Our Trustees

Our trustees continue to give valuable time and expertise in policy making, administration and liaison activities which adds up to over all efforts by Sankalp to reach out to its targets.

1) Mr. B.N. Bhagwat lAS (Rtd.) retired as Secretary to Government of India.

2) Mr. A.V. Krishnan IPS (Rtd.) retired as Director General of Police, Maharashtra

3) Dr. (Mrs.) Saroj Jha, a public health specialist and does consultancies for WHO

4) Ms. Sujata Ganega, Social Worker and Executive Director of SUPPORT.

5) Ms. Blossom Coutinho, teacher and parent counsellor.

6) Mr. Eldred Tellis, Director and Consultant for Drug Abuse and HIV / AIDS programmes.

Regd. Office

115, Belle Vue, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pali, Bandra (W), Mumbai 400 050 Tel: 91-22-26006182

Community Care Centre

1 st floor, Islampura Municipal School Building, near Moti Talkies, Islampura, Mumbai 400 004

Tel: 91-22-65252685

Administrative Office Sankalp Rehabilitation Trust,

1 st floor, Topiwala Municipal School Building, Topiwala Lane,

Opp. Lamington Road Police Station, Grant Road (E), Mumbai 400 007

Tel: 91-22-23803550

Prison Intervention

Arthur Road Jail, Mumbai - 400011.

1. Mumbai Central

Drop-in-Centres 4. Kurla

Body Guard Lane, near R.T.O., Mumbai Central (W), Mumbai 400 034 Tel: 91-22-65759545

2. Kalyan

Jimmi Baug, Near Lokgram Police Beat, Near Nalanda School, Kolsewadi, Kalyan (E) Tel: 91-251-3205589

3. Bhiwandi

Patel Apartments, Near Koka Compound,

Near Kalyan Naka, Mumbai Agra Road, Bhiwandi 421302 Tel: 91-9224246047

Dr. Rahul Kharate's clinic, Gala No.9, behind Lakshmi Medical Stores, Wadia Estate, Bail Bazar, Kurla (W), Mumbai 400 070 Tel: 91-9930994905

5. Community based Treatment Centre

Room No.655, Plot No.9,

Opp. Quadri Dairy, Lotus colony, Govandi, Mumbai 400 043

Tel: 91-22-32624560

Increased Response to Services Providing Successes

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Sankalp Rehabilitation Trust is in its 12th year of existence. A non-profit group, Sankalp, was founded in 1995 to combat the spread of HIV / AIDS among drug users in Mumbai by spreading key prevention messages.

Sankalp Rehabilitation Trust is an organisation that believes everyone is a creature of the universe and has a right to be here. However low they fall, however high the dependency, Sankalp has shown that treating drug users with respect can change their lives. This belief is the bedrock of all Sankalp activities. Total abstinence may not be an achievable goal in many cases. But drug users can be empowered to make life-altering decisions. They can make their way, step by step, to a drug-free lifestyle.

In the past 12 years, Sankalp has started five Drop- In-Centres (DICs), one Community Care Centre (Ccq, one Prison T.C and an Income Generation Unit. The total number of Drug Users (DUs) that have benefited from these centres is 5946. The beginning of the year saw an additional centre established at Bhiwandi, funded by DFID and by January 2008 yet another centre was started at Kurla, funded by NACO through Sharan.

Highlights of the Year 2007-08 Sankalp scaled up on the Opiate Substitution Therapy (OST) through its various DICs, which helped reach a total of 462 clients.

Sankalp reached 2440 clients through community outreach, out of which 931 were part of the Needle syringe Exchange Programme (NSEP) and others were directed to DICs for Abscess Management (1155) as well as other specialized referrals.

• Throughout the year the various DICs made use of Government facilities for HIV testing (273), TB screening and treatment (465), Detoxifications (52) and other surgeries.

• Sankalp has cut down on its Detoxification camps as there is now an emphasis on maintaining clients on long time OST. Four Detoxification Camps (4) held by Sankalp covered 99 clients.

• Efrem Milanese from Caritas

Germany did a two year assessment of the Community based treatment centre at Govandi, and NACO carried out assessments of DIC at Mumbai Central and CCC at Islampura, both of which were recommended for continuity.

• An Art therapist from AJWS, Diane Strazzer came to spend time in all DICs and CCC, conducting workshops and training the staff to use Art therapy as a form of expression of feelings.

Sankalp Chhaya, Mumbai Central

OUR CENTRES

It's the easy availability of heroin and fixed quality at Mumbai Central that gets the Sankalp Chhaya here the highest number of clients/cases, seeking help and services of the Medical Officer, for Referrals, Abscess Management, Opiate Substitution Therapy (OST) and other specialised treatment.

The Outreach staff operates goes as far as areas like Mahim and Wad ala to Colaba - Cuffe Parade in South Mumbai. The staff spreads messages related to Needle & Syringe Exchange, Safe Injecting methods and other Harm Reduction activities.

Sankalp Chhaya was also involved in conducting periodical detox camps to help its clients to wean them off the substances and learn the basics of life in the initial stages of recovery. The daily routine in the camp consisted of prayer & meditation, work therapy and educational and motivational discourses on Positive Living, Assertiveness, Self Esteem and Communication Skills, Preventive measures for HIV / AIDS, STI, TB and Personal and Environmental Hygiene. The DIC was moved to a new premise

near Mumbai Central RTO. The infrastructure was built and extended by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai. It was inaugurated by the local Municipal Councilor on 5th February in the presence of Jt. Director (TI) MDACS, Trustees and representatives from other NGOs.

Achievements

• 296 new clients in the needle syringe exchange programme and 199 newly opting for Substitution.

• Needles 164778 and Syringes 39127 were exchanged during the year. 4599 consultations by visiting medical officer and 1600 services for abscess management.

• The rapport built with the staff of General Hospitals and other referral points have helped to seek timely medical aid for 347 clients. Another 160 clients were referred for DOTS. Through motivational efforts 98 clients underwent ICTC tests and 36 went to Detoxification facilities.

• 34 clients from the Centre itself and 65 clients from other DICs, were motivated in four detox camps conducted during the reporting period.

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Sankalp Kiran, Kalyan

The DIC in Kalyan, a suburb outside the north east of Mumbai, continued to cater to the clients coming from the less privileged sections of the society, such as hawkers on long distant trains and streets, indulgers in petty crimes like thefts and pick pocketing and those involved with the night life of one of the busiest railway stations, Kalyan. Their irrational behaviour has the effects in the health seeking habits too, with inconsistencies and volatile appearances at the Drop-In Centre. Also, the unhygienic conditions they live in with the lack of amenities around, has its toll on their health and incidents of abscess.

The explosive behaviour of the clients has had complications often with the neighbourhood of the DropIn Centre. However, consistent meetings with the police post and local community leaders helped to calm the environment.

There have been 6 female clients attending the Drop-In Centre of which 2 ware referred for long term

rehabilitation in Pune. The staff of Sankalp Kiran helped set up the new centre in Bhivandi as there were many clients who found it difficult to reach Kalyan daily for OST.

Achievements

• The staff of the DIC has been persistently supportive and has succeeded in inducting 67 clients, all newly identified in the area, for the NSEP and 98 for the Substitution Therapy.

• The DIC rendered 1910 services towards general ailments, 316 services for abscess management and referred 45 for specialized tests and treatments at the General Hospital in Kalyan.

• One person was referred for the DOTS programme, 97 for HIV testing and 27 for Detox services.

• Those IDUs who are HIV positive and suffer from opportunistic infections were referred to the Community Care Centre.

Sankalp Arzoo, Govandi

The DIC in Govandi completed two years of service on December 2007.

The Project, with the support of Caritas Germany implements a community involved intervention programme for the drug users. An assessment of the project activities, done by funding agency, showed that the programme has a positive influence in reducing risk behaviours and risk factors in the area of drug use and sex behaviour. It is helping the targeted population to lower their risk behaviour and more towards a drug free lifestyle. The project had student placed from the Tata Institute of Social Science who also carried out a brief assessment of the programme for clients and family members. The 44 clients who were respondents agreed that the services had helped them to bring in quality changes in their lives, especially in the pattern of drug use and in their relationships with their families. Most of the 27 families admitted that they have benefited from the Family Meetings in terms of finding solace in the fact they are not alone and others are also going / gone through the same ordeal and pain. Both the clients

and families were satisfied with the services of the organization and emphasised that the onus of the success was on the client himself.

Achievements

• Thirteen clients were newly inducted to N.S.E.P and 16 for Substitution Therapy during the reporting period.

• There were 225 group counselling and 195 corner meetings during out reach activities and 480 one to one counselling at the DIC.

• Fourteen clients were referred to Hospitals for specialized treatment and 15 for screening and related tests for TB, out of which 3 were referred for the DOTS programme.

• Sixteen clients were motivated for HIV testing and 22 motivated for Detox Camps.

• Family meetings were conducted every Monday afternoon and there were 120 home visits made to families during the year.

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Prison T. C., Arthur Road

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The Therapeutic Community at the Arthur Road Prison, which was set up to provide drug treatment, health care services and legal aid to the inmates has strengthened its activities; earning goodwill from the Prison authorities. Logistic support necessary to carry out Sankalp's programme at the facility is now extended.

Jail inmates were admitted to the programme based on their motivation and willingness to quit drugs. Their days were enriched with exercises, which included yoga &. Suryanamaskar (Sun Salute), adult education, group sessions, work therapy and Narcotics Anonymous meetings. The inmates were provided messages on HIV / AIDS and STI, helping them to realize the risk behaviours of the past, apart from orientations for the court hearings. Daily monitoring visits were made to the separate Cell at the Prison for inmates living with HIV. Sankalp has been working with this Cell since January 2007 and presently started holding weekly support group meetings. The Medical Officer who visits the Therapeutic Community also attends to the Cell and extends

discussions with the Chief Medical Officer of the Prison. These follow ups have good effects like sending some inmates to general hospitals for CD4 counts and continuity of ART.

The Peer Education programme developed for the inmates has been doing well by regular discussion on drug treatment services, legal aid awareness and life skills in prevention of HIV / AIDS. Peer educators were encouraged and trained to enact a short skit, which was performed in other barracks of the jail. This was followed discussion, a testimony and one to one counselling when required.

Achievements

• During the reporting period, 322 inmates underwent the prison programme.

• 95 inmates were provided individual counselling and 45 were provided with legal aid with the help of Lawyers Collective.

• Families were contacted by the Staff and extended necessary help to go through conflicting situations and there were 41 such family visits.

• During the reporting period 34 inmates of this cell were monitored

Sankalp Nivara

Community Care Centre

Project Nivara is a Community Care Centre run by Sankalp that caters to street drug users facing a crisis in health care related to HIV. Over the past few years Sankalp has found that some clients who neglect abscesses caused as the result of injecting in unhygienic conditions, often need a safe space for recuperation. Also those who may be HIV positive and suffering from opportunistic infections, need ongoing supportive counseling so that they may once more contract their families (in their hometown) and plan to return to their homes.

Sankalp Nivara facilitated 131 admissions during the year mostly from Sankalp DICs who were referred for opportunistic infections. The daily routine of clinical, educational, motivational and nutritional services

helped them to regain the emotional and spiritual urge to get back to life. The Centre also plays a keen role to avail specialized tests and treatments from DOT Centres and General

Hospitals through the rapport built by the organization throughout the years. The visiting Medical Officer also attends to the other medical aspects, apart from monitoring them for the ailments they are referred for. Fifty three were referred for TB. screening, X-ray and related tests, 48 were referred to the DOTS programme. There were 985 interactions during the follow-up in the field apart from 215 group sessions and 622 individual counselling rendered in the Centre.

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08

Income Generation Project

New Beginnings Sankalp Disha

An empty stomach can be as much of a devll's workshop as an empty mind. Making our clients self reliant, is therefore, as much of an objective for us as is improving their health. Sankalp's income generation programme holds activities so that clients can get varied opportunities and exposure to learn, develop and

attempt marketing strategies. Clients from Drop-In Centres and Community Care Centre, who were keen to learn skills, were trained to make lanterns, phenyl, paper-bags, religious artefacts, leather bags and shoes.

Four clients were sent to Goa to learn upper moulding of shoes. An established business entrepreneur in Goa, and a well-wisher, had expressed his willingness to extend training for our clients and two of them have joined him after the training. During Diwali, the festival of lights, our clients were taught to make lanterns from

papers, used by the Hindu community to welcome the Goddesses of Knowledge and Prosperity. The products were well received by the community. Four clients gained from the sale of such religious artifacts.

During festivals like Ganesh Utsav and Christmas, stalls were put up to exhibit and sell these artifacts. Wide appreciation and encouragement was received to continue the efforts. The sale of these products generated a revenue of Rs. 41,052.

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Sankalp extends its activities to Bhiwandi

It's a given that without proper treatment, the prognosis is poor for those suffering from drug addiction, tuberculosis and HIV. With this overwhelming feedback from our staff and clients, Sankalp started another Drop in Centre (DIC) in Bhiwandi on 18th May, 2007. This facilitated justice to the IDUs in and around Bhiwandi Nizampur Municipal Corporation area.

Sankalp found that most of the clients are migrants from the northern part of the country who came in search of a livelihood in the thriving loom industries in 1990s. Drugs helped them to get away from the pain of homesickness as well as from the hardships of daily chores. The achievements of this DIC within a year are a motivation for the organisation:

• 196 clients were contacted through

the Needle Syringe Exchange Programme, out of which 65 were introduced to 05T.

• There were also 360 group detox sessions and 986 individual counselling sessions conducted.

• 288 services were rendered towards abscess management, 46 clients were referred to Indira Gandhi Memmorial Hospital (Bhiwandi) and Nair Hospital for specialized attention, 8 were referred for screening and testing for TB and 2 for treatment of TB, during 2007-08.

• Twenty four clients were referred to ICTC and 21 to the Camp Detox organized by 5ankalp. 22 clients, whose families were living around Bhiwandi Nizampur area were contacted to help build up relationships within the family.

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Sankalp Saarthi at Kurla

A decision to start a DIC at Kurla came through in January 2008. The need for yet another DIC was felt during our interactions with the community in various centres and field assessment in the various 'pockets' in the area. It was clear that Kurla was emerging as a popular hub for supply and consumption of drugs.

By March 2008 the team reached out to 92 drug users in the area, out of which 35 were motivated to adopt OST. Mostly uneducated and unemployed, these drug users have families to fall back on, and thus, it was decided to initiate family meetings in the Centre. During the

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intervening period three clients were motivated for detoxification and another to undergo HIV testing. Three clients benefited from getting admitted to CCC and two were referred for TB screening and later for DOTS.

School Programmes

Schools can often and unfortunately become the arena for drug abuse - peer pressure, and an impressionable age being the prime factors responsible. With this in mind, Sankalp Rehabilitation Trust started a Project, the G86-School based program in June 2007 supported by UNODC to empower school communities of students, teachers and parents on Drugs and

HIV / AIDS. The aim of this programme is on Life Skills Development and creating awareness on drug and HIV / AIDS prevention.

27 teachers from 13 Schools were selected for training in the project. Teachers were trained and advocacy meetings with other stakeholders such as Principals, teaching / non teaching staff and parents, class room sessions among students were also carried out. The three day training for the nodal teachers was to equip every nodal teacher with correct knowledge and skills to carry out sessions so as to reduce risk taking behaviour related to drugs among children.

Twelve advocacy workshops were

conducted and Parent Teachers Association members actively took part and in some schools even the trustees were also part of the programme.

All but one school completed the modules with the classes from 6th to 10th .. Both teachers and students gained in-depth knowledge and essential skills from the resource materials as well as the exercises. However, it was felt that Schools find it difficult to incorporate the programme in their schedule, given their routine with special projects, sports and cultural events and holidays.

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26th June: International Day Against Drug Abuse 8: Illicit Trafficking

Other Programmes

• An Awareness stall was put up with poster exhibition and information leaflets and video screening on drug abuse prevention at Churchgate Railway. Station from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm.

• Free Medical camp was held at Mumbai Central with focus on STI detection and treatment. Medical representatives from Macleod Pharmaceuticals, Megha Pharmaceutical and Eisen

1st December 2007: WORLD AIDS DAY

• Sankalp Chhaya held an exhibition at Mumbai Central railway station where taxi drivers, porters and passengers benefited from the Exhibition and Street Play enacted by the clients. In the evening there was music and games, at the DIC for clients in recovery, an event managed by DJ Nasha Workstation. Here, we saw our clients really enjoying themselves and having something to smile about.

• Govandi DIC conducted an exhibition at Shivaji Nagar Market and Mankhurd railway station to interact and share information with the public on HIV I AIDS and Sankalp's intervention programmes.

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Pharmaceutical attended and provided medicines to the clients.

• Govandi DIC observed the Day by having exhibition at Kurla (E) and Mankhurd railway stations. Information dissemination to the public on Drug Abuse and its consequences on health, family and society as well as on HIV I AIDS was carried out. On 27th June another exhibition was held at Shivaji Nagar market in Govandi.

• All 13 schools under the UNODC Project (G-86) conducted activities to reinforce the relevance of

HIV I AIDS prevention measures. Parents were equally involved in many events.

• Sankalp Nivara (CCC) organized a stall and a street play at G. T. Hospital and Mumbai Central Bus Depot, in partnership with another NGO, Humsafar Trust.

• Sankalp Kiran (Kalyan) organized a rally around Kalyan Market area and had a stall at the Market to interact and share information with the public.

• Bhiwandi DIC organized an exhibition at Kalyan Naka on 3rd December and interacted with the public on various aspects of HIV/AIDS.

During Ganesh Ustav the Community Care Centre (Nivara) put up a stall at the local mandai to educate the local community as well as to market products of the Income Generation programme.

22nd October 2007: A group from the Development Sector Training of Tata Institute of Social Science visited sankalp's Drop-In Centre, Mumbai Central and also visited the Administrative office. A special session was conducted by Director Tellis and a HIV positive client.

The Annual Christmas Bazar was held as in previous years at Bandra Gymkhana, this year on 14th Ei: 15th December. Our IGP products were sold there.

Training I Workshops conducted

ART THERAPY

Ms. Diane Strazzer, volunteer from the American Jewish World Service, was placed at Sankalp for two months. She conducted 12 Art Therapy workshops for staff as well as for clients at all the centres. Staff was trained to deal with the clients by expressing their problem in art form.

SELF CARE

A workshop was held for Drug Users living with HIV I AIDS on 7th August 2007, as part of the activities of Project Nivara. A workshop on 'Self Care' was attended by five staff from the various centres along with Dr. Sachin Khaire Ei: Mr. Eldred Tellis. The main focus of this workshop was on spiritual aspects like meditation, awareness and self help programmes like Narcotics Anonymous.

PEER EDUCATORS

All the projects conducted regular Peer Educator Trainings as this particular group has a high turnover. In Mumbai Central Drop-In-Centre alone there were 4 trainings during the year with the main mode used being role plays.

LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY

Director Eldred Tellis was a resource person to a workshop, held for Magistrates, organized by Lawyers Collective to sensitise and create awareness amongst Magistrates on socio-legal and ethical issues faced by communities vulnerable to HIV and how

their situation is worsened by the delay in procedures and the criminalization of their lives.

COLLEGE TRAINING

A representative from Sankalp was resource person for the NACO sponsored training of ICTC Counsellors and Community Workers conducted by Nirmala Niketan College of Social work on 16th December, 2008.

STAFF TRAINING

A workshop for the Mumbai DIC staff was held at Khandala on 18th March for planning project activities and capacity building of staff.

Training I Workshops attended

Asian Consultation on HIV 8: Drugs Use

Two abstracts from Sankalp were accepted for the 1st Asian Consultation on the Prevention of HIV related to Drug Use, 'Response Beyond Borders' held at Goa, 28th- 31st January. Our Director Mr. Eldred Tellis did an oral presentation on Prevention in Prisons and there was a Poster Presentation of our Community Care Centre. ESRMMEET

The Co.ordinator and staff of Project Nivara attended the ESRM Meeting held by Avert Society at Krupa Prasad Kendra, Igatpuri, Maharashtra, 31st July-2nd August 2007.

LEPROSY ORIENTATION

Medical Officer of Supervisory Urban Leprosy Unit4 provided Training and Presentation on Leprosy for the field staff, coordinators and counsellors. PARA PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

One ORW attended a Para Professional Training Programme conducted by APNALAYA, 2nd-4th September.

Monitoring & Evaluation Visits

• 13th 8: 16th April: Dr. Suresh Kumar, Jimmy Dorabji, Patrick O'Gorman visited Mumbai Central DIC 8: Jail Project for evaluation on behalf of DFID.

• 16th August: Mr. Arunkumar Zha auditor from DFID visited to check on accounts and OST stock.

• Dr. Anju Dhavan from AIIMS, New Delhi and Harshit Virk from UNODC visited our Mumbai Central, Kalyan and Bhiwandi Drop-In Centres has part of Evaluation from NACO .

• 5th October: Ms. Sandhya Gupta, from AJWS, visited the Office 8: Drop-In Centre at Mumbai Central.

• Ms. Surabhi Joshi, Ms. Reena Sen, Mr. Jayanta Kumar Basu, Dr. G.A. Pise, Dr.

Raghuram Rao were visited our Community Care Centre for monitoring and evaluation on 16th January 2008.

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Networking

Dr. Maninder Kaur, Project Director, Green Dot (PSI) visited DIC Mumbai Central to discuss co.ordination in target areas, on 25th May.

Group of ICTC Counsellors, on training, from Gujarat SACS visited DIC to observe its activities on 11 th October. Representatives of Lawyers Collective visited DIC to observe its activities on 19th October.

A group of female psychology students from Mumbai University participated in an important event on Friendship Day 7th August 2007. This gave our HIV positive clients an immense boost to be accepted by 'normal' members of society.

Major expenses incurred on medicines, education, nutrition, rent, maintenance and salaries.

FINANCES

Agencies MDACS

Avert Society Caritas Germany AJWS

DFID through Sharan DO International NACO through Sharan

Major Funding Sources

Amount (Rs.)

15,60,121 8,96,900 7,49,970 6,09,765 5,40,000 5,45,886 1,76,825

1,36,500 53,200

UNODC for School Programmes UNODC for Prison T.C

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd Narcotics Control Bureau

Fund Raising Events

Other corporate &. individual Donors TOTAL

28,350 10,000 5,92,675 11,60,397 70,60,589

Expenditure

Drop In Centres

Community Care Centre

Prison Intervention Administrative Office &. General Income Generation

Community Based Treatment Programme Corpus

TOTAL

Amount (Rs.)

26,44,497 9,11,385 2,72,455 8,58,360 2,91,162 5,36,040 3,35,975

58,49,874

The excess funds were carried forward as project expenses for the current year (2008-2009)

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