10th SBS @ Odanadi Seva Samsthe

Volunteers of the AF-Mysore visited the Odanadi Seva Samsthe on the 4^th of April 2010 for the weekly SBS activity. The SBS is an endeavor to reach out to the underprivileged sections of the society and especially the children. The members of AF-Mysore visit one facility every Sunday to understand and appreciate the effort towards child rehabilitation.

Odanadi is one of the most well known institutions of Mysore that is working for the rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration of trafficked women and children. One learnt that 200 women/girls enter prostitution every day in India alone and 80% of them end up as victims of trafficking. Registered in 1991, the Samsthe has rescued over 1800 girls in and around the state of Karnataka. The organization based in Mysore, has spread its wings as far as the United Kingdom. One can follow their activities in the UK from the website - http://www.odanadi-uk.org/. Coincidently, the two directors of Odanadi Samsthe were recently accorded a reception at the House of Lords at Westminister in London in recognition of their work (read more).

During the visit, the volunteers got to interact with the man himself – Mr. Parashuram, director of the foundation. He said that “Rescue operations is just one half of the mission; their rehabilitation forming the more significant half”. He further added that, “After being rescued, the girls will be provided with counseling and non-formal teaching. The counseling part aims to instill self confidence among the girls and motivate them to take up studies. The non-formal training includes awareness towards the society and imparting essential life skills. This process can take up to 4-5 years depending on the case. After this phase, the girls will be put on the track of formal education. It was learnt that the Odanadi Samsthe had helped as many as 480 girls in getting a graduate degree since its inception. The Samsthe also has the credit of conducting marriages in it’s own premises. There have been over 50 such instances so far.

Speaking of the future plans, Mr. Parashuram informed that the Samsthe had adopted about 100 villages that were isolated and inaccessible to the civic amenities. He said that an attempt is being made to impart general health related awareness and sex education among these villages. He encouraged the volunteers to come and visit one of their camps at these locations.

The volunteers reached the venue at 8.30 AM. The facility was clean and extremely hygienic. The girls were taking classes in Karate on the Sunday morning. It was later learnt that the Samsthe organizes experts to train the girls on various fields of relevance and interest. Some other popular activities were learnt to be Art and Yoga. Children soon assembled for the breakfast. They offered prayers to the almighty. The volunteers then served them with idli-vada and badam milk. 

After the breakfast, the volunteers and the girls assembled at the activity room of the Samsthe. The walls of the hall were decorated with paintings and postures of Yoga-Asanas. The day also happened to be the birthday of Kuldeep, one of the active volunteer of AF-Mysore. He celebrated the occasion by cutting the cake with the children. 

The volunteers then wished the caretakers of facility the very best in their endeavors. They bid farewell to the girls with the promise to visit them again soon. More smiles to be spread, more hopes to be nurtured… The Aashayein Caravan shall go on… 

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