The Bandhan-Poynad Balgram (Children’s Home) was started in the year 1999. Dr. Kiran Mhatre from Poynad proposed to start SAMPARC Children’s Home to support the disadvantaged children of Raigad District in Maharashtra. In the first year the house was provided by his father in the same village. In the following year, SAMPARC shifted in one independent house where 30 children can easily be accommodated. Near this setup, SAMPARC procured a piece of plot, on which four houses have been constructed with a view to accommodate 50 children. At present there are 50 children residing in the balgram and another 30 children can still be accommodated in the house. 

SAMPARC Bandhan-Poynad Balsadan is a Licensed Children’s Home under the Department of Women & Child Welfare, Government of Maharashtra for the care of orphan and disadvantaged children. It is located in the heart of Bandhan village, 15 km from Alibag. This district has one of the best schools and college of the area in Poynad, and there are many grown up children of the balgram who attend this college and school.

The centre is looked after by one supervisor, three housemothers and two tutors. A part time doctor attends the children and supervises the health aspect of the children, there is also a part-time karate teacher, computer instructor, etc. The academic result of all children is found very good and children are quite attentive. However the centre needs financial assistance for maintenance and administrative support.

 3) Bhambarde School & Hostel 

Bhambarde village is situated in the hilly western region of Pune district (Mulshi taluka) about 70 km from Pune and 130 km from Mumbai. The best way to reach there is via Lonavla. Bhambarde is surrounded by twelve villages with mainly tribals and economically backward residents. There are no basic amenities, no proper roads and no infrastructure in these villages. Initially SAMPARC carried small camps to coach the children to attract them for education and sponsorship assistance for the boys and girls, so that they can get economic strength to attend school.

SAMPARC started a school and hostel in Bhambarde in 1998 with an aim to provide good education to the needy children in the Mulshi upto std X. It was the first of its kind in this region. The hostel has been constructed with the help and support of Italian friends. At the same time SAMPARC tried to interact with the local schoolteachers, so that all the children from the village could come upto Std VII. and thereafter all children could come to SAMPARC school from Std VIII to X. These villages do not have any school beyond Std IV. Thus they have to be brought to the SAMPARC Hostel and to attend Bhambarde school till secondary level. These children enjoy many religious festivals and national holidays too. Today there is one headmaster and 7 trained teachers (B. Ed) who work and teach in the school. Mahindra British Telecom along with Rotary Club International and Rotary Club – Lonavla, helped this construct and equip the school.

SAMPARC has constructed a new hostel building, which can accommodate 200 girls and boys. At present there are 180 students in the hostel who enjoy facilities such as well-furnished classrooms, well-equipped laboratory, library with good books, computer education and a good playground for playing games.                                                                                                                                             SAMPARC has plans to start a sports training institute and has appointed 3 national level coaches to impart training to the students who have a keen interest to reach the national level in football and gymnastics. A Check Dam has been constructed to solve the water problem.

Initially with the help of the IDS organization, a medical centre was started for children as well as villagers under the supervision of a doctor.

The school has generated confidence amongst the community people and children from 14 villages. They receive sponsorship assistance for education and are provided regular follow up and counseling. As a result, today within a period of four years significant psychological changes have developed in the remote area towards education. The migration of the older children to cities for education or livelihood purposes has greatly reduced. The centre has become an important education centre for the children of this region. Within a small period of 2 years, the school was awarded as “The Best School” in Mulshi taluka and stood 5^th at the district level. The students perform very well in sports and regularly practice sports on the huge 1-hectare sports ground. All the district sports events are organized on this huge ground.

Promoting Studies On Water Harvesting at Bhambarde 

Bhambarde region receives very heavy rainfall, about 250 inches per year, but there is no proper irrigation or water harvesting technique. So SAMPARC tries to promote studies on water harvesting and supporting community level people to take up small projects on construction of wells and other measures to increase water-holding capacities at the soil surface and sub-soil level. The organization has now completed construction of a Check Dam and a well at village Bhambarde which will store water and provide water for the school / hostel children and community people. SAMPARC has already worked for Water Shed Management and excavation of wells in four villages. In the past SAMPARC used to take technical help from CITRA, IIT Powai, Mumbai, AFARM and Gomuk, Pune.

4) SAMPARC Shel-Pimpalgaon Balgram

The Shel-Pimpalgaon Balgram was established in the year 2000. It is located in the serene and picturesque environment of Chakan on the Chakan-Nagar Road, about 35 km from Pune and 140 km from Mumbai. The purpose of starting the centre was to bring up the children in the agricultural environment close to Alandi and Chakan industrial belt.

Shel-Pimpalgaon centre provides all basic amenities to 40 children. The academic results of the students are excellent and they also enjoy various cultural events. One supervisor, three housemothers, one helper, three teachers, and a visiting doctor look after the centre. It has a small library, computer, etc with a proper accommodation setup. The functioning and administration gives encouragement and inspiration to other organizations to run similar units for childcare and education and achieve better results.                                                                                  

     Chief Secretary Mr Johnny Joseph, at the inauguration of the renovated SAMPARC project at Shel-Pimpalgaon along with Mr Amit Banerjee- Secretary, Shri K.K. Singhvi – President, and Shri Mohite Patil – MLA, Khed taluka. 

 It is a licensed Children’s Home under the Department of Women and Child Welfare, Government of Maharashtra for the care of orphans and disadvantaged children. The renovation of old Children’s Home and construction of Community Hall for the children is under progress. However the centre needs financial assistance for maintenance and administrative support.

 5) Samparc Anjar Balgram (Gujarat) 

The devastating earthquake in Gujarat year 2001 had left many children homeless and totally ruined. SAMPARC started a Children’s Home in June 2001 in Anjar, Kutch in Gujarat state to rehabilitate these earthquake-victimized children. Initially it began with 25 children in a rented house in New Anjar.

                          But to accommodate the growing strength of the children, LIC Employees Union, and Maitri Trust, Pune helped SAMPARC to purchase 4 houses. These houses are well-equipped with a kitchen, drinking water system, library, study room, computer room, etc. One supervisor, one assistant, two tutors and three housemothers look after the centre. At present there are 40 children in the center. The centre holds a License under Department of Women and Child Welfare Department under Government of Gujarat for the care of orphans and earthquake-affected children.

6) SAMPARC Bal Asha Ghar  

 Bal Asha Ghar, a project which has recently come under SAMPARC Management for running and care of 50 children of red light area from an organisation based in Mumbai who was unable to run the programme properly. Due to their inefficient management, previously the children suffered from many problems. However with the able guidance of Mr Amitkumar Banerjee and his staff members, thorough counselling with the children, the situation has now changed. Moreover the new construction has given this project a new look. Now the situation is under control and many children are now happy to be in that project. However the center is badly in need of financial support for the running and maintenance of the children activities.

7) SAMPARC Balsadan, Kolkata.

SAMPARC has started a Children’s Home in Kolkata for the children of sex workers. SAMPARC purchased a house and at present has 36 children. SAMPARC is also looking after 40 children of the community under Education Sponsorship programme. SAMPARC is looking for sponsorship assistance from philanthropic minded people to sponsor the children. The house needs to be renovated and repaired. SAMPARC is also looking for donors who will support the renovation and additional construction work.

8) SAMPARC Talegaon Administrative Office (Pune)

SAMPARC runs its administrative office to coordinate programs for all the projects of SAMPARC. The office is also used for resign fund to support all the projects . It also coordinates with all local level managing committee of all projects who are held responsible for running the programs of the verious centers. The office is situated near Talegaon railway station. Tel – 02114-227335, 231472. .30 km awey from Pune and 120 km away from Mumbai.

9) Pune office – It is situated in the center of Pune city to coordinate with various people and educational institutes in Pune. The address is – 131, Sunderdutta building, Shaniwar Peth, Pune – 30, Tel – 24432624.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR VOLUNTEERS

SAMPARC invites school and college going students from different parts of the world to involve with the organization where they will get opportunity to work with minimum 5 projects of child development in the area of health care, sanitation, hygiene, tree plantation, painting & maintenance as well as to involve with the beneficiaries of the projects.

A group of minimum 7 and maximum 15 volunteers can be taken as a team to involve with SAMPARC projects for the purpose to render services to the community.

Those who are interested may apply through the Head of their Institution/ Organization  to Mr Amit Banerjee  founder Director SAMPARC E-mail at :-   samparc_1990@yahoo.com for details.