Divya Disha is committed to ensuring that all children have a safe childhood and have access to support and assistance when in need of protection.
Rescue of children in distress
Divya Disha is committed to the identification, rescue, counselling, restoration and rehabilitation of children in need of care and protection.
As the nodal agency of ChildLine in Telangana, Divya Disha has created awareness about 1098, a nationwide 24-hour free emergency phone service. This links the children in need of care and protection rescue and rehabilitation services.
Our focus is on the most vulnerable children:
- Victims of human trafficking.
- Street children and youth living alone on the streets.
- Child laborers working in the unorganized and organized sectors.
- Child domestic help.
- Children affected by physical / sexual / emotional abuse in family, schools or institutions.
- Children who need emotional support and guidance.
- Children of commercial sex workers.
- Child victims of the flesh trade.
- Victims of child trafficking.
- Children abandoned by parents or guardians.
- Missing children.
- Runaway children.
- Children who are victims of substance abuse.
- Differently-abled children.
- Children in conflict with the law.
- Children in institutions.
- Mentally challenged children.
- HIV/ AIDS infected children.
- Children affected by conflict and disaster.
- Child political refugees.
- Children whose families are in crisis.
Child Help Desk
Divya Disha, in collaboration with Childline and South Central Railway has established a 24-hour Child Help Desk at Secunderabad Railway station. The Help Desk is effective in identifying runaway and missing children, children engaged as rag pickers and children in distress at the Secunderabad Railway Station.
Child Help Desk staff members work 24/7 in rotational shifts. The staff look out for child in distress especially when the trains arrive or depart, at foot-over bridge, reservation counters, waiting halls, platforms, parking areas and parcel sections.
In co-ordination with the local police and the Railway police and members of the public our staff also keeps track of missing and runaway children at bus depots, other railway stations and public places.
Divya Disha is actively engaged in
- conducting survey of the area and find out the children who at risk
- creating awareness among the parents, on the need for the educating their children
- identifying the children who are engaged in the child labour
- creating awareness on child rights and adults’ responsibility towards children.
Our staff is quick to respond to calls and information about children in distress. Rescued children are then rehabilitated or restored based on the direction of the Child Welfare Committee, keeping the situation and needs of the individual child in mind.
Rehabilitation Homes
Divya Disha runs Balaniketan (a rehabilitation home for boys) and Balaniketan (a rehabilitation home for girls) in Hyderabad and a rehabilitation home in Sangareddy, Medak District, Telangana.
These institutions house children in difficult circumstances, run away children who do not want to go back home or have no home but would like to be off the street, including orphan, semi orphan, HIV infected / affected, street children, parents who cannot take care due to financial problem as per the directions of the respective Child Welfare Committee.
Children are provided with food, clothing, shelter and a safe environment. Education remains our top priority and we conduct bridge courses to equip the children for mainstream education. Most of our children have access to Government schools.
HIV / AIDS Infected and Affected children
Divya Disha works with children and PLWHAs through Targeted Intervention – a participatory and sustainable effort to improve the quality of their lives and to halt and reverse the effects of the epidemic.
Through this program PLWHAs are empowered and linked with various government services, to provide a safe, healthy and secure life for their children.
Child Protection Committees
Through community outreach, Divya Disha has strengthened and ensured the formation of Child Protection Committees to create a safe environment for the children in the local community.
These committees include :
• Basti Leader,
• Teacher,
• Anganwadi worker,
• ANM,
• Mother & Father,
• Youth (boy and girl),
• Children (boy and girl)
The Child Protection Committee plays a key role in creating a safe environment for the children in their respective village or slum.
The Child Protection Committee members are
• Create awareness among the community members on Child Rights,
• Recognize situations where children are abused and take necessary action
• Enlighten children about laws related to them
• Create awareness to reduce the superstitious beliefs among the parents.
• Create awareness about the evils of child marriage.
• Ensure that children get access to free and compulsory education.
Children For Safe and Healthy Living Environments
To create safe and healthy environment for the children living in the urban slums of Hyderabad, Divya Disha through an Integrated Service Development program is working to involve the children and the slum community members.
There are 180 children organizations formed in these urban slums, where the children are empowered to identify the issues pertaining to the physical living conditions, which impact their physical, mental and emotional growth.
A District level Children Federation was formed by Divya Disha, consisting of 120 children representing the voice of the children living in the urban slums of Hyderabad.
Mothers and Fathers in the urban slums are empowered and encouraged to participate towards creating safe and healthy environment for the children.