VOICE-Voluntray Organization In Community Enterprise

Project we fund

VOICE-Mumbai

Brief History: VOICE is a non-governmental organization working towards the overall development of the street child. VOICE was established in 1991 and its core members include development professionals, doctors and voluntary social workers. Since its inception, VOICE has focused on education, healthcare, development of education material, public awareness and staff training. Classes are held by the volunteers on various railway platforms where the children work, with a focus on teaching the children how to read and write, counseling them in matters of hygiene and family related issues, and also encouraging them to join formal school. Currently VOICE has about 350 children enrolled in its various programs.

Project we fund: SWADHAR started with its first batch of students in April 1999.This program was initiated for children out of school, in the age group 13-15 years in order to tone them to earn a livelihood for themselves. When we visited VOICE in January of 2002, VOICE had 50 children enrolled in Swadhar mostly from the age of 16 to 22 years. The children learn few different languages and also gain skills like screen printing and pottery. The first batch is expected to graduate this year. Last year,2001, we at Asha-Carbondale sent $1000 to VOICE out of the total $8000 disbursed from Asha nation wide. We raised this money from an Indian Music Concert we organized in September 2001, Spandan. Contributions from the Indian Association of Southern Illinois (IASI) and the Indian Student Association (ISA) at SIUC were very helpful during this event.

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