INTRODUCTION

Being a part of a busy urban society as days pass, we as individuals get so engrossed in our daily professional as well as personal lives that we barely get time to think beyond ourselves. Often we find people complaining about how hectic it is for them to strike the right balance between their personal and professional lives; how things are not really very fair with them as they work for an organization; how their family members fail to understand their viewpoints on various issues or how their neighbors irritate them. In this process we as human beings fail to thank the almighty for having been grateful enough on us and blessing us with a sound mind, good health and a loving family who is willing to support us through all the challenges that we are likely to encounter everyday. Keeping the same point of view in mind the director of Jyoti Nivas College Dr. Sister Lalitha suggested that we as post graduate students who are the working professionals of tomorrow undertake some social work as part of our curriculum so as to instill within us a sense of social responsibility and also help us make a considerable contribution to the society where we live and interact. Hence we, the students of second year MFA planned to make a visit to Snehadaan- a Non government organization whose primary objective is to serve the people who are prone to the disease of HIV and ensure that they live a quality life and have an access to good medical facilities.

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION. Snehadaan was formally started on 14th July 1997, and is primarily involved in care for PLHA, palliative care of AIDS patients, and support and training of the family members to care for their loved ones who are sick. Snehadaan currently has the capacity to provide

in-patient care for 52 people. The outstanding infrastructure and service delivery of multidisciplinary team has been duly

acknowledged by the, NACO, KSAPS, CHAI and Karnataka Health Promotion Trust (KHPT). It also provides training for Doctors, Nurses, Health Care Workers, Social Workers and Medical Students on medical management and cases of HIV&AIDS. Presently Snehadaan has been in partnership with KHPT for implementing the Care and Support Component of USAID Samastha Project. Under this programme Snehadaan coordinates 09 Community Care Centers and 03 Sub centers across Karnataka to enhance the services for PLHAs. The best service delivery practices that Snehadaan has developed have been replicated in many care and support centers across the country.

THE CORE VALUES

y y y y

Compassion Care Commitment Competence

OBJECTIVE OF THE SERVICE y To interact with the people affected with the disease of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and understand the practical difficulties they are likely to face in their daily lives. y To understand the initiatives taken by the management of Snehacare to ensure that its residents have an access to a quality life.

To understand the difficulties faced by children affected by HIV/AIDS and the initiatives taken by the organization to impart quality education to them so as to ensure that the children are brought up with high moral values and a secure future.

To render services to the people suffering from aids and develop a sense of social service in our minds.

THE EXPERIENCE. The experience of having spent a considerable amount of time at the Snehadaan was truly an enriching happening and a life changing experience. It did teach each one of us how to appreciate the quality of life that we are living and be thankful to the omnipresent for the same. On having reached the organization premises we approached Miss. Jaicintha who renders her services as a social medical worker at the Snehadaan Ashram. The approach of Miss Jaicintha was chivalrous and she took a lead in having patiently explained to us objective of having set up the organization of Snehadaan; the practical difficulties that the founders had to face; the services rendered by the organization; the core values, vision, mission of the establishment; its achievements through the years and the future plans. She also introduced us to the Father of the organization who was delighted to have us there and congratulated us for having developed a sense of social responsibility within ourselves. Mr. Chinnappa Raju who is an integral part of the organization was also extremely cordial in his approach and introduced us to all the residents at the institute. As a part of the social service we as a group took initiatives to talk and to intermingle with the patients of Snehadaan. The interaction was a very enriching one as each of the residents spoke to us about their daily routine, their favorite past times, the problems they face often, their families and the challenges they faced through out their life.

We also served food to the residents and made the necessary arrangements to entertain them by singing songs so as to create a lighter environment. Further we took efforts in cleaning up the gardens of the ashram and also made bandages out of the cotton cloth which are used on frequent basis by the doctors as they treat the patients. Towards the end we also visited a school that is set up at the premises to impart the necessary education to the children who are affected by the disease of HIV/AIDS. On having visited the school we realized that the challenges the children face in their daily lives are extremely difficult to survive with. We were also explained the initiatives that are taken by the management to impart special education to these children for they are prone to below average intelligent quotients. Further we were also explained how the extra curricular activities were organized for the children so as to bring out their hidden talents and develop the same. Towards the end of this enriching experience as I walked out of the premises of the ashram I realized that not everyone in the world was as gifted as I was to have the best gift of a good health and a sound mind. As an individual I learnt to appreciate the access that I have to all the comforts of life and be grateful to my parents for the same. Further the incident has also inspired me to take up more of such programs that would help me interact with the people who are not as fortunate as I am and serve the society in every way that I can. As an individual, I am a different person today who has learnt to give up complaining about the petty things in life that do not make much of a difference and act as a responsible social citizen.