while Washing machine, Aquaguard, Gyeser, Intercom, trunks, dresses, copies and sweaters have been provided by individual donors. Financial help has also been extended by Institutions like Delhi Public School, Hotel Chanakya, Bihar Banla Academy, Patna Kalibari and a large number of individuals. Free school books are being provided by Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
It is indeed a pleasure to see these girls open up like flowers day by day. Their performance at the shool’s Annual Function enthralled the audience. A painting by one of the girls, Rinky Kumari, has found its way into Annual Diary 2016 of SBI Life. 20 of the girls are being trained up in Taikwendo for allotment of initial belt. Many of them are dreaming to become Teachers, Engineers, Doctors and even Pilots in future. A few girls with life threatening diseases like Tuberculosis, Hepatitis B etc. have been cured and are once again enjoying life and showing good promises. Two older deaf and dumb girls are showing exceptional talents in drawing, dance and Art & Craft. AARUSHI means A New Dawn, and indeed a new beginning is taking place for these girls, which can be felt by anyone who visits our centre.