24.2.2023. 7pm IST
STREET PROVIDENCE GOA has been taking care of homeless street people both ladies & gents last 5 years with majority of them suffering from mental disabilities and alcohol & drug abuse .
Never ever in the last 5 years, we were able to all meet togther for any single occsssion.
But On 30.1.2023 on the launch of our Book , close to 140 of the 160 inmates made it to the venue with too much of difficulty.
As of 30.1.2023 these pictures were taken at the book launch at old Goa.
These homeless people are housed in 8 Homes across Goa.
☆ 5 Homes in North
☆ 3 Homes in South
☆ 4 Homes are for men
☆ 4 Homes are for women
Of the 160 homeless & people from families who we care for :
◇ 90% of the 160 inmates are psychiatric patients
◇ 60% of the 160 are goans, both men & women
◇ 80% of the women are local goans
80% of the 160 inmates are having no one in the world and will be life long with us.
◇ 10% of the 160 are paying us a small amount from their monthly dole.
◇ 15% are totally on wheelchair or bed bound
◇ 10% of the 160 are educated & can write / read
It's not the same feeling in running these Homes compared to 2017.
The expenses are gone up leaps and bounds and that is a big big issue.
Our NGO is sustaining one part because of the food bank fridges which is huge blessings and one of the best initiatives to feed the homeless and the people with Disabilities in our homes.
Of late the shelter homes are running in deficit and this has started last 6 months
Generous benefactors have been the backbone of our NGO but the price inflation and the price rise is driving all calculations hay wire .
Understand running 8 homes monthly means every month we HAVE to pay the :
¤ Rents of 8 homes
¤ Electricity & water bills of 8 homes
¤ Salaries of care givers in 8 homes
¤ Salary of 3 Physiotherapist
¤ Monthly maintenance of 8 homes
¤ Medicine for 160 inmates in 8 homes as 90% are psychiatric in nature
¤ Petrol bills
¤ Toiletries & personal hygiene needs
¤ Cable TV bills
¤ Internet bills as all Homes are on CCTV
Plus there are hidden and unwanted expenses which pop up and that can be paid later but have to be paid.
Government funding to date is only 1 ladies home in the last 3 years for 10 ladies.
Philanthropic funding is for 60 homeless men last 3 years @ 1500 a month.
Rest we depend on donations and that is not matching with the inflation.
The stress is mounting and my hair is turning GREY.
We were expecting CSR funding this year but last minute it did not materialize.
Government funding too for the other homes is not sure as of date .
As I write this post I have many many thoughts running in my mind and one of them is converting 1 or 2 homes to people who can pay for rehabilitation so that the other homes can be run for the poor & homeless.
Other option is to stop taking new homeless people of the streets which are mostly out goans.
Too many poor goan people SILENTLY CRYING who are suffering from mental disabilities and we can't just walk away or refuse rehabilitation.
But I can't manage the expenses either .
If this post touches you and you are In a position to help the homeless and those with disabilities in our homes please contact me on 8380097564.
Quite often in the last 5 years people asked me this one question ” HOW DO YOU MANAGE ?”.
Well, till I could manage I managed , but now recession is cropping in coupled with inflation and more poor goans CRYING SILENTLY asking for help to live in our shelter homes.
Your donations qualify for income tax exemption under section 80G of the I.TAX act .
Your LENTEN support can make huge impact to the homeless In all our homes in Goa.
God bless you all
Donald Fernandes
8380097564 / 7020314848
