PROTECTION OF THE VULNERABLE
mobile medical care for the elderly - after school care of children with autism - support for widows and refugees - provision of potable water & sanitation systems for at-risk populations
1. MOBILE HEALTH CARE: Truth to Power partners with local organizations in providing mobile care to individuals who are unable to access healthcare facilities due to various reasons such as age, physical disabilities, lack of transportation, and living in remote areas. Mobile clinics and camps bring healthcare professionals and resources directly to the patients. These services are crucial as it ensures that everyone, regardless of their circumstances, has access to essential healthcare services. Preventive care such as vaccinations, health screenings, and education, can also help identify and address latent health issues before they become more serious.
2. AFTER SCHOOL CARE FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES: One of the Foundation's grantees is committed to providing support and assistance to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) after their school day ends. The program is specifically designed to meet the unique needs of children and help them with their social, emotional, and educational development. The caregivers are trained in autism-specific strategies and interventions and provided individualized support based on the specific needs of each child. This structured and predictable environment is important and serves as an effective communication and collaboration platform between the after school program staff, parents, and school personnel.
3. SUPPORT FOR WIDOWS: Widows in the South Asian context are often vulnerable due to a combination of cultural, social, and economic factors. They often face social stigma and discrimination due to cultural beliefs and traditions and a seen as inauspicious or blamed for their husband's death. This stigma can lead to isolation, exclusion, and lack of support from their communities. Having relied on their husbands for financial support, many struggle to find employment or access resources to sustain themselves and their children, making them vulnerable to poverty and exploitation. They also have limited education and skills which further perpetuates their vulnerability and dependence on others. Truth to Power partners with a faith-based organization that solely focusses on the needs of widows, providing assistance in keeping their children in school, initiating livelihood activities and refurbishing their homes to keep them safe from harm.
4. PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT TO SURVIVORS OF WAR: A faith-based organization, committed to promoting peace and healing worked with war-ravaged populations to come to terms with violence and loss. With the funded interventions over 1000 individuals were aided in their journey to integrating the parts of themselves that they had lost and embark on a path to wellness.
5. SHELTER FOR REFUGEES: Rohingyas are an ethnic minority in Myanmar who fled persecution to neighboring countries in 2018. Truth to Power's program supports two camps in Delhi, one that was burnt down and the other that was vacated due to fears of retaliation. Homeless, many of the women and girls were at extreme risk of violence and sex trafficking The Foundation's grant provides immediate relief by funding blankets to face the cold weather and tin roofs to rehabilitate dwellings as well as drinking water, food supplies, utensils, clothes, and oral rehydration solutions to treat dehydration. Basic first aid is given along with establishing and managing mobile toilets, managing creches with meals, running a mobile school and library with the provision of text books and toys for the children, initiating income generation and counseling programs for the women and holding regular legal, career and health camps for all women and girls.
5. PROVISION OF POTABLE WATER AND SANITATION SYSTEMS IN SEMI-ARID AREAS: The Northern Province of Sri Lanka faces several challenges when it comes to accessing potable water and adequate sanitation facilities. With its history of conflict and displacement, water and sanitation infrastructure has been disrupted. Many people were displaced from their homes and resettled in temporary shelters or new areas without proper water and sanitation facilities. This issue has been compounded by a chronic shortage of potable water due to low rainfall, limited water sources, and overexploitation of groundwater. Often, water sources are contaminated with pollutants, including chemicals from agricultural activities, industrial waste, and untreated sewage. Finally, the local government and communities often face financial constraints in implementing and maintaining water and sanitation infrastructure. When Truth to Power grantees identify water and/or sanitation as an issue, the Foundation provides funds for building wells and provision of adequate sanitation facilities.