Reports
- Promote educational progress among 350 orphans and vulnerable children of HIV/AIDS.
- Continuous participation of volunteers for the educational progress of orphan children with an emphasis on higher education.
- Form Child Care Committees to tutor school dropouts.
- Educate children to ensure their all round self development and growth.
- Sensitize wider community on the right to education of children in Goa with a special focus on vulnerable children.
- Monthly income of the guardian or single parent is below Rs 2,500/-
- Drop out children suffering from HIV/AIDS
- Orphans whose guardian’s income is below Rs 4500/- monthly.
From the total of 350 children and youth, 175 orphans and other vulnerable children were selected who are registered with the social centre for educational support. Among those were children whose HIV Viral load is high but whose CD4 had decreased and had to take a drop from schools for rest. These children and youth made regular attempts for different activities.
Every month new children are identified by the centre and are registered. There is an increase in the number of children who are availing educational support.
The Staff of Presentation Society also conducts regular house visits to ensure that educational support is rightly utilized.
- Tuitions conducted by Centre for orphan and vulnerable children who are slow learners,
- Tuitions conducted by staff in the respective localities of children,
- Promoting Open Schooling among drop-out children,
- Conducting regular Career-Guidance and Educational Guidance Workshops,
- Organizing study tours and field trips to provide children with first hand information and encourage practical learning,
- Conducting language and communication skills programmes.
- Conducting Computer training Programs.
- Conducting regular teenage counseling and education programs.
- A total of 350 children have registered with us and as such the educational expenses are enormous.
- Lack of Financial support to extend tutorial activities to include more children,
- Increasing cost of stationery and school fees.
- Increasing cost of school-travel.
- Increasing cost of Higher education especially professional education.
Report-02: EVERY 14 SECONDS A CHILD LOSES A PARENT TO AIDS
Almost 3 children in a month become victims of HIV / AIDS in Goa. It’s so painful to see another 8000 children becoming infected with HIV / AIDS in the world.
Will you join us in lighting up their lives?
We Presentation Sisters at Jeevan jyothi are committed to stand with such children whose right to life, name, dignity and food have been at risk or at times denied or even neglected.
Our programme on enhancing the right to good and nutritious food to 60 HIV+ and 75 most poverty stricken children in Goa in the last 12 months
Presentation Society’s nutritious food day three days in a month for most HIV vulnerable children with sound spiritual and social support.
With continuous support of the donors, the impact of such programme were:
- • A reduction in hospitalizations and deaths among our HIV positive children.
- • They are living longer and more active lives.
- • Increased children’s social and spiritual development from HIV stunted growth
- • Sustained children in schools and not in streets as child beggars and domestic workers.
Case Stories
When Magdelene Fernandes’s house was visited at south Goa village, in a remote corner, she was thrilled to receive us to her house which was very small and simple. Sita has three children, the second child a daughter 15 years old is HIV + .Her house made of all plastic, just enough to cover them from sunshine and rain. Earlier she would hardly attend any programmes that were organized in Panjim. Recently she became so regular that she even makes frequent phone calls prior to the programme to ensure that the day is correct. She being a widow, has to take care of three children. Ever since the refreshment programme started she makes sure she brings all her three children, eats well. She also carries a spare container to take the balance of food home if she cannot finish her family share of food.
Omkar and Rohan Naik are brothers. Both parents are HIV+. The boys are studying. The father is an auto driver. Parents find difficult to give variety of food to these growing up boys, because they have to spend for their medicine, rent of the house and other educational expenses. Eating non veg at least once a month is the demand of children. So the mother of these two wait to bring them to Panjim for the programme arranged along with a non-vegetarian lunch .They wait for the last to have a share of the balance to carry home. On the same day the family also collects their nutrition. For them it is a day of fun and learning.
Narvesh Kunkol is a semi orphan 15 years old now but HIV+. The mother died of HIV+ when he was 10 years old. His younger brother was lucky to be born uninfected. The father being an alcoholic cares less for these children. The paternal unmarried aunt has kept the boys with her. She sells flowers in the temple and gets very minimum .The aunt brings the boys for all the programme.
Narvesh always wants tasty food. He at times serves more in his plate than he can eat and happens to waste. Narvesh is on ART. He cannot study much and falls sick very often. He likes the variety of fruits that he gets.
Bibijan Shirati is a widow and a single parent for her children. After her husband’s death she is struggling for her family survival. All her three children are studying and Bibijan works as a Gardner earning Rs 3000 a month .Her younger daughter is HIV+ and both are on ART. In the case of this family they require a lot of nutritious food as well as sufficient motivation to live. Of course Bibijan looks towards this meeting which enables her to boost herself and find a purpose for living. She says this type of meetings and along with it some food really boots her ego. She is happy to meet the other friends and talk about their illness openly.
The total number of children identified and registered for the programme has increased in the year 2012 -2013. Among the 441 infected and affected by HIV / AIDS children registered with Presentation society till August, 157 are from North Goa.
HIV infected persons do not have to die or do they have to live a life of stigma and discrimination.
For the last ten years of Presentation Society’s lighting up lives social centre has enabled children and their families to rise up with new life and meaning. We have seen children once again enjoying their rights to education, leisure and health.
In the monthly programmes in Panjim the attendance of children suddenly increased as we started with nutritious refreshments. There were times when we ran short of food as their attendance were unpredictable in some months. Children had lots of fun and games. This really gave them a relaxing atmosphere. Their circle of friends increased as they began to share about their home and school stories. There were no discrimination of any kind. Children could be just themselves.
Encouragement is given more for HIV+ children to participate in the programme. The HIV positive children get some fruits and biscuits to take away with them.
Children usually enjoy fruits .Mangoes, Papayas and apples were made easily available as part of the nutrition. Majority of these children never get to eat such type of fruits. After lunch a packet of biscuits and fruits are given to them to take home.
Donors support has enabled children to enjoy good mangoes in the May.
Once in two months all the infected children are called for the second time and special food is given to increase their immunity. 
It’s terrifying for a child to live a day without parents. Have you ever felt as children the pain of life without your parents ?
Can you hear the cry of this child ?
Manoj just 9 years old studying in 3rd std started sobbing in class suddenly. When teacher called him to her table and asked what happened , he wouldn’t speak. “Has any class mate beat you or tease you?” The teacher inquired. He wouldn’t answer. He kept silent yet still sobbing. The Class Teacher called another teacher from the other class and requested her to find out why the boy is crying bitterly. Finally Manoj says “I am thinking my father. He has not come back from work for days together. I have no one to teach me maths.” Hearing this the teachers’ heart began to melt and drops of tears filled their eyes. Manoj lost his father six months back due to HIV/AIDS. He is still waiting for his father to come back.
When children come for programme, they are made to share aloud about their parents, the good memories and the good time they had with their parents when they were alive. It is a therapy which the counselor carries out in groupwise . It largely takes much time and energy to share their deep feelings.
Results: Boys without fathers grow up to become responsible persons and take up responsibilities of the home. Girls rejected because of their gender attend and complete school and excel and get good employment. Persons wounded by HIV/AIDS survive, CD4 increases, determination to live increases.
Mothers or widows decides to live for children . God working miracles in the lives of broken perons .
It is happening among God’s people . Yes we believe programmes ,policies and and resources help to sustain people .
We need more persons like you to regain lost dignity and respect for those without status and without a name.
Presentation Society addresses child protection by working to prevent and respond to all forms of violence against children – including abuse, neglect, and sexual exploitation.
As an organization, we work to address the root causes of poverty and injustice in an integrated, holistic way. Presentation society is committed to promoting an environment in which vulnerable children, their families, and communities are educated and empowered to prevent abuse and exploitation, to protect children from immediate danger, and to restore children who have been exposed to abuse, neglect, exploitation, or violence.
Presentation society focuses on the children who are most vulnerable of HIV/AIDs- those who have been orphaned, who are discriminated, and who are not in school. We educate them about what trafficking is, and the techniques that abusers use to lure children. Empowering these vulnerable children to access quality education, while meeting immediate needs such as food, clothing education and health, can make all the difference for preventing child exploitation and provide a comprehensive protection.
Children who have been abused or exploited need time and care in order to recover. We work to restore and reunite children with their families or extended families and communities when possible and appropriate. But we start by helping children who’ve been exploited to heal through medical, legal, and psychosocial services, providing life and livelihood skills and education. Often, this means providing a safe place for children to go, while offering counseling, enough of recreational activities and nutritious food and other recovery activities.
Sushma Shirati is a widow and a single parent for her children. After her husband’s death she is struggling for her family survival. All her three children are studying and Sushma works as a Gardner earning Rs 3000 a month .Her younger son is terminally ill which has stunted his growth .He hardly has good friend’s .Sushma and her son is on high medication.
When Irene Ratos house was visited, in a remote corner in North Goa, she was thrilled to receive our staff to her house which was very small and simple. Irene has three children, the second child frequently falls sick and spends large part of her pension on her daughter’s medication. Her house made of all plastic, just enough to cover them from sunshine and rain. Even Irene quite often quits her job as she finds physically weak.
Sickness, poverty, loss of job, discrimination created life difficult and almost impossible for persons and families who are fighting against terminal illnesses especially of HIV/AIDS.
Children’s Right to Survival
The total number of children identified and registered for the programme has increased in the year 2012 -2013. Among the 441 infected and affected by HIV / AIDS children registered with Presentation society till August, 157 are from North Goa.
Project Jeevan where nutritious cooked meals and uncooked food items to reduce the malnutrition and increase the immune system to sustain and secure a caring and nurturing environment for orphans and infected children. It also keep energizing and sustaining infected parents in order that children right to parental or family can be retained.
Jeevan 2012 – 2013.
A Total of 1032 persons in 12 months benefited from Uncooked nutrition programme.
Jeevan
725 persons benefited from from Cooked nutrition programme.
Impact
Increased in weight and height , better attendance in school,less money for medicine and more for food and education.
Parents sustained from premature death.
The right to a name and parents enhanced.
Presentation Society addresses child protection by working to prevent and respond to all forms of violence against children — including abuse, neglect, and sexual exploitation.
As an organization, we work to address the root causes of poverty and injustice in an integrated, holistic way. Presentation Society is committed to promoting an environment in which vulnerable children, their families, and communities are educated and empowered to prevent abuse and exploitation, to protect children from immediate danger, and to restore children who have been exposed to abuse, neglect, exploitation, or violence.
Presentation Society focuses on the children who are most vulnerable of terminal illnesses, those who have been orphaned, who are discriminated, and who are not in school. Empowering these vulnerable children to access quality education, while meeting immediate needs such as food, clothing education and health, can make all the difference for preventing child exploitation and provide a comprehensive protection.
Report-04: JEEVAN JYOTHI SOCIAL CENTER EDUCATIONAL REPORT 2013-2014
Project 1:-
Care, support and protection for orphans and vulnerable children in Goa.
Project 2:-
Prevention of HIV/AIDS for migrants in South Goa.
Project 3:-
Edu care for academically weak children to complete high school in North Goa.
Our educational strategy has been:
- Ensuring identified and registered vulnerable children have educational kits such as stationery, umbrella, shoes, uniform, bags as soon as school reopens after the summer vacations
- Pay the miscellaneous fees of the those children studying in non govt schools maximum sometimes to Rs500/
- After the first exam meet the teachers and parents of academically weak students to draw up a plan to improve their performance
- Refer the less motivated and likely drop out students for effective counseling
- Net work with schools to retrench those students who may have remained absent for a long time.
- Make all attempts a child completes his/her high school
Objective: 
- Promote educational progress among orphans and vulnerable children of HIV/AIDS.
- Continuous participation of volunteers for the educational progress of orphan children with an emphasis on higher education
- Form Child Care Committees to tutor school dropouts.
- Educate children to ensure their all round self development and growth
- Sensitize wider community on the right to education of children in Goa with a special focus on vulnerable children.
Presentation society has been working for the last 8 years, helping children and their communities reach their full potential by tackling the impact of HIV/AIDS.
We are also a partner with Goa State Aids Society in the prevention of HIV/AIDS for 12000 high risk migrants making significant progress in helping to prevent new infections and caring for people who have been affected by HIV and AIDS. Prevention, care and support programs has been our top priority in the places where we work. That includes:
- Health interventions for mothers and children
- Community-led care for orphans and vulnerable children
- HIV prevention education for youth
- Partnering with govt in the prevention of HIV/AIDS
- Local level advocacy
- We work with people living with HIV and AIDS and their children in Murmugao,Salcette,Bardez, Bicholim and Tiswadi. These are the most vulnerable Talukas Presentation Society responds to the medical, nutritional, educational, economical, emotional and social needs of adults and children affected by HIV and AIDS. Presentation Society has initiated programmes that strategically addressing HIV prevention among children between 10 to 18 years, care and support for orphans and vulnerable children and women who are made destitute by HIV and AIDS.
- Presentation Society works to advocate for and ensure the rights of children affected by HIV and AIDS as well as those marginalized due to HIV and AIDS.
Here are some some stories to explain how reaching out to children through our staff is carried out.
STORIES
CASE 1
Sanjeev Kant (Name changed ) 16 year old has been an orphan for the last 7 years and he has been looked after by his aunt a widow who has two of her own daughters schooling . But for Vijaya ,Sanjeev is considered and treated like her own son who is HIV+ from his birth. She has many concerns to face and understand as she is a single handed person working in Margoa leaving for her job every morning at 7 am and returning at about 7pm . She places all her trusts in the children as she leaves her home . Her two daughters stuying in Vth and V1 th doesnot need much of push where as Sidhu has to be taken care of more than before as he is growing up and has many unneccasry demands and request to be fulfilled by the aunt . He remains frequently absent in higher secondary , having very less motivation to complete his studies. He likes to work to make some quick bugs by working in Casinos Panjim doing small jobs earning upto Rs 400 a day .
Therefore his attendance in school has been not good . The staff of jeevanjyothi has been visiting the school and meeting the teachers ,Sanjeev has improved a lot . He is more regular to studies and motivated to complete his studies . The mentor of Sanjeev has been very keenly guiding him to complete his education and master a skill which can give him a good job in the future.
CASE 2
Joseph fernandes(name changed) is a 12 year old semi orphan boy living with his infected mother along with his two sisters . Joseph’s family lives in St. Estevem , Mapusa in a rented house .This family has been referred to us by GMC Bambolim ART centre to follow up on the case as the mother remained defaulter in medication .
Joseph is a very quiet boy ,studying well He is regular and does his studies well . Being a boy the mother has began giving him additional little responsibilities at home . Besides the mother wanted him to bring in an additional income by employing in a vegitable shop with rs 1000 a month. This brought in a lot of sadness as this took away his right to recreation and play . Jeevanjyothi intervened and put him on donor relative care scheme with Rs 750 a month.
CASE 3
Ravi Harijan has completed his higher secondary studies from Navodaya Vidyalaya, Canacona . He has been a good student ,ambitious and promising ,wanting to achieve something in life .
He was very keen in doing pharmacy and got admission in Annamacharya college of Pharmacy Andra Pradesh . His fees are high but we have paid him Rs 10000/. His parents are struggling specially the mother . she is a victim of HIV yet works very hard to earn and educate the boy. They have borrowed money.
CASE 4
Sangeetha Madar(name changed ) is an orphan at the age of 12 and now she is 18 years. She has two sisters ,the elder sister is deaf and dump , the other sister is unmarried but working . Sangeetha has been supported in her education as well as in nutrition for the last six years. She has her aunt and her grand mother who are supporting her and allowing her to continue her education as well as emotionally supported and cared.
Admission to the higer secondary was done by the staff of Jeevnajyothi of Presentation society.During the year three supportive and mentering visits to Higher secondary school was done . Met the headmisterss and the teachers . The report given by the teachers regarding Sangeetha was very good as they see her as very responsible and studious and hard working . she is able to face the challenges as an orphan and able to interact and keep good relation ship with the immediate family and the neighbours.
The challenges are:
- In a small room 4mtx4mt where her aunt with 3 small children ,her grand mother ,her sister with a small kid , she has to find space for her existence
- She has to find space for her studies
- There is no table to study ,she has to find space to keep her study materials
- Just one bulb shared by everyone in the family
- She finds time to study while she is coaching up her cousins
- She does cleaning of utensils, washes clothes of others and helps in the cooking in the evening while her aunt goes to work as domestic maid
- For her sister who delivered a child and is in the family ,takes care of her as well.
- She does baby sitting whenever requested or needed
- She stayed two days in the hospital to assist her sister at the time of her sisters’ delivery
- For the name ceremony of her sisters child ,she stayed away from college and did the needful for the family
- Recently she is working in a shop for 3 hours
- Academic performance
- In the first 1st semester she scored 70% Eng 15/20, Hindi 12/20. Political science 17/20,eco 16/20.18/20
- In the first term scored 55%
Attendence in Higher secondary school
- 10 days remained absent due to delivery of her sister, pilgrimage ,naming ceremony.
- Behavior: takes good care of her cousins and others in the family . In the school well disciplined .
- Her grand mother is good to her and stands by her side specially in the area of her education .
- Recreational activities : She hardly finds time to watch any TV serials or programmes.
Support from Presentation Society
Sushma continued to receive support and guidance. 3 Home visits and 4 school visits by the staff of Presentation society and Sushma is happy about it . sushma has visited the centre 4 times To take admission in the higher seconday,To collect her educational kit ,To collect her rain wear and foot wear,To collect her travel allowance to college.
DhanarajKerkar (name changed) has been fighting for his health for the last 17 years . he lost his father and mother at the age of five .His grandmother has been taking care of them ever since . Running from hospitals to clinics and to NGOs for help and support has brought solace at times but has terribly experienced discrimination from hospitals and individuals even recently.Dhanaraj has been regular to school inspite of his bad health many a times . Our staff Supriya Mandrekar has visited his school and his house many timesto ensure that completes his studies as he is answering his Xth exams this year.
The Achievements of year 2013-14
| Type | Year 2013-14 | Previous years | Total |
| New vulnerable children Reg. | 250 | 329 | 579 |
| No.of orphans | 18 | 54 | 72 |
| No. of Semi orphans identified | 84 | 232 | 316 |
| No of infected children | 14 | 49 | 64 |
| No.of children recd counseling | 174 | 374 | 558 |
| No.of children received edu. Support | 202 | 345 | 547 |
| No. times ART follow up done | 240 | 345 | 585 |
| CD4 follow up | 122 | 365 | 487 |
| Children on nutrition | 54 | 254 | 308 |
| No.of family counseling | 22 | 231 | 253 |
| No. of adolescent counseling | 51 | 267 | 318 |
| No. of house visits | 310 | 970 | 1280 |
| No.of Educational Institution Visits | 65 | 543 | 508 |
| No.Group sessions | 28 | 68 | 96 |
| No. of boarding visits | 29 | 40 | 69 |
| No. of children on foster care | 35 | 15 | 50 |
| No. of outings (children) | 10 | 45 | 55 |
| Events for children | 13 | 45 | 58 |
| No. of Dss scheme enabled | 5 | 35 | 40 |
Our interactions and learnings working with orphans and vulnerable children in the last 8 years have established an understanding that they need great psychological and emotional care because they are in a phase of great change . These children highly susceptible to negative influence, lack foresight and underestimate risks.These are the factors that lead them to make poor or wrong decisions. This is why they need guidance ,support and care .A vulnerable child grows up in an extended family and that family need to be caring enough ,bonded enough where a growing up orphan child feels wanted and protected .
Our experience in working with such children reveals that often, those children who have lost their parents live in a very vulnerable community where their rights are denied or ignored by all the stake holders .From the time of his/her childhood to adulthood even later such persons remain vulnerable .
A vulnerable child or tend to require intensive counselling and follow ups ,care and guidance in order to make proper and wise decisions which are neither harmful to oneself or others in the society . Such inputs will enable to rectify earlier deprivations of emotional support and they can be brought under the safety nets which is every child’s entitlement. Having worked with and for children for almost 8 years we at Jeevanjyothi believes that if children and adolescents who are most vulenarble are nurtured enough, their whole future turns into a bright burning light ,becoming a blessing and an asset to the family and society at large. We who are well protected and care for must never desire to take advantage of the weak.