SANKALP REHABILITATION TRUST

Mumbai, India

A community-based organisation founded in 1995, Sankalp Rehabilitation Trust operates from seven permanent sites to prevent and treat HIV and other opportunistic infections affecting injecting drug users in Mumbai. Committed to a philosophy of harm reduction, a team of outreach workers and peer educators, who are former or current drug users, reach out to the street-based drug-using community. Needle exchange, abscess management, and safe injecting education services are initiated through this point of first contact. Medical staff and social workers provide necessary followup treatment , counseling, and distribution of Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) at the lifeline of Sankalp, our drop-in centres Mumbai Central, Kurla, Kalyan, and Bhiwandi.

Sankalp also runs a programme for injecting drug users in prisons, where it promotes awareness, encourages adherence to antiretroviral therapy, and offers counselling and medical support. There is a 24-hour critical care centre for drug users who are seriously ill and in need of consistent medical and psychological treatment.

Sankalp promotes various skills training and income generation projects. The latest venture, Project Hunar, provides recovering drug users with a residential computer training programme where they receive help in developing related professional skills and participation in a variety of educational/empowerment sessions. In addition, Sankalp has facilitated the training of several rehabilitated clients in various craft-making skills, which enables them to bring in modest livelihoods. Sankalp is committed to seeking out those in need, supporting those in recovery, and strengthening its clients, so that they too can contribute positively in society.

Mumbai is the commercial capital of India. Many people migrate to the city from all over the country in search of economic prosperity, higher education, upward mobility and employment. Increasing migration, coupled with scarcity of affordable housing have given rise to unauthorised slums and squatters. Around 46% of Mumbai's population live in slums. Food, shelter and clothing are basic needs for survival and development of every human being. Majority of the clients on Sankalp programmes are street drug users. Most migrated to Mumbai city in search of a better life, but began using drugs and have bitter consequences to face. Sankalp focuses its efforts on reducing the HIV levels among IDUs, which is an increasing problem in Mumbai, as well as in other parts of the country.

Sankalp is also very much engaged in building capacity in other NGOs to be able to address professionally the needs of drug users.

www.sankalp.org.in