PRAJNA offers shelter, care and protection for neglected women in distress.

We have initiated the Short Stay Home for women in distress aided by Central Social Welfare Board by the Government of India. The Short Stay Home gives protection to women and girls, who are victims of sexual abuse and prostitution or offerings of maladjustment and mental harassment.  PRAJNA provides care for women with children, who are abandoned from their families or left their home due to domestic violence and marital problems.

Women and girls, who escaped from their home and are in need of shelter, can get accommodation in the Short Stay Home up to three years. During their stay they get psychiatric treatment and counselling for rehabilitation and re-adjustment. The Short Stay Home offers important facilities like medical care, nutritious food, non-formal education and vocational training.

The aim of the Short Stay Home is to rehabilitate women and girls and offer them perspectives. Under personal treatment and through professional counselling PRAJNA finds opportunities for adequate educational trainings and working places. After treatment PRAJNA focuses to send the women back to their families and attends them furthermore. During the last year the Short Stay Home has provided shelter, care & protection for over 107 women and girls.

With the encouragement and support of the Ministry of Human Resource Development of the government PRAJNA started the Swadhar Shelter Home for women in difficult circumstances. The main thrust of the Swadhar Centre is the professional aid for widows, ex-prisoners, victims of sexual abuse and crimes, victims of trafficking and migrants by providing them shelter, care protection, mental support and service for rehabilitation.

51 women and 19 children could find shelter in the Swadhar Home last year.

News:

“There is your help, there is your life. Go!”

Sonia from Udupi is 23 years old. She lives happily in her husband’s house in Kinnigoli, along with her two-year-old daughter Shanan Malvita and some family members. Her husband works in Kuwait as an AC mechanic, so he can only come home once in a year for three months. They are very content and happy. Often, Sonia reminisces about her life:

When she was in grade 6 her father died. One year later, also her mother passed away. Then she was completely alone. Her class teacher sent her to PRAJNA, knowing the Centre well since it was very close by. That day has changed Sonia’s life! She could live in PRAJNA’s Fit institution for girls, stayed in the Kapikad hostel for 5 years and moved to Swadhar Women Home with 18 for two more years. With PRAJNA‘s help she could start a teacher’s training for preschool for two years and visit the fashion designing school for another two years. In 2009, Ms. Hilda Rayappan, her new “mother”, arranged the marriage to Sonia’s husband, who she is very happy with until today.

In PRAJNA, Sonia has found a new family, a mother and many sisters she is still in touch with. She is very happy that PRAJNA offered many opportunities and opened new doors for her: “I love Prajna. I can’t forget it.“ In her opinion, the best is to be faithful to Prajna and to tell as well as to show their activities to everyone you know. Their activities can improve the life of all women. “PRAJNA can teach you to improve your life!“  So her advice to every woman is: “There is your help, there is your life. Go!“