Our 2023-24 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of our trustees and supporters took place on 28 November 2024. The meeting featured presentations from our directors, Secretary, Presidents and Founder, Dr Girish Kulkarni updating on the successes and challenges of the reporting period.
In her address, our Secretary, Dr Priti Bhombe, welcomed attendees to the first AGM after the new Trustee board has taken charge. She summarised her new role and the year saying: ‘It has been a testing journey, especially for me even though I have been there only for the last three months of the financial year. My predecessor Gujar Sir has patiently and nobly handled and executed the position of the Secretary for not one but two terms and I salute him for that. It is extremely difficult to take his legacy ahead but I promise to try my best to do so.
“Trying to get a grip of what I have invited myself into was, is and continues to be a new adventure almost every day. Finding solutions to the ever-evolving new queries/hurdles/challenges does indeed seem like a roller coaster ride. But that is part and parcel of being a part of such a unique organisation called Snehalaya.
“I have been in the office from Jan to March, but in the absence of Gujar sir today as he is preoccupied, I will take the privilege to share some insights about the previous year.
“We have served around 66,000 direct and indirect beneficiaries this year with the major chunk being for the education vertical. We already work on 10 SDG goals. There may be very few organisations which actually touch upon so many of these at a time.
“There have been a lot of firsts for Snehalaya this year. The first female President, the first female Secretary, 13 women trustees on the board are some of the few.
“Winning two prestigious awards - The Mother Teressa Award for Social Justice 2023 by Harmony Foundation and our Snehalaya English Medium School was chosen in the category of Overcoming Diversities for the World best Schools Award.
“We have always addressed core issues and taken up challenges. The latest one being making our district child marriage free by 2027. The Udaan team is dedicatedly addressing the issue through sensitization, intervention, rehabilitation and working with the government agencies. Snehadhar is taking a step ahead and has been closely working with 10 chosen villages to overcome gender inequality and domestic violence at the rural level. The Manasgram project continues its journey of reuniting the mentally unstable patients back with their families. About 300 such people have been sent home so far.
“Moving ahead to ensure availability of health care to all, the CFHRC has opened its doors for affordable cataract surgeries and completed 50 surgeries this year. More services will be introduced soon.
“Snehalaya has always been a role model and a source of inspiration to many. Baramati Balbhavan in the Sathe colony is a latest example of this. Besides this our Sadbhavana Cycle rally inspired not only the youth but also many stalwarts to join in the movement of spreading peace and harmony from India to Bangladesh consecutively for the 2nd time.
“After having an organic bio-farm for so many years, and being amongst the first ones to start using solar energy for our projects we have now entered the area of environment conservation with our latest Miyawaki forest at Kinhawali. This forest will attract natural flora-fauna and people to in the near future.
“Published by Sakal Prakashan at World Book Fair New Delhi a book by renowned author Medha Deshmukh Bhaskaran, Up Against Darkness about the journey of Girish sir and Snehalaya.
“This year also was significant as we got an opportunity to represent Snehalaya globally… the first one being a conference about family-based care in Nepal and the second being a panelist at the Regional Workshop on the Incubating of Social Enterprises by HIV service producers by USAID, FHI360 and PEPFAR in Bangkok. We got to talk about our hospital model to representatives from 13 nations.
So let’s look forward to another year full of possibilities and new ventures.”
Following our Secretary was our President, Jaya Jogdand thanked everyone for the opportunity to represent Snehalaya and stated whe will continue to work for the health and wellbeing of the sex workers she represents and is committed to increase our Jeevansparsh members.
Other speakers included supporters such as Arti Vakil who stated she was happy and honoured to be a part of our Snehalaya family and commiting to do whatever she can in her capacity to help Snehalaya. She added that it was great to see that our founder, as well as our Secretary, is very prompt and responsive to all her queries. Representing Letz Dream Foundation, MBL Bhargava said having been associated with Snehalaya for a long time, it was great to see the use of technology in our work. Ashutosh Deshmukh, brother of author Medha Bhaskaran and patron said he was honoured to be associated with Snehalaya, encouraging us to keep up the great and challenging work.
Speaking after the conclusion of all presentations, Girish shared his own insights, saying: Henceforth we will be creating new collaborations with various organisations so that they can invest their expertise in the work, eg: Hi5 foundation will begin the construction of their Basketball academy in Kinhavli. We are also in discussions with an organisation who works with the local Kathkari tribe in Kinhavli to work in the field of education. Other collaborations and ideas are open for our land in Kudal, Kochre etc…
“The work done by Udaan team in a short span of time is very promising and happy to see our past student heading it. The Sanjay Nagar slum project has come to a standstill. With our 24 families staying in a temporary facility for last 6 years, it is necessary that Snehalaya steps in and completes our commitment of constructing the 2nd building for these people. Beginning of Snehalaya USA is another great initiative and will be very fruitful for us.
“Thanks to all the women trustees for working so passionately and sincerely for Snehalaya in last one year. The merger of Manavya and Snehalaya is in process and it will be another important milestone for Snehalaya. Both the organisations share the same mission and vision and hence the merger will open up newer avenues.”
The meeting also saw the publication of our 2023-24 Annual Report, covering many of the above points, you can read more about and access the report here.
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