SURVEY and RESEARCH:

• Conducted preliminary survey to study the effect of violence on children in J&K. (Feb., 1998)

• Conducted a survey to assess the damage and civilian loss of life and property in Kargil, Drass and Batalik areas at the time of the Kargil conflict (1999). Stay in these areas was for three months.

• Conducted a survey to study the problems of widows of dist. Kupwara (1999).

• Conducted a comprehensive survey of 325 villages in dist. Kupwara to assess the need to carry out model village project (July 2001).

• Carried out research work for UNICEF’s study on children affected by armed conflict in J & K for dist. Kupwara (December 2001- January 2002).

• Carried out a study on the conditions of the Hindu migrant camps in the Jammu region(January, 2002).

bwf intends to carry out door-to-door survey to study the number of disappeared youth and the exact number of orphans of dist. Kupwara and later on, to extend the same to other districts of the satate.

RELIEF-AID TO MIGRANTS & REFUGEES:

• With 25,000 families (locals) rendered homeless due to Kargil conflict, the founders of bwf requested bankers, businessmen and others to help the migrants. It was heartwarming to see all these Puneiites donate all those things under the sky that were required to run a family for 2 months. It was a 3 months long stay with the migrants.

• The Minister of State, J&K, drew bwf’s attention towards the migrants of Macchil area (dist. Kupwara) when he saw their work with the Kargil migrants. bwf again managed to convince concerned individuals to donate for these migrants. Aid came in generously for around 245 families.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:

• In November 2001, bwf organized an exhibition cum sale where Kashmiri artisans came down to Pune to sell  their handcrafted goods(shawls, walnut wood carving, saffron, dry fruits, dress material, carpets)

• bwf has successfully helped a number of kashmiri artisans to get sale outlets in various cities of India through friends and well wishers.

• Five deserving and needy individuals (two women) are employed in our residential school presently. Though it is a very small number  in tackling unemployment in the district, bwf intends to employ 17 localites for strength of 100 children and 75 when the strength will reach to 1000. 

WOMEN (ESP. WIDOWS):

• As a part of women empowerment program, in Sept 1999, bwf donated 12 sewing machines to 12 widows in dist. Kupwara. Today they bring orders for school uniforms and run their homes. They feel proud to be self-reliant.

• With the help of friends, bwf has distributed free medicines among 45 widows belonging to the Gujjar community in the dist.

• bwf is preparing to run a rehabilitation center for victimized women (mass raped in 1992) in a village so that they can live a life of dignity. It is disturbing to see young girls remaining unmarried, as they have been refused by the society (they were raped too).

SPORTS:

• bwf assists young talents to grow in their particular game by gifting them the necessary equipment of various games they don’t possess.

• bwf imparts the technical know-how of games like volleyball, football to the youth. A fascinating outcome is becoming evident day by day---the youth (who are the hardest nut to crack in Kashmir) are eager to be associated with bwf. Through these small caring deeds bwf has made them take interest in their work.

CHILDREN AND EDUCATION:

Taking up ‘child-centered’ projects is a field very dear to the bwf team and has taken up a project for children on a war footing. BWF has started a residential school BASERA-E-TABASSUM (BeT), meaning Abode of Smiles, for orphan girls in the frontier district Kupwara of the Kashmir Valley; currently in its first phase in the form of a Home (Orphanage) .BeT is a rights and needs-based project, working towards the physical and psychological recovery and the social reintegration of these children.