A magic show at the street school

On Saturday, children from Street School 1 and 2 came together, at Street School 2 for a Magic show organised by Lakshmi, who volunteers with our street schools. Lakshmi was celebrating her daughter Rakshita's birthday. Thank you Lakshmi and Rakshita for this wonderful treat on behalf of all our children.

Update on the street schools

This in from Priyanka:

 

Thanks to the summer vacations, the number of kids coming to the school has increased. We have 110 kids in school 1,160 kids in school 2 (reduced to 120 now),and 60 in school 3. The number of teachers are few so Raut and Nadar have got 2-3 part time teachers for the period.
Radio Mirchi has started a toy collection drive. The toys they collect will be donated to Children's Toy Foundation which runs a toy bank and have buses that carry these toys to various municipal schools and slums for kids to play and enjoy. 

I spoke with Radio Mirchi and they have promised me to connect us with the Children's Toy Foundation, so that CTF could drop by our school once a week. Fingers crossed and hoping it works. Rest all good.

Teachers Training Programme for Children with Developmental Disorders

Dear Friends,

Close to 27 million children are born in India every year. About 20 - 30 % children face some difficulty in school. This may range from mild Behavioural or Emotional Problems to ADHD, Dyslexia, Cerbral Palsy, Intellectual Disability and Autism. However, ALL children will face some stress or the other during the course of their Education.

We, at New Horizons Child Development Centre, believe that a basic and practical knowledge of Child Development and Variations thereof, is the key to the Optimal Education of ALL CHILDREN. Indeed, EVERY CHILD is a different kind of a learner and unless this is ingrained and practised in the classroom, a large number of children will continue to just go through the motions, without really beneffiting from Formal Education.

Considering the enormity of numbers involved, and the lack of trained resource persons, the only real remedy is to train the School Teacher to deal with the issue in the best possible manner. This can be accomplished by a combination of basic, but practically relevant theory at our Centre at Pawar Public School and actual case - based training and hands-on experience with children across all three Centres in the City. 

We, at New Horizons Child Development Centre, believe that our work is incomplete without bringing this possibility across to School Teachers. We have designed a special 50 - hours Certificate Course with the above-mentioned features based on our experience of the past 8 years with thousands of children, parents and teachers in the city and beyond. This Course will be Designated as "Classroom Intervention in Developmental Disorders". Our dedicated and experienced team of 35 psychologists, special educators and therapists will be on hand to carry out this training.

We request you to pass this message on to Teachers in the City and outside. We have special provision for outstation delegates. Therapists, Counselors and Parents with a special interest in the subject may enrol as well. The Course commences on 24th April, 2010 and  we have 25 seats.

Kindly contact New Horizons CDC  98200 26503 / 98206 98287 / 98191 59946, www.enablemychild.org, for enrollment details.

Looking Forward to working together to realise this Vision:  

An India where every student has a Teacher 
who strives to bring out the best and 
help the student achieve her/his optimal development.

Because, Every Child Can Do Better !

With Regards, 
Samir.

Update: Sachin Singh admitted into JJ

Sachin Singh, at JJ Hospital after being admitted.
Poonam Singh, at JJ Hospital

This update on Sachin Singh and Poonam Singh just in from Sangeeta:

The meting at JJ was scheduled at 10.00 A.M. However , the family came in late closer to 10.45 am. Dr Jadhav, the dean, was gracious and took us in immediately. We were helped and guided with all paper work and within 45 minutes Sachin was in Bed No 19 of the plastic surgery unit.

The operation will be scheduled for 21st April 2010, and is really an attempt to reduce the size of the bulge on the hand. We were told that the government does not pay for the second time that the 26/11 victims come in. Dr. Jadhav said the charges if any would be nominal and may even be sub Rs 2000. We envisage a 15 day stay for Sachin to ensure that he returns to his home healed completely.

I met Poonam and she is fine. She walks slowly and has put on weight..and the JJ doctors have advised her to loose weight as she has a problem with walking and extra weight will only make walking that much more difficult. I will post updates later and may avoid visiting the child too soon after the surgery. Infections are best avoided and too many people landing up too see Sachin only mean more exposure to infection.

Have you seen this man?

Badri Narayanan, DOB 30 April 1990, missing since March 3, 2010 from near his home in outskirts of Chennai. Unlikely to speak Hindi or any language other than Tamil. He is mildly retarded. Kindly contact indiahelps@gmail.com, if you believe you have seen him anywhere.

Parivartan needs volunteers

This forward from Chandni:


From: parivartan shikshan <parivartanshikshan@gmail.com>
Date: 09 April 2010
Subject: volunteer for survey on education

Dear Chandni,

Parivartan has been providing education to children in the Antop Hill
area since the last 10 years. Presently, we are running two centers
for underprivileged children between the age group of 3 to 12.

We are planning to expand the program since there is a great need. To
do this, we want to collect data about the status of primary
education, the obstacles faced, the students' needs, etc. in Antop
Hill. We tried our best to collect the actual secondary data from
other sources like IIPS census but it wasn't very helpful.

We would like volunteers to come forward and help us in conducting
this survey. They will need to visit the households in the slum areas
and collect responses on the two-page interview schedule.

We need volunteers who can speak some Hindi and are willing to go to
the slums. They will receive training before we start the survey
process mostly in the last week of April.

Parivartan will be happy to offer certificates to student volunteers
who might want it.

Please check the attached presentation and also visit our website for
details about our work www.parivartansanstha.org

Also, please circulate this mail to those who could help us find volunteers.
Thanks a lot.

Regards

--
Kanupriya

Project co ordinator

Muktangan is looking for people

Want to see a transformation in the Education sector?

Here's your opportunity to be part of it!

Introduction

Muktangan, an initiative of Paragon Charitable Trust, is a pioneering
educational programme with an innovative model, working in close
partnership with the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM)
and a number of NGOs across the country.

Muktangan, has pioneered the Whole School-Based approach in the urban
sector by developing a model that incorporates all the various aspects
of quality education: the classroom environment , the curriculum and
content, the teacher (whom we train from the community members) as a
facilitator and the student as an active learner.

Muktangan was founded by Elizabeth Mehta based on her vast experience
of four decades both in the formal school system and with a
professional development organization working in several States across
the country, in both urban and rural settings. It was her
understanding both of the needs of the sector, and the larger vision
of inclusion that led her to develop an approach that was
child-centered and unique. Muktangan which began as a pilot balwadi
now spans seven Municipal schools with its own integrated
teacher training program, and has impacted several other implementing
organizations through an outreach programme.

VACANCIES

In order to consolidate and grow Muktangan, we need
1. A Secondary School Mathematics and Science teacher who will lead
this new approach to teaching of these subjects in the Middle School
Pilot programme to be launched in this academic year.

2. Social Workers who would lead or assist in Muktangan's community
programme and provide the interface between the community (mainly
parents) and Muktangan.

3. A Chief Librarian who will further develop the Library programme
across the seven schools and enhance the reading and research skills
of both children and teachers.

4. Faculty members who have a Masters in Human Development or relevant
teaching qualifications to lead our schools and take part in our
outreach work.

5. Qualified Faculty for supporting children with special educational needs.

6. Resource Executives for mobilizing resources, raising awareness and
networking.

Candidates having Development background and experience with Donors
would be preferred.

Candidates for all posts would need to be passionate about education…

Apply

Please apply with your CV and a one page note note i) the role of
Education as you see it and ii) why you wish to work with Muktangan.
Please send your application as soon as possible to:-

Mrs. Elizabeth Mehta
Founder Director
Muktangan
I-11/12 Paragon Centre,
P.B.Marg, Worli,
Mumbai 400 013.

e.mail: muktanganpct@rediffmail.com

Help Conduct Bone Marrow Donation Drives in Mumbai

Received this mail from Chandni Parekh:

We are organising donor recruitment drives in colleges, BPOs,corporate office, residential societies etc. The more donors we are able to recruit, the more chances we have of finding a match for donation.
Could you forward this mail to people who you think may beinterested in organising donor recruitment drives in their neighborhood or offices or colleges?
We are trying to increase the number of voluntary donors so that a match may be found for all such patients in India itself.
You can independently check the website https://www.mdrindia.org/ for more information
In case people are convinced, Dr.Pravin Clement can hold a camp in your premises on a eday of your choice... give a talk for 5 minutes to explain the cause and then receive volunteers. Dr.Clement is heading this registry and is available at the TataMemorial Hospital. He can be reached on the following number: 022-24146676
Regards,
Garima Gandhi
garimaggandhi@gmail.com

This is the brief about MDRI:
Marrow Donor Registry India (MDRI) https://www.mdrindia.org/
What is MDRI?
It’s a database of healthy individuals who have volunteered to donate their bone marrow or stem cells in future to a patient suffering from Leukemia (Blood Cancer) or Thalassemia
Why do we need MDRI?
India produces 2 lac new patients of Leukemia (Blood Cancer) and Thalassemia every year. The only cure for these patients is a Bone Marrow Transplant. The concerned doctor initially checks the immediate relatives for a possible bone marrow match. The possibility of finding a match within the family is only 30%. When a match is not found, then how do these patients find a match? Hence, the need to create this database.
What is Bone Marrow?
Bone Marrow is a blood-based substance that can be found inside the hollow bones of body. It resembles blood & contains Stem Cells, which form into platelets, the red and white blood cells and forms the basis of immune system of the body. Marrow for transplant is usually collected from the iliac crest, which is part of the pelvic bone.
What are Stem Cells?
They are the Mother Blood Cells of the blood of human body and immune system. The Stem Cells that are used in Stem Cell transplants are blood Stem Cells. These cells have the ability to become the different types of blood cells (e.g., red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets). These Stem Cells are typically found in three places: - Bone Marrow, the spongy substance in the bone. - The blood stream, in smaller amounts. - Cord blood, the blood in the umbilical cord and placenta when a child is born.
(Cord Blood Banking is gaining popularity and is on the rise now for unforeseen medical emergencies for any family member)
What is involved in the donation process?
Peripheral Blood Apheresis This method is used to extract the Stem Cells from the blood stream. The Donor must take subcutaneous shots of filgrastim for four to five consecutive days to mobilize the Stem Cells from the Bone Marrow into the blood stream. During the apheresis procedure, blood is drawn out through a vein in one arm and passed though an apheresis machine that filters out the Stem Cells. The remaining blood is returned through a needle in the same or your other arm. This procedure generally lasts three to four hours and may need to be repeated if not enough Stem Cells were collected the first time. Your Marrow naturally replenishes itself within four to six weeks.
Note – The procedure is non-surgical and as simple as a blood donation.
How do I volunteer to join the registry?
You may contact MDR(I) or enroll on the website. You may then schedule an appointment at MDR(I) office or attend a Bone Marrow drive. At the center or drive, you will be given a health questionnaire and education about being a Donor and if you are a suitable candidate and willing, they will draw a small vial of blood to be tested.
Reconsider these points before joining the Registry:
MDR(I) volunteer Donors must be willing to consider donating to any patient searching the Registry. If one has doubts about donating Marrow or Stem Cells, he should delay joining the registry until certain of the commitment to be able to donate.
Uncommitted Donors give false hopes to patients waiting for transplants.
Who can become a Donor?
Any healthy individual between the ages of 18-50 years is eligible with no history of cancer, diabetes, heart disease or heart attack. A volunteer Stem Cell Donor must not be greatly over weight or at high risk for contracting AIDS or the HIV virus.
SOME QUICK NUMBERS
India produces 2 lac new patients every year who need a stem cell donor
The registry currently has only 5000 odd volunteers
Probability of finding a match within the family is 30%
Probability of finding an unrelated match is one in 20,000
PLEDGE YOUR MARROW TODAY!
GIFT A LIFE TO SOMEONE

An appeal from a school

I received this as a forward:
Dear Sir,

We are running Sai Education Trust in Mumbai, Malad.
Our school is running in a slum area .We need a help from you or donors for our school to develop . Our school needs help of benches & desks or to help develop school building. We will be very grateful to you.
The school has been running since 1990. We also have 80 G certificate.
Surya Mishra
Cell :9867975703

Urgent help required for critical patient

Received this call and mail:

 

Sachin Salian, a patient who is admitted in Nanavati Hospital after a train accident is critical. He has multiple factures in his brain and is haemorraghing. His family is not well off, and urgently require funds to continue his treatment.

He is currently in Ward no-12, bed no-14, 2nd floor of Nanavati hospital.
 
His father's contact details: Room no 3, Kanlakar Motiram chawl, Eksar road, Borivali (W)
Mob- 9821489889         9324181771

 

If anyone would like to help this patient, kindly contact these numbers directly.

An appeal to help Baby Urvashi

I received a call the other day from Delhi, a gentleman wanted to know if India Helps could help a child who needed an urgent heart operation. I am posting the details of the case below:

 

Baby Urvashi, 2 years, has been diagnosed as having large perimembranous VSD. She is being treated by Dr Vikas Kohli (Senior Consultant Pediatric Cardiac and Congenital Cardiac Surgery Unit, 9891362233) at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in Delhi and needs an open heart surgery urgently, for which the expenses are estimated at Rs 1,40,000/- (One Lakh forty thousand).

 

The child's father is Mr. Sandeep Malhotra
Mob: 09814588555

 

If anyone would like to help this child out, kindly contact Mr Malhotra directly.