EYE CARE

This year, Asha-Kiran launched its Eye Care Program in collaboration with HV Desai Hospital, which will provide its services to our beneficiaries at no cost. The vision screening campaigns, which will lead to specific treatments for every case and need, are being carried out at all of our Projects: Nikam and Khese Schools, the Day Care Centers and Yashodhara.

The screening began in late November and will continue once a week until late December. Approximately 300 children are screened at a time. To date, we have found three cases of severe visual impairment in one school which have already been referred to our partner hospital. The parents of the children expressed their appreciation for the detection of vision handicaps in their children.

We believe it is important for children to have good eyesight for learning, for being self-sufficient and for them to enjoy everyday life.

Through this new initiative, we are covering one more area in the comprehensive care of our beneficiaries.

KHEL - KHEL, A SPORTS MEET

This was the second year that Concern India Foundation organized the Khel Khel Main Athletic Competition for children. The event, which lasted all day, was held on 27 November and it included about 50 NGOs and more than 1,500 children. On this occasion, Asha-Kiran participated with a team of 20 children from its Projects – 8 from Yashodhara and 6 from each of the Day Care Centers. To prepare for the event, all the children rehearsed almost 2 weeks for the parade and anthem of the opening ceremony. The sports section of the competition included a relay race and races of different distances. The games section included not only children but also coordinators and volunteers.

Gold, silver and bronze trophies were awarded to the winners, and all competitors received a participation certificate.

Asha-Kiran’s children won 6 gold, silver and bronze awards and Krishna, a boy from Yashodhara, also won a trophy to the best athlete, since he got three different medals.

At the end of the day, the children were as exhausted as they had previously been eager to participate. They had loads of fun and look forward to participating again next year.

SOLIDARITY CONCERT

Alain Pizazz and Alejandro Urilá, the Kontrarium band, offered a charity concert in Malaga featuring creative music with guest artists Azael Ferrer in the multimedia show, Roberto Herruzo at the crystal goblets, Angel Martin with eastern percussion and flute, Rafael García in charge of the lighting and Jorge Vera in charge of sound.

Primitive tools such as the Australian Digeridoo, the Indian mouth harp, the Archidona zumba, Eastern percussion, in addition to Mongolian chants, the harmonium, the chicotén of Castile, the acoustic guitar... all accompanied by the images show, sounded loud and clear so that Yashodhara children may tune to another reality, that of a childhood in which their rights and needs are respected.

Thank you for offering and sharing your talents.
Photo by Juan Ortiz

POOJA AND KISHOR

We have two new family members, sister and brother.


Pooja and Kishor, 8 and 7 years old, were previously living with their grandmother and their HIV+ mother in a Pune slum. They started attending school this past year, but as it was a long walk away from home and mom could not always bring them or pick them up due to her illness, their attendance was very irregular.

The family finances were not good, either. Grandma is the only source of income because mom cannot work. After interviewing the family, it didn’t take long for us to welcome the children in.

Thankful that son and daughter are looked after, cared for and schooled by Asha-Kiran, mom can now rest and get treatment at the local hospital without worrying about them, and grandma will not have such a heavy burden on her.

This is a new beginning for a pair of siblings who will soon find out that their family is much bigger than just four people.

EYE CARE

This year, Asha-Kiran launched its Eye Care Program in collaboration with HV Desai Hospital, which will provide its services to our beneficiaries at no cost. The vision screening campaigns, which will lead to specific treatments for every case and need, are being carried out at all of our Projects: Nikam and Khese Schools, the Day Care Centers and Yashodhara.

The screening began in late November and will continue once a week until late December. Approximately 300 children are screened at a time. To date, we have found three cases of severe visual impairment in one school which have already been referred to our partner hospital. The parents of the children expressed their appreciation for the detection of vision handicaps in their children.

We believe it is important for children to have good eyesight for learning, for being self-sufficient and for them to enjoy everyday life.

Through this new initiative, we are covering one more area in the comprehensive care of our beneficiaries.

artsolidari

Twenty renowned artists from Girona, Catalonia, donated some of their works of art for an exhibition in support of Yashodhara Shelter Home. We thank Asha-Kiran Volunteers and Fundación Valvi for organizing and launching this event.

The artists and representatives of Fundación Asha-Kiran were present at its inauguration, which took place on November 6th.

One of the rooms of the gallery houses the artists’ works, and the other presents a wide view of India through the photographs of Uttam Módenes.

This activity promotes collaboration among artists, volunteers and the general public with the aim of bridging communication gaps and fostering links that will contribute to the sustainability and development of our Projects with vulnerable children.

Our thanks to the Artists, Organizers and Public for their solidarity.

NEW ART WORKSHOPS IN PUNE

Summer news: the Arts and Crafts Workshops carried out in August in Pune were a complete success!

The idea: to express, to create and to have fun.
The participants: the children from our two Day Care Centers, Yashodhara Home, and the two public schools in Pune – Khese and Nikam – with which Asha-Kiran works in its new ‘Improvement of Primary Education Project’.
The organizers: four artists and a photographer, all Spanish Volunteers.


At the end of July, with great enthusiasm and a lot of material, María Soutullo, María Balibrea, Esther Esquinas and Tess Quintana, left for Pune to begin the workshops that they had so conscientiously prepared. David Gomez Rollán photographically documented the development of the workshops.

Among the activities carried out were the painting of murals and the making of puppets and big-headed beings, various ornaments and figures, origami, collages, toys, board games, carvings and necklaces – all of them from various materials and recycled items.


There were significant differences in the participation of children from Asha-Kiran’s Projects and that of children from the schools – the former plunged into the activities with great ease and joy, while the latter were rather timid at the beginning and had more difficulty learning to handle the different materials. This could be due to the fact that the children from the Day Care Centers and Yashodhara were already familiar with basic techniques such as cutting, pasting, painting and others that require some manual dexterity, while in the public schools of Pune, the students do not often have the opportunity to develop manual skills or participate actively in class.


Gradually, however, the children from Khese and Nikam Schools gained confidence and 'got down to work' while the Volunteers encouraged them, no matter what their final 'creations' looked like. The last day of activities, there was a party at the participating schools with piñatas and great cheer.

At the DCC’s and Yashodhara, in addition to the children's individual handiwork, the walls were covered with colorful paintings for the delight of visitors and the children themselves – undoubtedly a highly rewarding experience for both Volunteers and Beneficiaries.