HELP Foundation J&K is a non profit organization setup in 1997 by a few like minded people, with the objective of providing a helping hand to people affected by the violence in the strife-torn valley. The focus has been on providing education and mental health counselling to women and children, who have been the worst victims of turmoil, relief and rehabilitation to various sections of the society who are severely challenged by physical disability and/or economic deprivation. The Foundation is extending its activities in almost all districts of Jammu and Kashmir province. The operations in these districts are being done by volunteers, staff and trustees.
Education
Health Care
Women's Empowerment
The main focus of the Foundation is on providing quality education to under privileged children. The Foundation is running schools in different areas of the valley and also providing educational assistance to about 1000 orphan children directly or indirectly through various schools, running in different districts of the valley. This project was taken up after conducting surveys, about the number of orphans and widows, child labour and the number of physically challenged people in some districts of the valley like Kupwara, Srinagar and Budgam.
Child Guidance and Counselling Centre, a psychiatric health care centre in the trouble torn valley of Kashmir was set up in November 2003 by HELP Foundation J&K in response to the social need and to overcome the social stigma attached to visits by such patients to Govt. Psychiatric Diseases Hospital, Srinagar, the only one of its kind in the valley.
The Centre (A mental health care project) was established by HELP Foundation, J&K in collaboration with AMAN Trust funded by ECHO (European Commission for Humanitarian Offices) to serve the affected people particularly children. The aim of the project is to provide free psychiatric services to the affected children and women as well and also to create awareness in the society about psychological/psychiatric disorders and their treatment. The project was supported by ECHO upto 13th May 2003, From July to September 04 the help extended by National Foundation for India (though partial) was useful. Finally, Rajiv Gandhi Foundation agreed in September 2004 to meet the recurring expenditure of the Centre.
The Centre (A mental health care project) was established by HELP Foundation, J&K in collaboration with AMAN Trust funded by ECHO (European Commission for Humanitarian Offices) to serve the affected people particularly children. The aim of the project is to provide free psychiatric services to the affected children and women as well and also to create awareness in the society about psychological/psychiatric disorders and their treatment. The project was supported by ECHO upto 13th May 2003, From July to September 04 the help extended by National Foundation for India (though partial) was useful. Finally, Rajiv Gandhi Foundation agreed in September 2004 to meet the recurring expenditure of the Centre.
The Foundation right from its inception used to provide monthly sustenance assistance to widows and economically weak women till 2003. It was observed that this practice had a negative impact on the psychological health of women especially those who have lived an esteemed life prior to their husbands’ death. It hurt their self esteem as they thought it was begging. A psychological assessment was done and it was found that this practice was adding insult to their injuries. It was after this event that the Foundation started income generating programmes wherein such women were provided employment and all the proceedings of the programmes were given to them.
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