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| HAMARA FOUNDATION |
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ABSTRACT

Street life is a challenge for survival, even for adults, and is yet more difficult for children. They
live within the city but are unable to take advantage of the comforts of urban life. Towards such kids,
Hamara Foundation has paid attention and tried to help in their all overgrowth and empowerment.

Hamara Foundation initially started as “Hamara Club” in July 1989 as a field action project of
Tata Institute of Social Science (Tiss) by Prof. Asha Rane, in response to the emerging problem of
street children, in the city of Mumbai. Now it is an independent project.

Their Mission is towards facilitating all-around growth, development, and empowerment of

street children to bring about an overall improvement in their lives. Their vision is to ensure that no
child should live on the street and that every child has an inherent right to dignity and respect, which
aims at working towards creating an environment in which every child enjoys the right to survival,
development, protection, and participation.

Children in street situations with or without families are a common sight in urban India and
among the most vulnerable groups, with limited access to protection, education, health care services,
and adult supervision. They are mostly found in cities near traffic signals, railway platforms, religious
places, shopping areas, and stay under flyovers, bridges. Every day is a struggle for survival for them.
We all know that in today’s society many children and their families that reside on pavements,
experience a threat to survival, lack of financial independence, health issues, and a need to sustain
livelihood.

Hamara Foundation runs several projects such as Project for Street Connected Children, City
and Railway CHILDLINE, Sponsorship for Education of children, Children’s Cooperatives (CDK &
CHSC) for Development and Empowerment of children. In this report, we would like to give emphasis
on the activities and projects carried out by the Hamara Foundation which have been very beneficial
for the personality development and empowerment of deprived children.
 MISSION AND OBJECTIVES

Specific Objectives of Hamara Foundation

 Reach out to children in selected areas of Mumbai City.
 Provide need-based services for their growth and development.
 Create public awareness about the problems and needs of street children.
 Network with governmental and non-governmental agencies dealing with street children, such as
the police, municipal corporations, and Judiciary and welfare agencies working with vulnerable
children.
 The major thrust of the organization is to provide professional social work interventions to this
specific target group from a child rights perspective

Target Group
Children below the age of 18 years who live or work on the streets, children of pavement dwellers,
and homeless children.

Objectives:
 Understanding the specific characteristics of Street Children and their Lifestyles.
 Outreach Programes to identify Children in need who live/work on Streets.
 The significant presence of Social Workers, Para-Professional Workers, and Volunteers on the
Streets.
 Community-based Contact Programes.
 Establishment of Contact Centers near railway stations, market, Cinema Theater, near temple and
Durgah, and under Flyover Bridge.
 Provision of need-based services for the growth and development of Street Children.
 Working with children in groups.
 Creating awareness among Street Children about the scope of improvement in their work
situation and life as well.
 Advocacy of Child Rights
 Enabling these children to have access to basic services of Health, Education, Recreation, and Skill
Training.
 Involvement of Ex. beneficiaries of the organization in planning and implementing various
developmental programs.
 Networking with allied systems and like-minded NGOs.
 Generating public awareness about the problems and needs of Street Children.
 Employment of Ex. beneficiaries as staff of the organization.
 Involvement of students of Institutes of Social Work Education, Business Schools in the activities
of children.
 Involvement of Volunteers in the activities of the organization.

Main Activities of Hamara Foundation:

 Street Children Project (Hamara Club)
 Balwadi (Pre – School Education Program)
 CHILDLINE Support Organization
 Adolescent Girls’ Development Centre
 Mumbai 4 Change (Project for Homeless Children)
 List of material required for Hamara club

PROJECTS

1) The Street Children Project

It is the first initiative of the Hamara Foundation, Started in 1989 with 50 children at
Jijamata Nagar, Worli. The Project currently looks after more than 450 children on the streets and
pavement dwellers, who are provided with several services for their development and
empowerment through five contact centers D and G South Mumbai. Various services such as
health care, bathing facility, nutrition, education (Formal and No- Formal), skills training,
recreation, picnics and outings, day and residential camps, money savings, locker facility, movie
screening, library, counseling are provided.
2) Hamara Chota Gram Project:
Hamara Chota Gram (HCG) is the “Dream Project” of the Hamara Foundation. Initiated in
2011 and ended in 2017, it is a self-sustainable village model of the Pardeshi community residing
at Foras Road of Mumbai Central. This innovative initiative is helping community members get
access to health care facilities, education, skills, training programs, and income generation
activities to empower them and help improve their standard of living.
3) Children’s Development Khazana Project:
The Children’s Development Khazana envisages being a lifeline to poor, marginalized
children and adolescents, where they get opportunities to save and withdraw money and where
the adolescents can take advantage of their economic empowerment and personal development.
CDK’s primary objective is to impart life skills education, teach responsibility, prioritization of
needs, budgeting, and inculcating the habit of saving. Children between the age group of 9-18
years are the members, volunteer managers, and promoters of CDK.
4) Child Health Cooperatives (CHC):
Child Health Co-operative (CHC) is a unique initiative facilitated by Butterflies, Delhi in
the year 1995. The mission of CHC is to educate every poor child on the importance of safe and
healthy living which would help them to stay healthy and reduce their vulnerability to
preventable illnesses, thereby saving them from medical expenses and further poverty. The
cooperative has regular workshops where the children deliberate on health, nutrition, and
environmental issues and gain knowledge regarding the prevention of diseases and the importance
of nutrition and a clean environment.
5) Children’s Media:
This recent program started with Butterflies, Delhi in August 2017. The objective of the
children’s media project is to provide children with a platform for communication, to equip them
with the practical knowledge and skills in the new media technologies, to make them self-reliable
and articulate in expressing their own ideas and views in the general public, as a life skill
education and pathway to find their own field of interest and to make children aware of
happenings in the world.
6) Child line Collaborative Organization Project:
The Child line Collaborative Organization of Hamara Foundation has been functioning in
Nair Hospital since 2006 to provide 24 hours telephonic emergency services for children in need of
care and protection. The organization was the only organization in the country running two
CHILDLINE projects (Free toll no. 1098) - Support and Collaborative for 4 years. When a case of a
child is received from CHILDLINE call centers immediate action is taken to rescue the child, take
his/her details, a medical checkup of the child, and guide the child to appropriate welfare centers
on a case by case basis.
7) Mumbai Central Railway Child line:
The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) entrusted CHILDLINE India
Foundation (CIF) the responsibility of setting up the Child Help Desk (CHD) to provide
emergency services to children in contact with Railways round the clock. Hamara Foundation is
responsible for managing the Child Help Desk at Mumbai Central Railway Station (Mainline) from
1st August 2015

FUNCTIONALITY AND DEPARTMENT CHART

Chairman: DR. ASHOK MEHTA

Dr. Ashok Mehta was appointed by the Government of Maharashtra as the Senate of women’s
university namely Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey Women's University. He was general
manager with Mukand Limited for 40 long years.
Hamara Foundation was instituted changing from the Hamara Club run by the Tata Institute of Social
Sciences. He along with Prof. Asha Rane develops Hamara Foundation as a leading organization
looking after the welfare of marginalized children.

Founder & Managing Trustee: PROF. ASHA RANE

Prof. Asha Rane retired faculty of Tata Institute of Social Sciences [TISS], Mumbai has a very bright
academic career that also worked in the Dept. of Women and Child Development, Govt. of
Maharashtra, and had a long experience of working with women in distress, underprivileged children,
and community. She is the recipient of several awards for her outstanding contribution to the field of
Women and Child Development and Social Work Education as well.
 IMPACT
Education:
In the last 25 years, more than 3000 children were motivated and enrolled in municipal
schools. More than 50 children appeared and passed the S.S.C. exam, successfully. Seven children
passed the 12th exam and two completed graduation. One girl is undergoing an M.S.W. course. The
sponsorship program started with the National Sponsorship Council and individual sponsors helped
more than 1000 children receive educational material, festival dresses, shoes, umbrellas, raincoats,
school fees, and tuition class fees.

Healthcare:
A medical camp for street children of Mumbai Central was organized with the help of Nagari Seva
Probodhini in the month of June 2012. 113 children benefited from this camp. Child Health
Cooperative (CHC) has become an interesting resource for children to gain awareness and services for
their health issues. A group of 21 children attended the meeting. FPAI organized a health camp for
women on 11th September, free of cost, and a medical camp for children in the age group of 9 to 18
years, on 16th September 2014 by charging Rs. 30/- per child. 86 women and 27 children benefited
from the health check-up camps during the years 2014-15.

Rescue Operations:
In the last 25 years, with the help of the CHILDLINE project, more than 1000 children were rescued
from harmful work conditions and domestic violence. During 2012-13, 400 cases were handled by the
Hamara Foundation CHILDLINE collaborative organization. Cases related to medical conditions,
shelter, missing, restoration, emotional support & guidance were resolved. A total no. of 481 cases was
handled by Hamara Foundation CHILDLINE collaborative organization in the year 2014-2015.

Skill Training:
In the last 25 years, nearly 2000 children attended skills and vocational training like Driving,
Retailing, Housekeeping, Kitchen preparation, Basic Computer, Beautician, Mehendi, Tailoring, Motor
mechanics –(two-wheeler/four wheeler) which helped them secure job prospects. Children participate
in competitions organized by academic institutions, corporations, and NGOs for dance, drawing, and
painting, skits, sports, etc., and win prizes, which has brought about a positive trend in their lives and
inspired them to utilize their time more productively.

Social Skills:
In 2013, twenty-six girls of the age group 13 to 22 years formed a group named "Tamanna." They are
actively involved in the developmental activities of Hamara Chota Gram. For the first time in the
history of the Pardeshi community, located at Foras Road, women united and demanded that the
community leaders do something. They convinced the community leaders to build a structure above
the mandir located in the middle of the community, which could be used to hold IGP meetings.
Widows getting remarried, girls and boys reaching higher secondary/ degree level, reduced tobacco
consumption, improved Personal hygiene & community cleanliness, 2 girls going for professional
dance and 4 girls undergoing karate course are some of the positive social impacts.

Recreation:
From 6th to 10th May 2013, a summer camp for girls was conducted in SNDT Juhu campus. Twenty-
nine girls from Haji Ali, Mumbai Central, and Elphinstone road centers participated in the camp. On
11th December 2012, children went to see the cricket match between the D. Y. Patil Team and the
National Team of Netherlands at D.Y. Patil Stadium, New Mumbai. They enjoyed the match
thoroughly. Children participated in Inter NGO Football competition on 13 October 2013. A team of
nine children played well.

ACHIEVEMENT
 U.G.C. Award for best film in the social sciences category based on the organization in two parts –
Give us our childhood back and Ray of Hope by Educational Media Research Centre (EMRC)
Pune University and the Award to Prof. Asha Rane for “Content Expert” of these two films in
1998.
 Social Impact Certificate by S.P. Jain Management and Research Institute (SPJMRI) Mumbai, 2006
 Priyadarshini Award for Social service, 2010.
 Business Excellence Award from Tata Housing Development Company for Best NGO Partner for
two consecutive years in 2012 and 2013.
 The Headmaster of Gokhale Road Municipal School appreciated the efforts of the organization -
due to personal attention from the teacher, children studied well and their attendance in the
school considerably increased.

HOW WE CAN HELP

 By donating to their Website as little as possible by our limits.
 Volunteering as they accept volunteers who want to help.
 By Becoming a member as there is no membership fee for joining Hamara Foundation. Anyone
can become a member by joining their work in different capacities.
 By Donating goods such as our used/extra study materials, notebooks, clothes, toys and any
materials that could benefit the kids

Address: Donation Details:

Room no. 27, 1st Floor, Gilder Lane Municipal Account Name - HAMARA FOUNDATION
School, Opposite Mumbai Central Railway Account Number - 0204101035645
Station, Off bellasis bridge, Mumbai Central
(East), Mumbai, Maharashtra - 400 008 Bank Name - Canara Bank

Contact: +91 022-23054108 IFSC Code - CNRB00002

Gmail: hamarafoundation89@gmail.com Branch Name- Girgaon, Mumbai