Asha for Education

Chilla was started by an organization called Foundation for Integrated Research in Mental Health (FIRM). FIRM was founded by a team of medical doctors, in 1995. In 1999 FIRM organised a conference in Thiruvananthapuram, to discuss the problems of sex workers, with participation of people from various walks of life, and hundreds of sex workers from all over Kerala. It turned out that one of the major concerns of the sex workers was regarding their children. Subsequently, FIRM conducted a need-assessment study, through which 187 children were identified in Thiruvananthapuram, and 37 of them short-listed as the most needy. About half of the short-listed children had some sort of housing, while housing had to be arranged for the others. Initial attempts were to place them in orphanages, which met with serious difficulties. It is at this point that Anil and Roja decided to have the children stay at their house. This home later became Chilla.

Currently Chilla houses about 15 children, and in addition provides emergency support to many more children of sex workers in the city. Anil and Roja have been living with and taking care of the children at Chilla, ever since its inception. In May 2007, an independent organization called ANANNIA was registered to run Chilla. In 2008, the project was adopted by a Bangalore-based NGO called Sangama. ANANNIA continues to be associated with Chilla as the local facilitators for the project.

A UK-based charity, Kerala Partnership helped fund Chilla's initial years, when it was started as a project under FIRM. In 2004 and 2006, Chilla was partly supported by Asha for Education as well. On both these occassions, funds were sent to FIRM (Reg NO: 590/95, Bhaskar Vilas, Bhaskar Lane, Pattom, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala- 695004). In 2008, after Chilla was adopted by Sangama, Asha sent funds to Sangama to support the project. Sangama's address is as follows: Number 9, ABABIL Patil Cheluvappa Street, JC Nagar (MR Palya), Bangalore - 06.

The project is currently supported by funds from Asha for Education and Kerala Partnership, as well as funds raised locally.

Chilla was started by an organization called Foundation for Integrated Research in Mental Health (FIRM). FIRM was founded by a team of medical doctors, in 1995. In 1999 FIRM organised a conference in Thiruvananthapuram, to discuss the problems of sex workers, with participation of people from various walks of life, and hundreds of sex workers from all over Kerala. It turned out that one of the major concerns of the sex workers was regarding their children. Subsequently, FIRM conducted a need-assessment study, through which 187 children were identified in Thiruvananthapuram, and 37 of them short-listed as the most needy. About half of the short-listed children had some sort of housing, while housing had to be arranged for the others. Initial attempts were to place them in orphanages, which met with serious difficulties. It is at this point that Anil and Roja decided to have the children stay at their house. This home later became Chilla.

Currently Chilla houses about 15 children, and in addition provides emergency support to many more children of sex workers in the city. Anil and Roja have been living with and taking care of the children at Chilla, ever since its inception. In May 2007, an independent organization called ANANNIA was registered to run Chilla. In 2008, the project was adopted by a Bangalore-based NGO called Sangama. ANANNIA continues to be associated with Chilla as the local facilitators for the project.

A UK-based charity, Kerala Partnership helped fund Chilla's initial years, when it was started as a project under FIRM. In 2004 and 2006, Chilla was partly supported by Asha for Education as well. On both these occassions, funds were sent to FIRM (Reg NO: 590/95, Bhaskar Vilas, Bhaskar Lane, Pattom, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala- 695004). In 2008, after Chilla was adopted by Sangama, Asha sent funds to Sangama to support the project. Sangama's address is as follows: Number 9, ABABIL Patil Cheluvappa Street, JC Nagar (MR Palya), Bangalore - 06.

The project is currently supported by funds from Asha for Education and Kerala Partnership, as well as funds raised locally.

Home for Children of Sex Workers