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Home / Secular Social Work / Samskar
SAMSKAR
Samskar (Reform) is an offshoot of Atheist Centre’s work among the criminal tribes who are now known as denotified tribes. For decades Gora, Lavanam and Hemalata Lavanam and others
from Atheist Centre worked in the Criminal settlements of Andhra Pradesh and
initiated steps for criminal reformation. With the persuasion of Atheist
Centre, the State Government also extended helping hand by providing land and
other facilities to the changed criminals. The socio-psychological
rehabilitation of the ex-criminals by Atheist Centre culminated in
establishment of a separate Organisation, Samskar, to give further
fillip to the efforts. The Criminal reformation efforts are still going on.
Programmes are undertaken such as social counselling, economic, educational and
social development and also relief and assistance to changed criminals and the
aged.
Samskar also took up the programme for the eradication of the
Jogini system, which is a remnant of the Devadasi in Telangana region of AP. It
is a heinous practice thrust on the poor untouchable women in the remote
villages of the erstwhile Hyderabad State. Chelli Nilayam, Sister’s Home, was
founded at Varni, in Nizamabad District in 1987 for the Jogins. The
socio-psychological counselling programmes helped in changing the attitudes of
the erstwhile jogins as well as of the villagers, and it helped in
initiating the steps to resolve the problem. Four marriages of Jogins took
place in the Governor’s Official Residence (Raj Bhavan), in the presence of the
then Governor Ms Kumudben Joshi in 1990 and again in the presence of Mrs.
Haripriya Rangarajan and Governor Dr. C. Rangarajan in 1999. The efforts of
Samskar received impetus with the enactment of Andhra Pradesh Devadasi
(Prohibition of Dedication) Act 1988. It was the voluntary effort of
organisations like Samskar that gave wide publicity to the Act and brought new
awakening among the poor women. The target group of Samskar are devadasis,
criminals, old & the aged. Samskar is also engaged in the disaster
reconstruction work in Gujarat after the earthquake. Its programs include,
health, habitat, livelihood, education and child sponsorship.
It works towards destimatization of communities which are labled as criminals and devadasis
through comprehensive developmental approach. Samskar is working in more than 100 villages in Nizamabad and Medak, districts. Mr. Lavanam is the President and Mrs. Hemalata Lavanam is the Secretary of Samskar.
Contact:
Mr. Lavanam,
Founder Secretary,
Samskar,
Atheist Centre,
Benz Circle,
Vijayawada 520 010,
Andhra Pradesh, INDIA
Phone: +91 866 2475213
Fax: +91 866 2474850
E-mail: lavanam@rediffmail.com
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