VIKAS SANSTHAN

Our approach is holistic. We take up the problem at its roots. Aware that we are that it is the poverty statusand utter lack of a senses of the importance of education that compels a family to send its boys and girls to work as child labour. we make an in-depth study of the family. For addressing the problem of elimination of child labour our strategy is as follows

For this as a first step we create a suitable atmosphere by holding awareness camps on the theme of child rights. Having sown the seeds of awareness, we then identify families in need of support. As a next step we sit up with the family and talk about how to reduce their weakness or vulnerability to depend on child labour. We tell them about the evil of overpopulation and the need to practice family planning measures. We also tell them the importance of protecting environment, for disregarding this aspect is a cause of accentuating their problems of ill health and waste of money on meeting medical bill. We encourage male members of the family to take part in domestic chores so that women get space to participate in more empowering economic activities to lend support to the family income.

At this stage any reason for the child’s remaining away from the school is also identified, which could be uninviting school atmosphere or lack of care towards educating girl children, etc. We counsel children separately. Form Bal Panchayats and Kishori Manch for boys and girls respectively. Children with no background of child labour, yet away from the school are mainstreamed by us immediately with necessary support.

Mainstreamed children are provided tuition support to enable them to do good at studies.

Parents of over aged girls prefer them study at our Non-formal Education Centrers to avoid social ridicule in the school. They continue further study at the NFE Centres only. We include necessary inputs for them on life skills, general awareness and knowledge as also. vocational education to enable them to earn livelihood. We continue to counsel parents on gender equality to promote girl education.

Since the backbone of the problem is poverty, we identify major members of the family and provide vocational training to enable them to earn enough.

Women family members are encouraged to join Self Help Groups, who seek support from SHG and Seed Federation.

CWCR, Bal Panchayat and Kishori Balika Manch are the three community based organization developed by Vikas Sansthan.

I. The Role of CWCR

The campaign for women and child rights (CWCR) is a voluntary social movement of people, being spearheaded by Dilip Sevarthi since 1991. The Campaign identifies children in the age group 6 to 14 years working as child labour through surveys and door to door contact. These are the children who have never gone to school or have dropped out to work as child labour. For such children the campaign establishes non formal child education centres, where they are imparted joyful education up to standard five in three years. They are then enrolled with a school, where also their progress is followed up. The weak students are given tuition support up to five years.

II. The Role of Bal Panchayat

With a view to instilling the "we" feeling among the children, Vikas Sansthan forms their Bal Panchayats. A Bal Panchayat is an organization of children, demanding the right to education from the parents and the government. Bal Panchayat plays a critical role in weaning away children from child servitude by means of peer group pressure that their own organization builds on them. The Bal Panchayat comprises of child labour working in villages and urban localities. It has a president and a secretary elected by members, who collectively discuss the cases of atrocity and exploitation and make written complaint for their resolution.

III. The Role of Kishori Balika Manch Adolescent Girls Forum

Vikas Sansthan works with adolescent girls through forming an adolescent Girls Forum or Kishori Balika Manch. Just as a bulk of child labour being hired by glass industry are boys, girls are engaged as child labour in carpet industry. The agenda before the forum centres round weaning away girl child labour, mainstreaming their education, helping to avoid child marriage and removing gender discriminatory practices.

Adolescent girls` forums work shoulder to shoulder with Bal Panchayat leaders and the CRPC. The trio seeks to ensure that the children liberated from child labour status do not lapse into the same trap for want of quality education and discouraging atmosphere in government schools. Similarly, all-out and holistic attempts are made to let girl children under 18 remain unmarried for making the most of the formative age. These Community Based Organizations are the pivots on which the life-work of Vikas Sansthan rests

Our Approach to Work

Our approach is holistic. We take up the problem at its roots. Aware that we are that it is the poverty status and utter lack of a senses of the importance of education that compels a family to send its boys and girls to work as child labour. We make an in-depth study of the family.

For this as a first step we create a suitable atmosphere by holding awareness camps on the theme of child rights. Having sown the seeds of awareness, we then identify families in need of support. As a next step we sit up with the family and talk about how to reduce their weakness or vulnerability to depend on child labour. We tell them about the evil of overpopulation and the need to practice family planning measures. We also tell them the importance of protecting environment, for disregarding this aspect is a cause of accentuating their problems of ill health and waste of money on meeting medical bill. We encourage male members of the family to take part in domestic chores so that women get space to participate in more empowering economic activities to lend support to the family income.

At this stage any reason for the child’s remaining away from the school is also identified, which could be uninviting school atmosphere or lack of care towards educating girl children, etc. We counsel children separately. Form Bal Panchayats and Kishori Manch for boys and girls respectively. Children with no background of child labour, yet away from the school are mainstreamed by us immediately with necessary support.

Mainstreamed children are provided tuition support to enable them to do good at studies.

Parents of over aged girls prefer them study at our Non-formal Education Centrers to avoid social ridicule in the school. They continue further study at the NFE Centres only. We include necessary inputs for them on life skills, general awareness and knowledge as also. vocational education to enable them to earn livelihood. We continue to counsel parents on gender equality to promote girls education.

Since the backbone of the problem is poverty, we identify major members of the family and provide vocational training to enable them to earn enough.

Women family members are encouraged to join Self Help Groups, who seek support from SHG and Seed Federation.