As on 2019 MUST is involved in around 50 slum colonies in Pune and the twin-cities of Pimpri-Chinchwad. 14 full time staff and volunteers work tirelessly to bring the dream of creating a smile in the face of the uncared of the communities vulnerable to adversities. Apart from our regular involvement in health care, Awareness, Childcare, Education, HIV care, Youth focus, Family care, we have launched out Skill development for youths – computer education and spoken English, classes for dropouts, women empowerment – tailoring, crochet, craft which will empower them to reach the level of sustenance and enable the urgent need of pulling out and building people in challenging situations. We have a much-dedicated team of servants who spent day in and day out with the people. 

HIV - COUNSELING AND COMMUNITY CARE:

Our regular project work includes, counseling the patients and their relatives that they may be cared within their home and communities. Also, medical care and treatment from time to time, medical test and nutrition (daily provision) program.

They need spiritual, moral, medical and emotional support to see that they will be able to manage their affairs. A monthly fellowship wherein around 80 affected people gather for fellowship and sharing once in every month, which enable them to share with others and build on a life of hope.

Our project secretary, Ms. Bharati Dongare is coordinating this program and Bro. Sanjay Vairat helps as a volunteer working with the HIV friends.

Here are some of them who want to share their experiences (all names changed):

Mr. Sanju says, "The fellowship has given me a lot of fuel for daily life and made all the difference in our life. Our son was positive, which was the most difficult thing to accept. Therefore we trusted and prayed that our son should be healed. God heard our prayers and he is negative now. We have all the reports of before and after".

Ms. Ambika part of the fellowship says, “My husband left me with our 3 kids. I was left alone, but being part of the fellowship has removed my loneliness.

Ms. Renuka, who has 8 grandchildren, all of them are fully depended on her says, “The fellowship and God has made all the difference, otherwise I would have really perished. Now He is taking care of everything”

Ever since we have started the fellowship, it has been wonderful to see how the infected and affected are being built-up. Many are still battling with mental, physical and psychological issues. We could feel the difference when we meet them every time. Many have now positively considered faith as a matter of great value as it offers hope to them.

YOUTH FOCUS:

The pressing challenge of meeting the needs of the youths and teens from these communities are urgent. Academics, Career, Relationships and Marriage are major issues to deal with. Through the youth net-work we want to see them to be out of their present predicament. We give ethical and spiritual care, career guidance and training on all issues related to their context, through personal counseling, retreats, seminars and camps. At present we have around 100 youths in the fellowship net-work throughout the city.

FAMILY CARE:

Family relationships are one of the most abused in the context of the urban poor. Especially when somebody accepts a change in their life to stand up with new commitment in the old context is very challenging. We have a family programme to bring them to fruitful living and seen families united and restored through such programs. For the families monthly fellowship is organized in every zone.

SKILL DEVELOPMENT FOR YOUTHS AND WOMEN

All the Community development projects are intended to develop the skill in the Children and youths as well as empowering the women from the urban community.

COMPUTER TRAINING:

In the past we have seen some of the students whom we have trained in the informal schools are able to reach good positions. We realized that the children from the slums need opportunities to excel in their life. Because of various other limitations many are not able to afford such training.

Computer skill training is conducted within the community to provide basic computer education for three to six months. The training will be conducted by the tutors and experts selected by the organization for the same purpose for each center.

This Project was inaugurated on 10th January 2015, for the poor students from the slum colonies. In 2017, we have launched out a few computer training centers across the city slum centers accessible to them where students can come and learn which will help them to seek better job prospects to have better opportunities in life at par with others and also soar to higher level in their public life.

TAILORING TRAINING:

Women are the most deprived in the slum communities. Mostly we see women are the bread winners in the families and not the men. Majority of them work as scrap-pickers, rag-pickers, house maids etc. The whole day they are out but, get very low income in return. In order to support, empower and make them independent MUST started Tailoring Training Centers for such ladies in many slum colonies.

The selected women are given personalized attention, on a regular basis so that in future they will be able to handle multiple sewing jobs by themselves. Once they are trained, we may facilitate to find resources for them to purchase sewing machines to run their own tailoring unit in their own communities or elsewhere and come up as entrepreneurs.

Being a tailor can be a fulfilling career path for these uneducated women using their skill and creative abilities for a sustainable livelihood.

SPOKEN ENGLISH CLASSES:

These coaching centers started with a desire to train the students to be well versed in English as they study in Marathi medium schools. Knowing the skill of speaking in English will help them to develop themselves in every aspect especially in their career.

PROJECT FOR DROP-OUTS:

In this center Children who were unable to continue their education due to family problems were identified and encouraged to do their further education. Smaller children were put in to regular classes and grownups registered with Open University like IGNOU and YCOU.

PRATIBHA SCHOLARSHIP:

We are presently supporting 27 students and intend to support 100 students as per the fund availability from 5th standard (with a few exceptions from lower classes) to professional degree course, selecting the most deserving from these communities after assigning them with mentors. Though it is preferred to select the smarter ones to excel in their studies, we also take interest in supporting the average and even below average students due to following reasons:

  Financial constraints force the children to dropout from school and to work along with their parents.
  These dropouts at a very early age soon get addicted to different vices.
  Orphans and semi-orphans, dropout from school and end up in bad company and are misused by the anti- social elements from the society.
  It is essential to promote girls’ education, since many parents consider daughters as a burden and they remain uneducated and get them married off at a very early age due security issues.
  When the financial part is taken care of, the parents and the children are encouraged to continue with education.

STAFF LEADERSHIP TEAM

Mrs. Rekha Koshy Cherian, and her husband Koshy live in Pimpri with their son Abel. Ms. Rekha is a post-graduate in Economics passed out from Symbiosis Pune. She also did her Post-graduate degree M.Div from ATA. She joined MUST 20 years back right after her studies being called to work with the urban Poor. She now works as a Ministry Secretary, handling key roles in Admin, Training and Field ministry, Staff coordination and also represents staff in the Board. Long years of involvement of ministry with the urban poor has made her a resourceful person with passion.

Mr. Koshy Cherian, has completed his Post-Graduation in Commerce after which a Bachelor of Divinity from Serampore University. He worked in a few organizations, handling key roles before joining MUST. Mr. Koshy works with MUST for the last 14 years. He handles key responsibilities as Promotional Secretary, Accounts & Logistics Manager, Office admin and shepherding responsibilities.

Ms. Bharati Dongare, is a Graduate in commerce by education and worked in the industry for quite some time before joining MUST. She lives in Pune city along with her daughter Milka, who is perusing her engineering degree. She has been with MUST since 2002 and is instrumental in initiating the ASHA fellowship for the terminally ill which now cater to the HIV and Cancer infected and affected people with community care and counseling. She net-work with a lot of govt. and non-govt organizations facilitating welfare projects for the suffering poor. Her passion for the poor and suffering is commendable.

Mrs. Usha Kari, is a commerce graduate and worked in the corporate sector for about 25 years handling multiple responsibilities, like projects, Sales etc. In 2014 she called it a day and joined MUST as she wanted to invest rest of her life for serving the poor. She lives in Nigdi, Pune along with her husband and their daughter Steffi. Mr. Javeed Qureshi A person with passion to enrich the life of the poor in every way, she handles key roles in Woman Empowerment and Skill Development Projects all around the City.

Mr. Javeed Qureshi, having done a theological course he is pursuing his bachelor’s in social work from Indira Gandhi Open University, Delhi. He had a challenging background as he had to move out of his home right after his under-graduation. He lives with his wife Sumitra along with their two children Sara & Nathan and make their home in Vishrantwadi, Pune. He worked in a few companies before he joined with MUST from 2006. He is taking care of the field ministry activities in different parts of the city and is our area coordinator for field ministry in East Pune. A dedicated and disciplined soldier for the cause he is committed, he is willing to go the extra mile for the people and community he works with.

Ms. Surekha Gaikwad, a spinster “called to be single to serve the poor” in her own language - lives in Kothrud, Pune. She is a graduate in commerce by education and worked in the accounts department of Pune collectorate, before joining ministry with MUST. She has been with MUST from 2002, presently working as a coordinator with a few administrative responsibilities. She is involved in field ministry activities all over the city, also area coordinator for South Pune, which includes some very sensitive pockets. A cheerful person who inspire everyone with whom she is involved with.