CHRISTMAS NEWSLETTER

Autumn 2022

Working with the young people of the street.

The Project continues to reach out to the children of the red-light district. Young people disadvantaged at birth, who through no fault of their own are at risk from poverty and exploitation.

Groups of youngsters are taken by the Project volunteer leaders to football pitches for fun, games and time to just be youngster.

Bori Centre

The children in the centre continue to thrive in the safe environment of the village community, well away from those who would exploit them. Schools and colleges are back to normal after a protracted period of Covid absence.

SUMMER 2022.

As Covid is less of a problem in India just now as more people are vaccinated so the children and students have been able to return to school and college. 

Visitors have also been able to visit the Bori Centre.  RHWPP Director, Ms Seema Waghmode, has been working hard over the past few to years to build relationships with Indian Business, recognising that the long term future of the Project lies in India. 

Recently she was delighted to host staff of one such company to the Centre in Bori- Schlumberger Asia. The company has offices in Pune and Mumbai. They spent time with the children, entertained them and built bridges and relationships that will impact on the young employees of Schlumberger as well as the children.

Seema received a gift from the Schlumberger staff. Everyone came together at the end of the day for a group photograph.

FEBRUARY 2022

Our partners in India, the Rev Haribhau Waghmode Patil Pratishthan (RHWPP), directed by Seema and Shirish Waghmode, have announced a significant development in their work. For years the RHWPP has rescued commercial sex workers (CSW) from Pune’s red light district. Recent state government figures indicate there are 7,011 sex workers and around 1,000 children between the age group of 6 to 18 years in Pune’s red-light district. Many of the women have been trafficked from rural communities across India and countries such as Nepal. (The numbers quoted are much greater than previous estimates.)

RHWPP has established safe houses in Pune for rescued CSWs. The women are offered counselling and training so they can support themselves and when ready take their place in society. Instruction in  jewellery making and catering are offered. The RHWPP plan to expand this work in the years ahead.

                                   

The Bori Centre children are happy and excited to return so school after long absence due to the covid pandemic.

For further updates please have a look at the FTLT February 2022 Newsletter.

AUGUST 2021

Please take a look at the FTLT Summer Newsletter.

JUNE 2021.

COVID Pandemic

As you will have seen on the news bulletins, the situation in India over these last few months has been extremely difficult. Pune and Maharashtra state have been particularly badly affected.  The schools and colleges have been closed again and all the children at Bori are having to be home schooled. The children are all safe with very strict controls as to who can access the centre.

Sadly, Seema and Shirish have lost a close relative to this horrible disease. They are  both well and have received at least one vaccination to date, so, hopefully, they have some degree of protection.  We continue to pray for Seema and Shirish, their family and the children and young people in their care.

 

Fundraising

Currently FTLT fundraising activities are restricted due to the pandemic, but if you feel you can help us support over sixty children in India please visit our DONATIONS PAGE.

Thank you.

FTLT Team

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APRIL 2021

                            THANK YOU TO THE GUILD

The  FTLT’s three year partnership with the Guild finished at the end of March.  Our journey together has been a huge privilege for us and an opportunity to see first hand the dedication, faith and commitment of Guild members. The prayerful support of the Guild as well as the amazing fundraising has impacted on the lives of some of the most vulnerable women and children in the world. Thank you.

If you didn’t have a chance to watch the online service of Celebration for the Projects then please click below. .https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBQ42k0-FBg&t=44s

Our final Guild Newsletter is available March 2021 Leaflet Final

Prayer Points:

We thank God for the amazing support the FTLT has received for Seema’s Project over these last few years.

Please pray for the safety of our partners, Seema and Shirish, as they continue to shine God’s light in the red-light district, reaching out with love to the women who are forced to work there and their children.

Please pray for all the children in the care of Seema’s Project.

Thank you.

FTLT Team.

 

PLEASE SEE  Church of Scotland Guild Project Page for Updates 2018-2021.

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Summer 2019.

Thanks to the generous donations of our supporters the Boys’ Extension is now complete and the boys are now in residence.

For Further updates please visit the Guild Project Pages

New Government Rules.

Recent Indian government regulations dictate that boys and girls must live in separate buildings. This was announced to Seema and her staff after a government inspection in December 2017. This was a totally unexpected development. Worthy of note however, is that the government inspectors were very impressed with the home at Bori.

This new legislation is affecting all NGO’s in India so, Seema informed the FTLT that she has no option but to comply.  The Board of FTLT accepted that the only solution is to build a new facility for the boys.

To achieve this the Trust, in consultation with our partners in India  -the Waghmode Foundation, agreed to send capital that was earmarked for the running costs of the home to build the new accommodation.

If you would like to help us with the running costs of the Bori Home, please consider giving a small amount each month by Standing Order .

Co- founder of FTLT ,Avril Duncan, and her team visited Bori last month and were invited to break the ground of the new boys’ home.

The building work is well underway. As well as accommodation for the boys there will be rooms for staff,  a sick room and recreation area.

Fundraising  continues as we work to complete this new facility.

If you would like to help please visit out Donations Page.