The College of Social Work Nirmala Niketan was founded in 1955 following Les Filles du Coeur de Marie’s initiative. The latter is a religious society that came to Mumbai to work with the disadvantaged population. With the aim to organise quality help on the long term, they created this school to train professionals of social work among the Indian youth. Since then, the institute has been relying on its experience to adapt itself to the evolution of the society and anticipate tomorrow’s needs.

The principal, Dr Mary Alphonse, emphasises the characteristic of the institute which endeavours to pass on not only knowledge, but also the necessary passion and conviction to work in a social environment. The students gain professional discipline while leaning on strong human values. They develop both a critical viewpoint and a global vision to apprehend the problems they are entrusted with solving. By training this ‘army of social workers’, the institute wants to contribute to the construction of a new social order based on human dignity and social justice.

            Dr Mary Alphonse, principal of the CSW (College of Social Work)

The CSW is affiliated to the University of Mumbai. Each year, about 250 students are awarded bachelors degrees and masters degrees. A PhD is also offered to social workers that have at least 3 years of professional experience. The institute also runs short-term training and correspondence courses. This is for adults looking for a job or who are working with disadvantaged people.

We followed the headmistress in the corridors of the school. She showed us the audiovisual laboratory, the computer room, and then we entered the brand new library where big volumes of social law and numerous books fill the shelves. These different forms of media are put at the students’ disposal to allow them to do research that will serve as a basis for their classes. The teaching team is also called upon for its services by the government or NGOs such as UNICEF. They do so within a university department that studies social problems. Faculty teachers and outside contributors share their thoughts in a quaterly publication. 

                            The library of the CSW

To be fruitful, this research spirit has to be confronted with outside realities. The institute gives an important place to training out in the field: the students devote two and a half days each week to their field work. This approach gives them a critical view through practice. It is in the heat of the action that the students acquire their know-how and reveal their inter-personal skills.

Curriculam for the subjects offered is decided and reviewed by the teaching faculty in collaboration with the field NGOs which are seen as partner organizations. Thanks to the experience gained with the years, the school and the teachers have become privileged observers of the social problems in Mumbai and in the region. Since 1974, they have launched many projects to tackle certain social problems with an innovative approach: interfaith dialogue, education of Commercially sexually Exploited Women's children, work with the street children, etc. When Dr Mary Alphonse showed us these programmes, we were impressed by the diversity and the scope of the actions.

The school acts as a breeding-ground for social projects. The projects are accompanied by the teachers and financially supported by the CSW for five years. The people in charge, chosen from the former students, are in charge of the coordination, the communication and the research for financing. At the end of the five years, the project has to fend for itself, in an independent way or under the supervision of another NGO.


The people in charge of the two projects initiated since 2004 came to introduce their work to us.

Manisha Desai presented the project AROEHAN (Activities Related to the Organisation of Education, Health and Nutrition), led in Mokhada. This region of the state of Maharastra accumulates all the diseases, including a big problem of malnutrition that affects 3 children out of 4. The team has decided to tackle the problem at its roots to restore Mokhada to life. Moreover, AROEHAN means ‘resurrection’ in Mahrati language.

            Manisha Desai, person in charge of the project AROEHAN

The girls married very young often have their first child as early as 13 years old, when they are not ready to be mothers. The association gives them health and nutrition classes in schools to help them take care of their children as well as themselves.
Moreover, the deforestation led to dryness and impoverishment of the soil, then made unsuitable for agriculture. The lack of food and work forces some families’ exodus and the region is impoverished accordingly. In order to stop this vicious circle, the association teaches, with the help of experts, agricultural techniques that are simple and respect the environment. This will help enrich the soil again and fight against the dryness.
Finally, there are laws to help the disadvantaged rural areas in matters of work, health services, subsidies to buy food, etc. AROEHAN plays an important role informing the inhabitants of their rights and encouraging them to join forces to make these rights recognised by the government. At the start of the project, the inhabitants feared that such an approach would lead to the retaliation of corrupt agents of the state. By dint of public awareness and support, the inhabitants organised themselves and obtained important help, opening the way to a better life thanks to their courage.

The 14 members of the team continue their fight with the help of the school, the government and partner NGOs.


The following day, we had a meeting out in the field with Greeshma Francis, the person in charge of the CHIRAG program (Community Health Initiative and Research Action Group), created in 2004 to help people living with HIV and AIDS. India is the region of the world second most affected by the epidemic after Africa (2% of the population is infected). The sick and their families suffer from strong discrimination, which adds to the weight of the disease itself. CHIRAG, which means ‘lit lamp’ in Hindi, want to restore sick people’s hope for a better life and the means to reach it.

Greeshma Francis, person in charge of the project CHIRAG, and Kamlakar, member of the team

It was pouring with rain, we went on a suburban train in the direction of Dharavi. This area contains a large population of immigrants and more flock there everyday by the hundreds. AIDS is one of the numerous diseases that strikes here more than anywhere else. We left the train station in the middle of rows of prematurely aged buildings. We followed Greeshma through the maze of streets and into one of those same buildings where the CHIRAG office was. Children played, neighbours greeted us. Immersed in the life of the area, the project office welcomes the sick and fights for their rehabilitation within the community.

The first contact with the sick is more often established through the support unit in the hospital, where 300 to 500 sick people come everyday to receive their treatment.
In Dharavi, CHIRAG offer different workshops to teach sick people how to take care of themselves, to control their disease, and above all, to overcome the shock and to be self-confident again. Once in a month, a support group gathers 50 to 60 people to share their problems, doubts or questions. CHIRAG visits the families to give them information about AIDS and encourage them to support their sick family members.
The team leads the important work of public awareness with the community to stop the discrimination. It leans on the network of existing public structures: schools, administrations, hospitals, etc. There, they have trained more than 200 community kindergarten teachers and helpers in order to pass on the message of the organisation. Activities are also organised with festive events: cricket tournaments, painting contests, street theatre, etc. These are all occasions to speak about AIDS and defend the cause of the sick by going beyond the fear.
The reinstatement of the sick also includes finding a new job as most of them are unemployed. The project CHIRAG offers professional training to allow them to create their own business at home. In the same view, a micro credit program dedicated to women was launched recently.
Finally, when resorting to justice by legal means is necessary (domestic violence, unfair dismissal, etc.), CHIRAG fights for the sick with the help of specialised lawyers. Encouraged by the success of the project in Dharavi, CHIRAG opened a second office in the area of Bhandup in 2005.

All this work is done by a team of 8 people under the flagship of the College of Social Work and of the NGO Rangoonwala Foundation India Trust.

            A beneficiary of CHIRAG


These two projects are a good example of the philosophy of social work taught by the CSW. They are led willingly and with talent by young enthusiasts who make sure not to confuse empathy with sympathy.


How to help

In order to accompany the current projects, and launch new ones, the CSW constantly looks for funds with NGOs as well as private individuals. Volunteers are also welcome within the AROEHAN and CHIRAG projects (Greeshma Francis is looking for people to maintain and develop the CHIRAG website).


Contacts

College of Social Work Nirmala Niketan
38, New Marines Lines
MUMBAI 400 020
India
Telephone : +91 22 22002615, +91 22 22067345
Fax : +91 22 22014880
Email : colsocwk@mtnl.net.in
Website : www.collegeofsocialwork.in

AROEHAN
Email : aroehan@gmail.com

CHIRAG
Email : chirag_nn@yahoo.com


Gabrielle
(Translation: Yolene Dabreteau)