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Greetings!
As Oasis begins it's 15th year of work in India working among people in poverty and socio-economic vulnerability, considerable expertise has been developed in the areas of education, training, micro finance, health care, residential rehabilitation and psycho social care. Recently, to become more effective and relevant to the needs in society, Oasis has redefined it's work based on the various contexts of it's involvement which has been classified as Outreach & Rescue, Transitional Care and Community Empowerment.
These three areas, via education & training, health care and other such programmes, are intended to bring fullness and wholeness of live to all individuals, enabling them to contribute productively towards society.
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 Outreach & Rescue
In 2000, Oasis India began it's Ashadeep project, working with street children around Kurla station. These children were at high risk of abuse; many of them had run away from their villages, come to the city with big dreams, and lived on the streets ever since, working as ragpickers or doing other odd jobs to survive. Although the project intended to rehabilitate these children, the children had dreams of their own and many escaped from the safe homes they were placed in and preferred to live a life of 'freedom' on the streets. This called for more research and a change in strategy as it was learnt that rehabilitation would be easier and more effective if the children were intercepted immediately on entering the city, at a time when they were the most vulnerable and afraid of their new surroundings. The Early Encounter programme was born which became a part of a much larger and more comprehensive children at risk and anti trafficking strategy as it was realized that a large percentage of minors were brought into the city by traffickers.
One such story is that of Susheela. She fell unconscious after someone spiked her drink at a party. Two days later, she found herself sold to a brothel in Mumbai. Following a tip off from a partner agency, Susheela was rescued after 11 months during a raid on the brothel and was placed in a government protective home.
Oasis India's Outreach & Rescue strategy includes the early encounter programme, a drop-in centre in Mumbai's red light area, partnering with other organizations and working alongside the local police for investigations and rescues of trafficked victims, holistic care for residents in the government protective homes in Bangalore and Mumbai and awareness programmes to prevent trafficking.
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 Transitional Care
Oasis India enables individuals afflicted by poverty and HIV, those trapped in sexual exploitation and situations of human trafficking to be equipped and empowered. These individuals participate in a programme that restores them through justice, socio economic development, and prepare them physically and emotionally for self sustaining productive lives in safe communities. The target groups are women and minor girls rescued from situations of sexual exploitation and women and children infected and/or affected by HIV AIDS.
Recognising that each persons adjustment abilities and needs differ; special plans of care are chalked out to achieve the best possible transition into mainstream society. The activities in the plan include education, training, health & psychosocial care in a safe environment.
Working alongside the government and partner agencies in the concept of restorative justice, Oasis India's Transitional Care programme is defined by four principle components, namely, Referrals, Home Based Care, Residential Care and Reintegration.
Susheela, who had been rescued from a brothel, was soon moved from the government protective home to an Oasis home in South India called Potters Wheel. She tested HIV positive and started undergoing treatment. She is also engaged in training at the home where she is learning stitching, embroidery and candle-making along with English conversation skills. She looks forward to going back to the city, getting a job and supporting herself. |
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Since 1994, Oasis India has been working with slum dwellers and their communities in Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai, initially starting off with education initiatives like balwadis or pre school projects and other such initiatives. It soon became clear that, in order to be more sustainable, there had to be a change from programme delivery and welfare to empowerment.
By starting up women's self help groups and training up people from the community to lead the change and take responsibility of their own development, Oasis has seen individuals, families and huge sections of the communities transformed. "True empowerment is when the communities would be able to carry forward their new found hope into the lives of others with us just overseeing the work" says Kuldeep John, who heads Oasis India's community work in Mumbai.
Sports training has also been successful in reaching out to the youth in the communities and challenging them to take charge of their futures. Sports training has created a sense of team work and dedication. School dropouts are also encouraged to pursue their education and are helped in the process. Recently, 22 young men successfully completed their 10th standard examinations. Many of them also work to add to the family income.
Oasis India is developing the 'hub' strategy, using mobile teams of staff to work in various communities around the cities delivering higher impact and engaging the community. Oasis' Community Empowerment programme currently exists in 10 slum communities in Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai with initiatives ranging from education, health awareness, training, micro finance and youth mobilization. | |
We hope you have enjoyed reading this newsletter and are challenged and inspired by our work. You can be a part of resleasing, regenerating and restoring lives by giving generously and supporting us in our work.
Sincerely,
Communications Team
Oasis India |
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