GROUP: Navajeevan Bala Bhavan (A Home for Children in Need)

About the Group:
Collaborative effort between Don Bosco Society and the 
Corporation of Vijayawada to bring the large number of street
children in Vijawada into the main stream by helping, 
befriending and creating opportunities by formal/vocational
education. 

Vijayawada has over 20,000 street children in the age group of 
5-16. They are engaged in variety of activities (some
useful to society, others illegal) and spend their lives in 
the streets, railway stations, bus stands etc.. These kids
are usually orphans or victims of cruelty ( and have thus run
away) or have run away from poverty at home.

Activities include: 
Building close close contact with street 
children, showing interest, care through night shelter, 
medical treatment, temporary food/clothing, reunions with 
family (if kid wants it), formal education or vocational 
training, help with placement etc. Don Bosco facilities
or corporation facilities are used as far as possible/available
or suitable.

PROJECT: NBB "residence" for school going kids.

LOCATION: Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh

Address: 
Navajeevan Bala Bhavan
Poornanandampet, Vijayawada 
Andhra Pradesh- 520 003, India
Ph 91-area code-77915

CONTACT: 
India-
Ms. Anu Dasaka
Navajeevan Bala Bhavan
Poornanandampet, Vijayawada 
Andhra Pradesh- 520 003, India
Ph 91-area code-77915

US Contact-
Anand Tanikella
Anand.V.Tanikella@sgc.infonet.com
Home (508) 616 0322
Off  (508) 351 7807

FUNDING: 
Per year ---> 3 units (20 children/unit) X 4000 $/unit=12000 $/year
We can fund a smaller part of it
or ask for a narrower proposal covering a smaller part.


Per year & per building (unit)
-------------------------------

Rent for building		24,000
Salary for a couple		24,000
Food 				73,000
Clothes				 8,000
Bathing towels			   400
Sleeping mat			 3,000
Toilet stationary		 8,000
School books & stationary	 6,000
				------
		Total	       146,400 Rs. ==> ~4000$


DATES: ASAP, yearly

DESC: 
Current project- Currently, 120 children stay in shelter everyday.
Out of these 50 have been staying continuously. Among those
who have stayed continuously, some are opting to join a 
regular school. 80 children have been admitted to Don Bosco 
at Pezzonipet. 
The proposal is 
- to rent 3 buildings for the residence of 60 of the school 
	going children,
- to provide for their food, clothes, stationary, books 
- to provide for the salary for 3 couples who will look after them.

SUMMARY: 
Housing/food/schooling etc. 60 homeless children to enable them 
to go to school at 200 $/year/ child. (7000 Rs/year/child)

COMMENTS: 
Premi --- A worthy cause but think about this-
* Amounts may be too large for us. We can take a smaller part.
* If they start something like a free boarding school
and if it is successful, will it encourage kids
to run away from home and come to Vijayawada?
But I guess, that is better than the other fate
........ however, will this project be sustainable?

Vinay K --- Based on the Srikrishna's visit report, the following 
points were raised-

It is true that the organization does very noble work and is 
well administered by Father Koshy and his associates. But it is
also rather well-connected, influential and capable of raising
funds (from the Catholic Church, if required). Most of us felt
that our funds could be better utilized in some other smaller 
project, where the people probably do not have good marketing 
skills but are doing good work nevertheless and which could not 
have survived but for our funds.

We have decided to shelve this for now. We want to make it clear
that this is not a judgement on the nature of work by NBB. In 
fact we are more than impressed with it. However we will look for
less known projects for now. We may want to come back to this one
if we do not succeed in our efforts. 

SOURCE: 
Anand Tanikella visited the place in Aug 96. At that time Anand was with 
Asha-RTP.

HISTORY: 
Anu Dasaka sent info/proposal to Anand ---20 Aug 96
Premi (Asha-MIT) got info from Anand --- 1 Jan 97
Premi, 6 Jan 97, project summary

STATUS: 6 Jan 97 --  Being Researched- Premi/Anand T.

DETAILS: 
1) Ms. Anu Dasaka seems to be a very committed lady. She lives in 
Calcutta and comes to Vijayawada for 15 day periods.  She acts 
like a counsellor for these kids. She is a scholar with the 
Action Research Programme introduced by the BOSCOS with the
support of the Univ. of Amsterdam.

2) They have sent us-
	- Annual report 1993
	- Annual report 1995
	- Photographs
	- Project proposal (not in direct reply to our questionnaire)