A higher education project orpans and steet children to provide financial support and guided supervision. To achieve their Academic and Proffessional goals.
When Intellectualism and charity combine, often do appear a new thought of life as the new shoots of fresh leaves appear on the same tree with an old root. Father of our Nation, Mahatmaji, could see the great changes as an intellectual Father Anthony could achieve during the freedom movement. In 1946 when having a morning stroll Mahatmaji said to Father Anthony: ‘do not restrict yourself to pure intellectualism through writing and lecturing. Combine it with charity and work for the upliftment of the Harijans. Whatever work you do for their all sided growth and uplift, whether it is in slums or villages, will have my blessings and encouragement.’
The project Age 22 encourages the students to follow Mahatmaji’s words to Father Anthony. To mould responsible youth in this modern age where space journeys are becoming child’s play, it is our challenge to translate the advice of Mahatmaji to Father Anthony who encourages everyone to live the powerful motto: ‘For the Freedom of the soul and Welfare of mankind’.
The project provide quality education with a human face, introduce cognitive and behavior rehabilitation approach to add character, skills, values and focus on a holistic living approach to bring complete wellness. The key is to create a protective environment in and around of their families and communities with strong family oriented value system to prevent the street stories repeating. An empowered student can carry the legacy of social responsibility experienced in St Catherine of Siena to others, being a true role model himself/herself. Thus a bridged new life with values helps them to transform as the real citizens of the one world, one humanity and with one world citizenship, the vision of our founder Father Anthony.
Since most street mothers come from the back ground of child marriage or early marriage as early from 12 year onwards, It is imperative to change the thought process of street mothers to act against child marriage or early marriage of their own daughters. This social problem along with child labour is dealt holistically in the Age 22 Project run by Welfare Society for Destitute Children. By supporting the graduation /professional graduation of girls and boys till the age of 22, we are able to postpone or delay the marriage and child labour which gives girls and boys time to complete their academic goals.
Intelligence cannot be ignored even in those ‘angels in rags’ whom we often see as very poor by the side of our daily lives and whom we tend to ignore. Father Anthony Elenjimittam, our founder always believed this, while he worked tirelessly under the tree shades to educate the poor and the over aged children who were rejected by many schools because of their poor, illiterate and over-age back ground. ‘The project helped me to have a holistic growth’ says Suraj Premchand Gupta, Third year Business Management Student in the project: ‘Not only our needs are met, the one year career counseling program conducted by M/s. Drishti, the career counseling agency, helped me to realize my intelligence and aptitude through the tests. Along with the test results, when I saw the recommended occupations for me, I realized that I am thinking in a right way. I enjoy the newly started monthly debate based on various topics ie corruption, world peace etc with prizes for best speaker’.
‘I had no idea about my future ambitions and how should I go about it’, says Nisha Patil about her transformation through the internship programme in Happy Feet: ‘It helped me to deal with different kinds of situations in my life and took away my shyness and worries. I became confident. Since the internship is paid, I got the chance to open my bank account and save money. Now I have completed three years of internship and it also gives me pocket money till I complete my graduation from St Andrew’s college. Through this internship programme, I prepare myself for better things’.
When Ravi Gawai joined St Catherine of Siena in 2005, he knew what he can achieve through the support which is provided. With no financial and family support to study further after passing 10 th grade, Ravi joined the Project Age 22 which gave him shelter, food, clothing and the financial support for studies. Ravi says: ‘It has changed my career and life forever! Along with all these facilities, I was able to get the emotional support which was very important for me at that time. I completed my graduation and post graduation in Social Work. I got many opportunities to learn values and it helped me to develop my personality. During my studies, I worked in St Catherine as a social worker and this gave me opportunity to learn work ethics and polished me furthermore. In 2014, I decided to go for higher education and the institution stood behind me in each and every situation. I did my second masters from IIPS and my MPhil from the same institution. At present I am doing my PhD from Tata institute of social sciences. I owe my success to St. Catherine for their financial, emotional, institutional and logistical support. I always feel that St. Catherine is my second family who not only supported me but also helped me to keep myself to stay away from all the wrongdoing.
Joined St. Catherine in 2001 at the age of 5, Jyoti Kasbe found that her studies were not making progress when she started staying again with her mother. Says Jyoti: ‘After passing 10 th standard, I stayed with my mother and completed 12 th standard. My next goal was to complete my graduation, but my studies were not making any headway. I had problem with staying and organizing financial support to study. So, I came back to St Catherine and continued graduation. Along with studies, I also teach in St Catherine through the internship program provided in the Happy Feet Project. This also helped me to build up confidence and develop skills. I also take classes for small children in yoga and dance. I now enjoy the responsibility given to me. She says: the mentors who come to visit St Catherine also were very supportive in the efforts to improve myself. This helped to bring out the inner talents hidden in me’.
Devti Singh joined St Catherine of Siena school and orphanage when she was just 6 years of age in 2003. Today at the age of 19, she is looking ahead to do her Hotel Management Graduation. She is confident about getting her admission for Hotel Management course. At the same time she does her internship in Taj Lands End in Bandra which gave her the opportunity to see what lies ahead in the industry. She is happy that from an environment of poverty and no support which was not meant for her future, she got admission to a place where she received the support to make her a confident person who believed that she can pass any exams with hard work. She was grateful that she got not just financial support but also the emotional support. She was involved in Dance, Judo, Malkham and Capoeira to keep her body and mind in good spirits. ‘The staff was very helpful to guide me with counseling, life skill session, career guidance so that I become socially and mentally fit. I know my likes and dislikes and strength and weakness. I am happy that I am not forced to do something which I do not want but for supporting me with my decision. I thank St. Catherine for changing my life for the best. With God and hard work nothing is impossible. We can make it possible!’
It gives me lot of confidence that I am able to join the nursing course. I want to study and make my career so that I can support my family. My family does not have a home and we stay in the village community centre. My father, a heart patient and my sisters are supported by my mother who works in the field. The study support helps me not to worry about the course fee, books and travelling expense. I am happy that my dreams are being fulfilled. –Yogita Pawar (Murbad Project) Abhishek Yatat has enrolled in this year for this 12 th standard. He says that he wanted to become an accountant and wants to work in a big company. He does his professional music course so that he is also developing his gifted talent. He would like to share his music with others and love to teach them. Education empowerment through life skill lessons and counseling does not come easy. When it connects to the realities and practiced in the immediate surroundings, it truly becomes the change maker. ‘I have learned good manners and how to respect others. I also know how to protect myself and to be aware of my surroundings where I have to live’ says Lubna Shaikh: ‘I want to become a computer programmer and I thank God for showing me the way to St Catherine of Siena’
There are children, who for no fault of their own are born and lived in impoverished, insecure and exploited environment like staying on the streets with no secure and permanent homes where they are rejected and labeled. The institution accepts them and gives them the freedom to be called as ‘children’ and not as orphans, street kids or destitute. Otherwise, these kids remain at the fringes of society and are casualties of larger social problems including substance abuse, poverty, physical and emotional neglect, illiteracy, substandard street life. At the very time these children and youth are struggling to find identity and acceptance, they have to deal with being perceived as bad, sick, wrong, or evil.