| Objective of the project: |
| The objectives of the Street and Working Children Programme of Asha Deep Foundation are to: |
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To promote the education among the children of rag picking community from early childhood to divert them from the family business.
To enhance the knowledge of Rag Picking Adolescent girls about the sexual health and career option.
To enhance the academic growth of the children minimum up to secondary level.
To explore and develop in efforts to encourage the children to join vocational training.
To encourage the Adolescent girls to enter in advance training as a domestic workforce to utilize that skill.
To educate the children and community about their rights, health and social issues.
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| The project is divided into six components for the different target groups to achieve maximum positive result of the activities. The programme caters for following target group’s children involve in rag picking. |
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Early Childhood Education Programme
Education Programme for School Going Children
Non-Formal Education
Training Programme for Adolescent Girls
Domestic Skill Development for Adolescent Girls
Vocational Training
Advocacy & Lobbying
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| Early Childhood Education Programme: |
| The targeted age group of Rag-Picking Children Project of ADF was 5year-18years from the beginning. But it was decided after the evaluation of the programme that children below 5 years should also be involved in the project. Since the children of Rag picking community get involved in the profession in very young age. Children as well as parent find it most profitable. Ironically in the long run it becomes difficult for the children to cope up with normal way of living. Therefore, The Early Childhood Education activity was introduced to prepare the child towards the education and also motivate the parents to conceive a positive idea for development of their wards in different perspective. A total of 50 children are presently |
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Crèche for Children
Meetings are organised to motivate the parents to send their wards to centre.
Counselling of parents is organised.
Nutrition is provided to attending children.
Picnic is organised for children.
Sports activity is organised.
Major festivals & Christmas is organised in centre.
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| Education Programme for School Going Children: |
| Some of the children involved in rag picking have been enrolled in the government and ADF schools. These children do not get opportunity of after school tuitions or coaching. Since the children are involved in rag picking, their self-confidence is very low. Therefore, A total of 200 children are targeted for this programme and following activities are organised for their positive growth. |
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2 Coaching centres have been established for 200-school going Rag Picking Children.
Monthly once training programme is organised on personality development and leadership development.
Regular educational and social counselling is provided to children.
Yearly once a camp of 200 children is organised for 7 days.
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| Non-Formal Education: |
| There are many children involved in rag picking, not enrolled in the school due to economical and social reasons. Many of them are school dropouts. They are motivated by ADF social workers to join the education process and be an integral part of society. This programme inspires the children to join school. In this programme children are prepared for formal schooling in non-formal approach. ADF is presently targeting a minimum of 50 children to bring them in education system. The main activities if this programme is as follows: |
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50 Drop out children are motivated and enrolled in non-formal education system.
Fees, books and uniforms are provided to them for retaining them in the education programme.
Educational and psychological counselling is provided to them regularly.
Yearly once outing/picnic is organised for the children.
Regular follow up is carried out by home visits and personal contacts.
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| Training Programme for Adolescent Girls |
| Adolescent girls of this community are also involved in rag picking as well as petty work such as domestic maid and household garbage collection. These girls subjected to various form of exploitation including sexual and physical abuse. Since they belong to deprived family and have no education and knowledge to protect themselves from such desolation, they often become victims of unfortunate circumstances. This programme builds their capacity and knowledge on issues related to adolescence and sexual health as well as career opportunities. ADF is presently focusing on 25 girls of community to make them strong and wise enough to live a respectable life through training and support. The main activities of this programme is: |
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Meetings are organised to motivate the 25 adolescent girls for training.
Seminar is organised for identification of deserving girls for training.
Training programme is organised on sexual health, exploitation, abuses and career options.
Exposure visit of trainee girls is organised.
After training follow up is carried out.
Psychological Counselling is provided to adolescent girls.
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| Domestic Skill Development for Adolescent Girls |
| Since girls are involved in income generation to support their family, it was decided by ADF to develop their skill in domestic work so that they can easily get employment in this field. The upper class family hires domestic helps to take care of their house. Their houses are equipped with latest electronics equipments. The employers always look for a skilled person who has knowledge to operate these expensive appliances. The training on domestic skill development increases the employment opportunity of girls in domestic field. The main activities of this programme is: |
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Meetings is organised for identification of deserving girls for training.
Training programme is organised on domestic work and handling of electrical gadgets such as TV, Fridge, Washing Machine, Vacuum Cleaner, Aqua Guard. Cleaning & Maintenance is also part of training.
Job opportunity and placement as domestic maid is also provided to trained girls.
Psychological counselling is provided to girls during and after the training.
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| Vocational Training |
| Since the children are involved in rag picking and away from school and any other skill development programme, the future of these children are not positive. These children find it very difficult to cope up with the situation in grown up age in absence of any skill. Inadequate earning in productive period of their life leads to despair and frustration resulting in their involvement in anti social activities and addictions. The present programme is designed to motivate the children towards vocational training so that they can choose a decent career option for their future. Presently all the children over 14 years are motivated and mobilized to join the vocational training offered by ADF at very minimal fees. The main activities of these programme is: |
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Meetings are organised to motivate children to join vocational training.
Career counselling is provided to children to help choose the vocational course.
Children are helped to take admission in the course of their choice.
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| Awareness & Advocacy : |
| Millions of children in India are involved in various works other than education due to disadvantaged condition of their family. The government has made many policies and provisions to bring these children into mainstream of society. But unfortunately these policies are not implemented properly and benefits of its provisions do not reach to the children. This mainly happens due to lack of political will and proper execution of work by beurocrates in the office. Asha Deep Foundation has been a strong advocate of child rights issues and never missed any opportunity to voice for it on any platform whenever the organization got the opportunity. The organization has strong networking with various Government and Non- government organizations to fight for the rights for these children. The main activities of this programme is: |
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A rally of 500 children is organised on child rights.
Awareness programme on HIV/AIDS is organised.
Awareness programme on Drug Addiction is organised.
Awareness programme on Human rights is organised.
Awareness programme on Sexual Exploitation and abuses is organised.
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| HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROJECT: |
ASHA CRECHE:
Asha Crèche is the major attraction of the project. It is a new initiative, which involves all the children and their family who are in rag picking business. It has been established in 1st September 2007 for the children between the age group of 2-5 years of rag picking children family. The Early Childhood Education activity was introduced in the crèche to prepare the child towards the education and also motivate the parents to conceive a positive idea for development of their wards in different perspective. The crèche is situated near the project area. The crèche is fully equipped with all the required materials needed for an ideal crèche. Walls of crèche are painted with informative pictures such as nursery rhymes, counting charts and alphabetic drawings. The crèche is fully stuffed with toys and learning materials. Presently 25 children are admitted in the crèche of which 11 are boys and 14 are girls. The crèche opens at 9.00 AM in the morning and closes at 2.00 PM. Children are provided 3 sets of cloths and it is daily cleaned. Nutrition supplements are provided to the children as per the menu prepared by incharge of crèche during their stay at the centre. Apart from that health checkup of children are also carried out regularly and medicines are given to them.
TRAINING OF ADOLESCENT GIRLS:
Training programme on important issues of adolescence including education, personality development, career guidance, sexual health and most importantly community development was organised between 3rd December to 18th December 2007. A total of 30 adolescent girls participated in this training programme. In house and outside professionals conducted the training sessions. The training module is prepared by the most qualified professional having vast experience in adolescent issues. The main topics of the training were Aim & Planning, Communication Skill, Interpersonal Relationship, Value System, My Family, My Community, Adolescence, Reproductive & Sexual Health, Marriage, Parenting and Guardianship, Legal Rights etc. This training programme has gained very satisfactory results in the community. At the end of the training a certificate distribution ceremony was organised on 19th December 2007 at HRD centre of Asha Deep Foundation for successful participants. In the follow up it is observed that girls are now looking forward to make their future more stable and secure.
RALLY ON CHILD RIGHTS:
Asha Deep Foundation organised a Rally on Child Rights on Tuesday, 26th February 2007 at Jantar Mantar. More than 500 rag picking children from Seemapuri and 100 children from other NGOs such as Salaam Balak Trust, Shakshi, Indian Council for Child Welfare and Sahara participated in the programme. The main objective of this rally was to remind the government and civil society about their constitutional and social duties toward the children involved in rag picking. The present rally organised on 26th February 2008 at Jantar Mantar was a wake up call by the children involved in rag picking of Delhi for the Government of India to act positively and implement the development programme meant for children. Children gave Memorandums of their demand to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Delhi Mrs. Sheila Dixit, Prime Minister of India Mr. Manmohan Singh, President of India Mrs. Pratibha Patil and the Union Minister of Labour & Employment Mr. Oscar Fernandez. Mrs. Sheila Dixit was very impressed to meet the children. She listened the demands of children very patiently and received the memorandum. She spent good time with children and enquired about their present condition. She acknowledged their problem and assured an early and positive solution.
Rally started behind the Sansad Marg in the morning at 11.00 AM and it moved through Parliament Street near Jantar Mantar finally reached to its origin point at 12.00 Noon. All the children were in Red Color T-Shirts and Caps with the name ADF and HCDI (Pune) printed on it. Children were well disciplined during the rally. All the children were marching in two rows with banners and flash card. They were raising slogan to restore their fundamental right. Media people covered the rally. More than 20 print and electronic news agencies covered the rally.
Mr. Oscar Fernandez, Union Minister of Labour arrived at the venue at 1.00 PM. Important Budget Session of Parliament was in progress even though Mr. Fernandez spared some time with children. He asked children to sing Vande Mataram and National Anthem. He also inquired about the educational, social and economical status of children. Children played a street play for the minister. They conveyed the ill treatment of police towards them. Mr. Fernandez was very impressed with the activeness of children. Mr. Fernandez too assured the children to fulfill their demand. Memorandum to Prime Minister of India and President of India was also given.
The rally was concluded by 3.00 PM. All the children departed by bus to the project office. Overall the rally was very successful. Asha Deep Foundation is supporting their cause to make a platform of children to voice their concern to the authorities and helping them to fight collectively and with unity to bring a change in their lives.
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