posted on Saturday, August 24th, 2024
by
Vandana Shah
A Child Of The Coast
Penned By Board Member Ms. Alo Pal I was born in the coastal town of Pondicherry. The sea has been intrinsic to my life, as have the moist sea breeze and sunrises over the horizon. We bathed, body surfed, played beach volley, and rushed to the waters in the middle of the night to witness… Read more »
Posted on Saturday, August 24th, 2024
by
Vandana Shah
posted on Monday, August 12th, 2024
by
Vandana Shah
With Sharana Since Day One
Penned by Board Member Ms. Alo Pal Rajkala, the founder president of Sharana, and I met and spoke for the first time when we attended a parent-registrar meeting in school. I was a stay-at-home mother then, and Rajkala soon became my bankable security net for any emergency. Gradually, I learnt of her work in Sharana… Read more »
Posted on Monday, August 12th, 2024
by
Vandana Shah
posted on Thursday, July 25th, 2024
by
Vandana Shah
A Year of Fun and Learning – A Collaboration
Penned By Social Worker & Facilitator Ms. Auroposée Bardhan It has been a year now since Sharana has been working closely with the French Consulate and the Lycée Français International de Pondichéry on two programmes for the French children of the Union Territory: The Social Support Programme The Holiday Camp Programme The Social Support… Read more »
Posted on Thursday, July 25th, 2024
by
Vandana Shah
posted on Saturday, July 20th, 2024
by
Vandana Shah
New Seeds
Penned by Board Member Ms. Alo Pal The Social workers usually come to me when they have a story to tell. Usually, these are inspiring stories of change and empowerment. It is also my job to evaluate the quality of intervention, understand the rationale behind decisions, and evaluate the outcome. Check if the philosophy of… Read more »
Posted on Saturday, July 20th, 2024
by
Vandana Shah
posted on Wednesday, July 10th, 2024
by
Vandana Shah
Keeping Up With The Changing Needs
Penned by Board Member Ms. Alo Pal The Old Model 15 years back children at the Sharana daycare and drop-in center spent the nights on the streets, not getting much sleep, after a day left to fend for themselves while their parents worked. Our daycare and a drop-in center ensured that they had access to… Read more »
Posted on Wednesday, July 10th, 2024
by
Vandana Shah
posted on Monday, June 24th, 2024
by
Vandana Shah
Dignity In Receiving
Penned By Board Member Ms. Alo Pal Our joint family lived a few blocks down the road from the Ashram and School main buildings here in Pondicherry. In those days, a cycle rickshaw stand stood just opposite the Ashram’s main gate. My sister, my cousin, and I used to walk up to the stand, and… Read more »
Posted on Monday, June 24th, 2024
by
Vandana Shah
posted on Wednesday, June 19th, 2024
by
Vandana Shah
Against All Odds
Penned By Board Member Ms. Alo Pal A child loses her father at a tender age A woman is urged to abort her third child by her own husband’s mistress A widowed mother operates a snack cart opposite an arrack shop, gets a drinking habit, and abuses her child violently at the drop of a… Read more »
Posted on Wednesday, June 19th, 2024
by
Vandana Shah
posted on Tuesday, June 4th, 2024
by
Vandana Shah
But then, the fact is that children are back!
[Image 1: children participating in fun activity] Penned by Board Member Alo Pal “So, how do the children come to Sharana?” I asked Manuel while taking notes for the 2023 Sharana Summer Camp. “Most of the children come on their own.” And I had concluded my piece last year with a heartening thought about… Read more »
Posted on Tuesday, June 4th, 2024
by
Vandana Shah
posted on Saturday, May 25th, 2024
by
Vandana Shah
Cultivating Wealth
Image 1: Beneficiary Meenakshi Penned By Board Member Alo Pal So then, why don’t you put this money into safe investments and live off the interest? – That is not the way to generate wealth. – Why not? Your children will be productive too, they will add to this capital and will have an even better life with the… Read more »
Posted on Saturday, May 25th, 2024
by
Vandana Shah
posted on Thursday, April 11th, 2024
by
Vandana Shah
Entrepreneurial Perseverance: a quest for better life
Image 1: Gowthami Penned By Board Member Alo Pal When our social worker on outreach met Gowthami, she started to cry. She was in desperate need of funds. Sharana enquired, gathered details, studied her business plan, and then sanctioned a loan of Rs.20.000/- so that she could buy popcorn, sweet corn, French fries, and quail… Read more »
Posted on Thursday, April 11th, 2024
by
Vandana Shah
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