IIT- Home students on visit

On 31st Dec'10 300+ students of IIT- Home along with 14 staff and faculties visited Sandnya Srushti campus. Director of IIT Home Ms.Nisha Kothari makes it a point to bring each batch of theirs to Sandnya Srushti. The idea is to orient all these brilliant students who are inspiring to go to IIT in respect of mental disability in general and their moral responsibility towards these less fortunate children in particular. This is the single largest group of persons visiting to Sandnya Srushti at a time. It was indeed a challenge for us all at SSS. It is not only about managing such is a big group but it is also about showing them and explaining them the whole activity we carry out at our Sandnya Srushti campus.

We had 6 tour guides from our staff and trustees, each guide taking 25 students at a time for the guided tour of the campus. This guide took them to all departments and class rooms and explained them from out side of each room. They were not taken in to class rooms since the number was big. each guide had to take two groups of 25 at one time. It was arranged in such way that one group will reach to a particular class by the time earlier group has left from there. This guide tour was organized with lot of care. After finishing the tour, these IIT Home students took a break for lunch since they had brought their tiffins with them.

After this they went to our assembly hall on first floor for the orientation lecture. Our hall was packed to the capacity for the first time. Secretary Navin Deshpande talked to these students through power point presentation. He dealt with the subject of mental disability right from its causes to rehabilitation and management of these mentally challenged children. He explained them regarding there responsibility towards these less fortunates as a citizen. He did tell them about SSS as a organization and its commitment to serve this noble cause. There was a question answer session also. At last, Director of IIT Home, Ms.Nisha Kothari spoke to her students and appealed them that they should always remember and help such organizations. She said, " you are fortunate because GOD has given you every thing including intelligence also. But it does not mean that you use this only for your self satisfying desires. It is your moral responsibility to support such good cause materially and consciously as well."

Director, Nisha Kothari collects fine from her students for the laps of discipline on their part. The amount thus collected is matched with equal amount from her and this total amount is then donated to SSS. She is following this practice since last many years. This visit, this amount has exceeded one lack of rupee. We at SSS compliment IIT Home for this noble gesture.

Parent workshop at Sandnya Srushti

On 2 Jan'2011 a parent workshop was held at Sandnya Srushti campus Butibori for parents of our mentally challenged students. The faculty who conducted the workshop was Mrs.Pratima Hawaldar, clinical psychologist from Mumbai. The registration started at 10 am, which off course was free. Dr.RM Uttarwar, Chairman of SSS welcomed the faculty with a small token gift made by our rehab unit. With a brief introduction by secretary Navin Deshpande regarding the faculty and purpose of the said workshop, the session was handed over to Mrs.Pratima Hawaldar at 10:40 am.

The whole session went till 3:00pm with a small break for lunch in between. Though we do not charge any registration fees but still we provide lunch to the participants and staff of SSS.

Mrs.Hawaldar, a lady with vast and long standing experience in this field guided the parents for critical problems in their mentally challenged wards. She has a skill to make the parents relax instantly. Many of the parents had their children along with them since there was no body at home to look after them. Thus we had our staff who took care of these students through out this period. We do realize that such workshops may not provide ready made solutions for the problems faced by parents. But the whole idea of such inter action is to explore various options out of which one may be useful in a particular case. This inter action can help parents think in many different ways to get a solution or to get strength for couping up with the ultimate.

Training Programme for SSS staff

On 1st Jan 2011 we had a training programme for our total staff at Sandnya Srushti. This included Ayya and garden worker also. The faculty was Mrs.Pratima Hawaldar a clinical psychologist from Mumbai. About a month back I received a phone call of Mrs.Hawaldar from Mumbai, she said she is coming to Nagpur on her way to Gadchiroli and Warora for a week long tour. She further said that, she on her way back to Mumbai wish to stay with me at my residence for two days and these days can be utilized the way I feel appropriate. It was thus decided to hold a one day workshop for staff of SSS and one day workshop for parents of our students. It is needless to mention that she was rendering her services to SSS free of cost. Thus she arrived along with one of her friends Mrs. Vijaya Chowhan on 25th Dec' 10. She stayed at my place for about 5 hours, and after taking lunch she along with her friend left for Gadchiroli by state transport bus. She came to Nagpur back on 31st noon and got down at Sandnya Srushti, Butibori. She was there with us till evening and then we came back to my residence and she stayed for 2 days i.e. till 2nd Jan. evening.

The programme for teachers was intended to help them coup up with day to day problems of our mentally challenged students and specially their behavioral problems. This workshop was also intended to facilitate them to iron out the frictions they normally come across while they deal with colleagues. It is one of the concerns of the management. Unless all staff members work with perfect harmony and understanding, it is not possible to expect desired progress in our mentally challenged students. It is further important that all them work and think in line with the philosophy of us i.e. SSS. Mrs.Hawaldar a elderly lady did that quite successfully and made the staff relax instantly. Off course many of the staff members new Mr.Hawaldar since she was coming to us for fifth time in last 15 years.

We at Sandnya accord utmost importance to up dating of skills and knowledge of our staff so that they can always be equipped with latest techniques to meet the challenge of dealing with intellectually compensated children more effectively.

Sandnya went for a picnic

On 4th of December students, staff and parents of Sandnya Sanwardhan Sanstha went for a picnic to Anandwan Warora which is 100 km from Nagpur. Normally, every year students of SSS go for picnic to different place then their parents. The idea of different venue is to give freedom to parents. But this time parents also wanted to visit Anandwan and see the rehabilitation work for Lepers, all of them went for the same place. This is also the maiden time when our students traveled the longest distance of 100 km from Nagpur. It was certainly a test for our mentally challenged & autistic students and of course the test was of staff as well. Our students traveled by our own buses while parents heired a bus. Picnic is a yearly event and our children enjoy it by being with nature.

By: Navin Deshpande, Secretary, SSS

Email: navindesh@gmail.com

website: www.sandnya.org

Helping hand from DAIMSR

On 29th October 2010 at 5:30 pm a Hindi "Hassya Kavi Sammellan" was organized at Vasantrao Deshpande Hall, Civil Lines, Nagpur. This was a fund raising event planned and totally organized by Dr.Ambedkar Institute of Management Studies and Research, Nagpur. This Institute is associated with SSS since last 6 years. They have been helping us in many different ways. The donation coupons were of the denomination of Rs.365/-, 500/- and 1000/-. These were sold by the faculties and students. During this same period, MBA students sold the "Diwali Diyas" worth Rs.36000/-. A good job done indeed. The profit generated through this sale will go to the students of this Rehab unit. SSS does not use this money. The initiative and idea of having this event was of course of Dr.Sujit Metre, Director of the Institute. Dr. Metre is the key person and a great motivator for all students. Needless to say he is the most popular teacher in the Institute. He is not only favorite of the students but is popular amongst the alumnae also. He not only helps SSS in such fund raising activity but also brings every batch of MBA students to Sandnya Srushti for awareness purpose. This practice continues for last 6 years with out break. I call him a great champion of the noble cause of mental disability and loving supporter of "differently able" children.

By: Navin Deshpande, Secretary, SSS

Website: www.sandnya.org

e-mail: navindesh@gmail.com

Fund raising event for us by our supporter

Dr.Ambedar Institute for Management Studies and Research, Nagpur organised a Hindi Hasya Kavi Sammelan on 29th Oct.'2010 at Dr.Vasantrao Deshpande Hall, Nagpur at 5:30 pm. There were 6 Kavi's of Hasya Rus from different parts of the country. This was the fund raising event organized to support SSS and one more NGO from Nagpur. This was the initiative by the Institute of Management it self. Dr. Metre, the Director of the Institute is the man behind such ideas. And of course this is not the first time that they are helping us. It is more than six years now, that this Institute is supporting us in all possible ways. The whole credit of course for this goes to Dr.Metre him self.

The programme was ideally organized of course with our consent. It started with formal introduction of guests and then two beneficiaries i.e. SSS and the other NGO was given time to brief the audience about our activity. I was given the privilege of talking first. My talk was followed by a "bhangada" dance by our students. Then the students haded over rs.36000/- in cash wich they raised by selling "Diwali Diyas" made by our rehab unit. Apart from this, the funds raised through ticket selling will be distributed to these two NGOs.

After half an hour of these initial items, the actual "Hasya Kavi Sammelan" Started at 6:30 pm and was concluded at 9:00pm. The Deshpande hall was full and people fully enjoyed the "Hasya Kavita".

SSS- Annual Programme

Sandnya Sanwardhan Sanstha celebrated its annual programme on 24th Oct.2010. The date of this annual programme is decided six months in advance. The preparation of this event begins with booking of the venue. Since last year we have shifted this venue from IMA hall to Platinum Jubilee hall of Blind Relief Society's on South Ambazari Road, Nagpur. This hall has more sitting capacity then IMA hall. Here we have 800 + capacity and if need be we can add additional 50-70 chairs. Second advantage is, it is on first floor and the staircase is also quite wide like 5'. Thus it becomes user friendly. There is lot of open space apart from enough parking lot. In the open space we could arrange the sales stall and coffee stall as well. Further, it has bigger green room and with toilet attached and additional makeup room for our boys as well. Last and not the least, it is located on south Ambazari Road which has relatively low traffic density.

As usual, programme started at 5:30 pm sharp. The chief Guest was Dr.Sujit Metre, Director, Dr.Ambedkar Institute of Management Studies and Research, Nagpur. The programme was presided over by Rev. Swami Raghvendranand from Ramkrishna Math, Indore, MP. Dr. Ambedkar Institute is supporting us in many ways since last six years.Dr. Metre was a faculty then and the man behind all initiatives related to our association.

This programme started with " Swagat Geet" by our students and staff. There were 5 items presented by our students of different category. There were about 800 people in the audience which included parents of our mentally challenged students and our donors and well-wishers. This programme was concluded in one hour and fifty minutes as per schedule.