Field Visit-PAPA Homes-24/8/24
As part of their Management of Voluntary Organisations (MVo)
practical, the third-year Home Science students visited Papa Homes NGO, a
unique initiative run by the Police Department. This visit aimed to provide
students with first-hand experience in managing voluntary organizations and
understanding the NGO's operations.
In 1999, a group of 14 Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), including Lions,
Rotarians, and police officials, came together to address the pressing issue of
street children in Visakhapatnam. Led by the then Commissioner of Police, Sri
Kode Durga Prasad, IPS, they established PAPA to provide a safe haven for these
vulnerable children.
Street children are often neglected by their parents and society, forced to
survive on the streets, railway platforms, and public places without access to
basic necessities like shelter, care, medical aid, or education. They are
vulnerable to exploitation, abuse, and anti-social activities.
PAPA aims to rehabilitate street children and bring them into the mainstream.
The organization provides food, shelter, education, and care to these children,
helping them to overcome their difficult past and build a better futures
PAPA started with nine children in 1999 and has since grown to support over 100
children. The organization has moved to its current premises, a former police
school, provided by Sri. Kode Durga Prasad IPS, Commissioner Of Police,
Visakhapatnam city
Street children are those who have been neglected by their parents and society,
forced to survive on the streets. They may come from poor families or have run
away from home due to various reasons. PAPA screens and takes in children who
are in need of care and protection.