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Project Description/ Summary
When we think of a deprived child, traditionally the picture that comes in our mind is that of a child in a rural village. But today, an increasing number of children living in slums and shantytowns are among the most disadvantaged and vulnerable in the world, deprived of the most basic services and denied the right to thrive. These children are often "invisible" to the decision makers and become lost in the hazy statistical average that conceals grave inequalities. Every year more and more people are either pulled or pushed to the capital city. Some come to earn a better. However, once coming to the city, they find themselves thrown into a horrible battle of survival. Many work as Rickshaw-puller, day labourer or hawker and earn a scanty amount barely meeting one course of meal a day. Children become the most affected! When survival is at stake, education becomes unimportant. Government seems to overlook these slum dwellers and don't want to recognize their dire states. Another big issue with the slum kids are that they are left unattended during majority part of the day because their parents work as day labourers and could not afford to manage any day care service. Due to lack of supervision, many kids run into accidents or get attached to drug-circle. May be in movie, slum-dogs become millionaire, but in reality they hardly get a chance to stand on their own feet!
Indian Women and Child Welfare Trust works with orphaned, child labouring, disabled, poor, marginalized and Street children (aged 5-15) in slums of Delhi, India, to transition them into mainstream education, by providing basic education and where appropriate, vocational training. The program also aims at creating spaces for learning for children who live on slums/streets/construction sites with their parents who are migrants. The children we work otherwise have no alternatives for education, or childhood. Most of them toil every day, sometimes in horrific conditions to make ends meet. Indian Women and Child Welfare Trust creates an important role for these children within their working day, to be children, and to feel supported, until they enter formal education. The Indian Women and Child Welfare Trust programme is a holistic one, addressing factors creating, or sustaining the circumstances these children find themselves in. In particular by, working with parents so that they understand the importance of and encourage their child in education; supporting parents to develop (additional) income generating activities, or to enter the job market, by imparting skills and working with potential employers to hire them - where fitting through livelihood programmes. Due to lack of funding we have been unable to provide the nutrition support element of Indian Women and Child Welfare Trust, for a healthy diet and to help ease the day-to-day burden of these children to earn.
Need for the Project:
Child Labour, Street Children is still a large issue, now with the enforcement of laws against this practice, many children work in the shadows and false ages are reported. These children are either migrants or work to support their families. They have no options for an education or a childhood. There is a need to encourage employers to allow these children to be a part of the program where they can study, learn and interact with other children.
1) Inadequate access to education
2) Inadequate policy support and commitment for universalization of primary education
3) Poor attention to quality at primary education level
4) Gender inequality in access to education
5) High rate of dropout and wastage.
What is the issue, problem, or challenge?
Today in India, 250 million children are working to support their families' meager incomes. Often employed as domestic servants, tea-stall workers, rag pickers, vegetable sellers and at roadside dhabas, these children are deprived of basic education and suffer long working hours, abuse, torment and the loss of their childhood. Often they are abused at home as well as work, without refuge and with little hope for the future.
How will this project solve this problem?
Through an integrated programme:
i) Providing non-informal education within the child's working day
ii) Addressing factors creating/sustaining child labour, such as low parental incomes and imparting skills to parents
iii) Nutritional support
Beneficiaries:
The direct beneficiaries of this project will be 500 children (aged 5-15) for mainstreaming program. They are basically vulnerable group of Deprived Children, more specifically street children, slum children, orphan, working children, children of sex workers, children of families ' at risk' (like refugees, migrants, single parents), girl child.
Benefit of the program
Every child is given the opportunity to develop mentally, emotionally, spiritually, economically, socially and physically. Some specific benefits include:
Education: In some cases, the cost of school fees, clothing and supplies are provided. In other cases, it means providing tutoring, help with homework, encouragement and, if necessary, participation in a literacy program outside the classroom. Children also learn a vocation that can later provide them employment.
Health: Children are taught about hygiene and how to maintain personal health; care is given as needed. Some Compassion-assisted children also receive supplementary food.
Physical activity: Children participate in sports and exercise where they can develop their gross and fine motor movement skills. In some places, children have the opportunity to receive evaluations from professionals.
Self-confidence and social skills: We link each child to a local church-based program where Christian adults offer love, guidance, personal attention, guided recreation and safety. Children also learn life skills.
The opportunity to hear the gospel and learn about Jesus. Children receive regular Bible training and encouragement through a local church committed to Jesus Christ and the children in its community. This is perhaps the greatest benefit that we offer each Compassion-assisted child.
Project Goals:
The Goal of the project would be "materializing Right To Education(RTE)" for Street/slum children in the age group of 5 to 15 years in slums/rural areas through intensive advocacy with government systems, school authorities and with community and keep on providing remedial support and empowering counseling to the children till the Right To Education (RTE) Act is realized for the slum children.
Potential Long Term Impact
Potentially, change the course of the lives of child labourers/street childrens otherwise with no alternative for education. By teaching literacy and providing a chance of formal education, they have a chance of a future and to escape a vicious circle of poverty.
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