Projects at Bhoruka

The people of West Bengal had experienced the devastating effect of cyclone Aila that hit the state on 25th May 2009. Bhoruka Public Welfare Trust had responded immediately by visiting the area on the next day and facilitated relief works. It had provided relief in Gosaba and Hingulgunje Block. I would like to specially thank Confederation of Indian Industry (CM) for their support to expand the reach of our relief work.

Bhoruka has always focussed on development of human capital at the community level to sustain the effects of its intervention. Through formation of nearly 60 Vigilance Committees comprising of community key people across Indo-Bangla and Indo-Nepal border, it has formed a social security network as a part of counter girl trafficking efforts at the grass root level. These Vigilance Committees had also participated in emergency relief during Cyclone Aila and in a voluntary blood donation movement by arranging blood donation camp.

Bhoruka has now taken in its purview prevention efforts that are targeted towards Female Sex Workers (FSWs) and Injecting Drug Users (IDUs), in addition to its trucker intervention in three states. All such projects aim to prevent new infection of HIV and STI and promote health seeking behaviour through Peer Led Intervention. FSW project in Guwahati has been identified as Learning Site in the region. Two accredited treatment centres are being run by Bhoruka in Siliguri to provide Oral Substitution Therapy (OST) for Injecting Drug Users to reduce their HIV/AIDS related vulnerability. On HIV/AIDS care, it has been running two Community Care Centres (CCC) for People Living with HIV/AIDS in Guwahati and Jalpaiguri districts. Both the centres have more than 80% bed occupancy rate. Apart from this, the shelter home for Children affected and infected by HIV/AIDS has focussed to mainstream its resident through various government schemes including Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya under Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, to ensure their future and make them socially productive individuals on a long term basis.

In the area of mainstreaming HIV/AIDS related issues, Bhoruka Public Welfare Trust has been working as Mainstreaming Resource Unit (MRU), Bihar in East Champaran, Sitamarhi, Araria, Katiharand Lakhisarai districts. Apart from mainstreaming initiatives in six government departments and other sectors, it focusses on mainstreaming of HIV till grass root level through involvement of three tier Panchayat System. Involving rural women through Self Help Groups (SHGs) is one of the achievements of MRU, Bihar. It has involved more than 2000 such women in its HIV mainstreaming efforts. Moreover, it has capacitated nearly 3000 grass root level health care providers including ASHA, ANM and Anganwadi Worker.

Migration is considered to be one of the important contextual factors in the spread of HIV in Bihar. To equip the migrants and their family members, Bhoruka has opened three Migration Information Centres (MIC) in Katihar Junction, Lakhisarai Junction and Patna Junction. Moreover, Bhoruka has also fulfilled the responsibility of capacity building of other MICs being run in Bihar. Just within four months of its inception, MICs have reached out to nearly 4000 migrants through Inter Personal Communication, distributed 60000 condoms and 7000IEC materials. Lessons learnt from MICs may be helpful to ensure safe migration in the country on a long term basis.

As Malaria is prevalent in most of the target areas of Bhoruka, it has initiated intervention to combat Malaria in its target areas. On a pilot basis, it has initiated chemical treatment of the mosquito nets in Kharibari block in Darjeeling district. In 2009, nearly 5000 mosquito nets have been chemically treated and based on these experiences, Bhoruka may expand the programme in its other target areas.

Lastly, on behalf of the Trust, I would like to thank all who have stood by us during our 30 years of long journey including partners of voluntary blood donation movements, donors, friends and lastly, target communities of our intervention.

Dr. Kingsuk Mishra