About BSSK:

Bharatiya Samaj Seva Kendra (BSSK) was founded in 1979 and is registered under the Indian Public Trust Act of 1950. BSSK provides welfare services to families and children in need. BSSK are involved in 'Seva' or service, as a non-profit making, nonpolitical Indian Charitable Trust. Our principal activities are in the placement of children into foster homes. We also support lesser privileged / economically challenged children through our regular Family Health Clinics, Nutrition Programmes, Health Camps and awareness through Family Life Education.

To secure the basic right of every child to family life, BSSK was established in Pune by Holt International Children's Services (HICS), headquartered at Eugene, Oregon, in the USA. HICS is a nonpolitical organization which has supported worldwide child welfare programmes through independent Child Care agencies in Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Nicaragua, Philippines, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, Guatemala, Romania, China, Ecuador, Russia, Brazil and India.

VERDENS BARN - Children of the World, Norway (CWN) is an agency which also upholds the basic rights of children the world over. It is based in Oslo and largely supports BSSK's multi-service Family Welfare Programmes.

Inter-country Adoption Resource Network (ICARN) – ICARN (Australia) is a group of adoptive parents, educators and researchers with long standing involvement in inter-country adoption practice and programmes in Victoria. They also uphold the basic rights of all children, and largely support our educational sponsorship programme at Chiplun.

Sponsors - Around 278 sponsors from India and 294 from overseas support children under our Educational Sponsorship Programme. They also provide donations in kind from time to time

Donors - Several individuals both from India and overseas give general donations to BSSK or sponsor meals at different events for the children.

Locations:
BSSK is headquartered in Pune (Maharashtra, India). We also have branches in Aurangabad, Sangli and Chiplun.

BSSK's Founder Trustees:
Dr. (Late) (Mrs.) Banoo J. Coyaji
Mrs. Usha Modak
(Late) Mr. A. D. Gadkari

History:
Lighting the Lamp of Love – About BSSK

“All children are beautiful when they are loved”
Bertha ‘Grandma’ Holt

In 1979 an Institution of love was born in Pune, India when Bhartiya Samaj Seva Kendra (BSSK) was founded as an Indian Charitable Trust and registered under the Bombay Public Trusts Acts of 1950. The aim was to provide welfare services to families and children in need, irrespective of caste, creed community or religion. This non political, non profit making organization is licensed as a “Fit Person Institute” by the Commissioner ate of Women and Child Welfare, Maharashtra.

To secure the basic right of every child to a family life BSSK was established in Pune.
October 21st 1979 marked the formal inauguration and beginning of BSSK from a rented stone bungalow on Koregaon Road. In 1981, Indian adoptions took a leap forward with BSSK’s first child being adopted by an Indian family. In 1984 the first gathering of adoptive families was held in Pune, with 35 families participating.

The educational sponsorship programme started several lined services in the early 1980’s. In 1984 special efforts were made to encourage Indian sponsors to sponsor a child’s education. In 1991 a community programme ‘Deesha ’ was initiated.

In 1990 and 1994 two new buildings were acquired for our children in Pune. In 1995,1997 and 1999 BSSK started its branch offices in Aurangabad, Chiplun, Sangli and Dhule respectively.

In 2004 BSSK, Pune consolidated its activities in one building; BSSK has completed 25 years of service to the community. Our programmes have been continuously reassessed and remodeled to suit the changing needs of community we serve. Our approach has always been to provide integrated services by a team of qualified, experienced and dedicated workers.