INRODUCTION & BACKGROUND

The widow population in India is estimated to be around 40 million. The highest concentration of them, currently around 10,000, is in the holy city of Vrindavan and Radhakund.

Neglected and abandoned by their families, due to death of spouse or other family circumstances, the Mothers have flocked to Vrindavan over the years to find help and spend the last years of their life in spiritual / religious activities in the holy city. Most of these women have come from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam and Nepal and are in the age group of 65-80 and hence not so physically fit to find employment or earn a livelihood by other means. Many of them suffer from age related issues like dementia, Parkinson, join issues, failing eyesight, organ failure, life threatening diseases like Cancer, Heart ailments, paralysis etc. With highly inadequate Government support, they are forced to dwell on the pavements and beg on the streets for survival. They have no access to medical help and lead a life of suffering and abject Poverty. 

There is an urgent to provide relief to the above mentioned destitute, aged, abandoned women, mostly widows (referred to as MOTHERS hereinafter in this document)

General Features of the Project

• Name of the Project: Maatri Seva (community)- Giving Dignity to Elderly Destitute Women
• Duration of the Project: Continuous Process
• Areas covered:  Vrindavan and Radhakund
• This project is in consonance with schedule VII of the Section 135 of The Companies Act, 2013 and SDG 1, 2,3,10,16 &17

 Project Objectives

• This project seeks to support the elderly, destitute, women, mostly widows in and around Vridavan and Radhakund
• To provide basic amenities like food, clothing, shelter (Rent), and medical facilities
• To introduce active aging and empowerment programs to enhance their longevity & quality of life and restore their dignity
• Provide complete need based care which includes home visits, bedside care to infirm Mothers, help with washing, cleaning, cooking food, arranging medical consultation and helping in taking medicines as advised.
• Serve the Mothers and be a family to them

Project Intervention

IDENTIFICATION OF BENEFICIARY

• Needy Mothers are identified through a process of survey and due diligence by Trust’s staff members going around in the community
• An identity card with photograph & QR code is provided to the eligible Mothers

The following process is followed by Yogananda Trust to provide completely "need based" care

• The Trust has seven distribution centers across Vrindavan and Radhakund. The Mothers living in community are provided:

         - Ration on a monthly basis

         - Milk and vegetables on a daily basis

• Winter clothing, saris, diapers and other things required by the aged are distributed as per requirement.
• The MOTHERS present their ID card and the QR code is scanned for every unit of distribution enabling online maintenance of distribution records.
• Rent support wherever required
• The care workers visit every MOTHER, living in the community, at least twice a week to keep a check on her health and well-being, help them washing, cleaning and other chores as required
• Infirm mothers are taken for Doctor’s consultation. Bedside care, administration of medicine and help with bathing and cooking is provided in the House of the ailing MOTHER.
• An active engagement program helps to keep the MOTHERS connected and happy. This includes

-       Active ageing exercise, yoga, meditation, energizing exercises

-       Bhajan singing, group activities like painting, festival celebration together, Tea time with care workers

• Medical camps are organized periodically to check on their health parameters 
• Funeral services are provided whenever required

Budget

Total project Cost Rs 2.56 cr. Funding available upto Rs 1.71 cr. Balance Rs 85 lakh funding is requested. This is a co-sponsored program

Online monitoring will be possible through a digital platform

• Mothers database is vavailable in the system
• Records of intervention shall be updated on the platform
• Donors shall be able to view the same online