Save the Children India (STCI)

4-C, Swapnalok,
47, Lady Jagmohandas Marg,
Mumbai - 400 036. India  
Tel : (0091 22) 2363 0523
Fax : (0091 22) 2368 0037
E-mail : info@savethechildrenindia.com   
           vkadri@bol.net.in

SAVE The Children India
429 Arun Chambers, 4th floor,
Tardeo,
Mumbai - 400 034. India  
Tel : (0091 22) 5662 7151 / 5662 7152 

SPARSH
TALUKA UMERGA
District Osmanabad
Maharashtra , INDIA  
 Tel : 02475 59581
Contact : info@savethechildrenindia.com

Save the Children India (STCI) is a non-governmental organization that has been working on the empowerment of disadvantaged women and children since 1988. Empowering the disadvantaged has meant focusing our energies and resources on education and health issues. In addition, since 2000, we have also concentrated on the combating and preventing trafficking of children from the rural areas. 

Mrs. Vipula Kadri is the National Director of STCI. She recognized the urgent need for formal and non-formal education as well as basic health benefits for the underprivileged and has worked unstintingly since the last 25 years for the uplift of the less fortunate. 

STCI has programmes that cover a child’s development from the most formative early years. Not only do we provide basic formal and non-formal education but we also provide for the all-round development of a child with sports, medical camps, art camps and the provision of healthy mid-day meals. STCI also has facilities that are devoted to the mentally and physically challenged children from the poorer areas of Mumbai. 

All our efforts are devoted to providing the children of underprivileged families with the kind of help that will make them into good citizens of the future. All of our programmes are family based and parental and community involvement is strongly encouraged.

Charity Reg. No. F - 12574 (Bom) dt. 22nd July, 1988

I.T. Exem No. DIT(E)MC/80-G/2700/2000-2001

dt. 10-08-2000

F.C.R.A. Regd. No. – 083780585

Vision and Mission
STCI is committed to creating and providing an environment wherein children can grow to their full potential. We see our contribution in terms of helping those who cannot help themselves; protecting and nurturing the innocent and guiding their growth so that they are solid citizens contributing to their own future.

STCI intends to continue its efforts to provide health, nutrition and education to as many children as it can. Our objective is to prevent exploitation and protect the children from abuse, neglect and any form of discrimination. It is our hope that we will send out children who are self-reliant and capable of facing up to the world that they inhabit.

Future plans

Our projects are a call to action; it is a reminder to us all that in ratifying the United Nation’s Convention of the Rights of Child, we committed to combat the violation of these rights. If we are saddened by the expression on a hungry child’s face, if we are angered by the brutality that is child trafficking, if we are devastated by the reality of the 111 million working children in our country, then we must commit to restore the happiness, dignity, respect and standard of life that was always theirs, but that is doomed to wane by the ignorance and apathy of a nation.

STCI envisages a social landscape where children and women are provided with ample assistance and equitable opportunities whether underprivileged due to their background, deprived because of their station in life, left destitute by natural calamities or communal impediments.

In all STCI endeavors, our belief is to help make the individuals or communities self-reliant as opposed to creating dependency.  What we have taken on is no mean task. There is much to be done and there is a part for each of us to play. It is increasingly clear that we have to become a mass movement to succeed…if you would like to work with us or have any queries please do not hesitate to contact us.

Projects  

Balwadis

The curriculum is designed with the principal objective of making learning a fun experience. The Play-way method is used to encourage expression of thoughts and feelings. Development of healthy attitudes, environmental awareness, improving the child’s general knowledge and expansion of their vocabulary are some of the aspects that are taken into account when setting the curriculum. Celebrations of festivals, medical camps, health and nutritional status of children, meetings with parents on various aspects of child development, are also integral to the curriculum. More recently the Balwadi teachers have introduced two new books that have been collated by them, based on language and art development.

Activities included in the curriculum are story telling, role-play, singing, informal talk sessions, reading, writing, concepts and creative art activities. These are based on ordinary daily events and facilitate interaction between the teachers and the children. This serves a dual purpose - they help children to shed their inhibitions and enjoy themselves while learning new concepts. Teachers get an insight into the child’s behaviour and are able to observe any deficiencies that can be corrected, and identify special talents that can be encouraged. Monthly assessments are held to check performances.

Children learn to participate, share and cooperate with their peers and are thus encouraged to become responsible, self-confident individuals inculcated with habits that can benefit them during their adult life.  

Special Care Center  

A disabled child has special needs and a community-oriented preventive, rehabilitative, educational and vocational program is imperative to put these children on par with their more fortunate peers. The Special Care Center was established in 1982 to help hearing /speech impaired and mentally challenged children. It was formed as an outcome of the community health camps conducted by the Balwadi, in which a vast number of handicapped children were identified. A dire need for a special school was felt to cater to the needs of these neglected and unattended children. The very first of it’s kind for underprivileged children from the slums of Mumbai city, it provides all facilities free of cost with the aim of helping the children join the mainstream to lead independent, productive lives through functional education and vocational training.

When the center first started, its programs reached out to 75 mentally challenged and hearing / speech impaired children, to help them lead a dignified existence. A door to door survey was also conducted to draw out the handicapped children from within the poverty stricken community that was shielding the handicapped child from the society for fear of exclusion. The Special Care Center with it’s open door policy of admissions for the handicapped has encouraged many parents to adopt it as the best place next to home. Today, 185 children ranging from five to eighteen years of age come to the Special Care Center from the slums of Mumbai and aim to strive for economic self reliance that will bring in its wake confidence and self-respect.

The Drive-in theatre located in Bandra east, has been converted into an educational center. Partitions decorated with colorful paintings divide the large space into small classrooms, all done by the students themselves.

SSC has implemented a nutrition and primary health care program that provides the children with a nutritious mid-day meal most of who are so impoverished that the meal at the SCC is their only meal. In addition, medical check-ups are conducted twice a year to ensure that children from the slums remain free of diseases. STCI also provides transportation to all the children to encourage attendance.

Objectives of the Special Care Centre :

• To provide special education services for the mentally challenged and hearing / speech impaired children for their rehabilitation.
• To help as many hearing / speech impaired children as possible, join regular schools where they can learn under a normal school syllabus and get absorbed into the mainstream as well as help the mentally challenged children gain some independence.
• To promote self-reliance, economic independence and social integration among the disabled, by providing vocational guidance. 
• To inculcate human rights in the children.
• To provide nutrition to keep them physically fit.
• To provide medical services and health examination for all the children.
• To provide in-house training / educational workshops for all teachers.
• To bring about awareness in the local community towards rehabilitation of handicapped children.
• To involve and guide parents in the education of their children.
• To organize summer camps to encourage interaction of the hearing/speech impaired and mentally challenged children with normal children.

Comprehensive School Program (CSP)

While there is some extent of primary schooling available in rural and urban areas for the disadvantaged children, problems remain in providing basic education, due to lack of access to school, a high drop-out rate of nearly 50%, severe disparities between boys and girls and low achievement.

The Comprehensive School Program (CSP) is an attempt to promote education by creating a schooling environment that is conducive to learning, ensuring that the school dropout rate is lowered, higher enrollment encouraged and minimum level of learning achieved.

It provides classes for slow learners from STD. II - IV, remedial classes for children in STD. V - VII, self development and vocational classes like wool work, tailoring, karate, typing, yoga, creative arts, mehndi (henna) application, embroidery etc.

The CSP also runs a library and counseling sessions for the children. Monthly essay and drawing competitions, Annual Sports Day events are organized which involve the school and staff members. A school magazine is published annually, featuring essays, poems, articles and stories written by the children of the CSP.

The Comprehensive School Program is being conducted at two Municipal Schools of Mumbai and currently caters to over 2000 children. Till date, 8733 children have completed the Comprehensive School Program. Save The Children India also regularly extends the service of its Arts and Crafts Teacher to children between classes 1-4 at the Municipal Schools.

Objectives

· To create an awareness for the need of education in the community

· To provide a conducive school environment in order to sustain children’s interest and prevent them from dropping out of school.

· To improve instructional strategies in the school.

· To make education more functional and vocational.

· To empower children to become active partners in their own development.

· Reducing disparities through emphasis on education for the girl child and the children belonging to the Scheduled Caste/Tribe.

·  To provide an educational link between pre-primary and primary levels.  

HIV / AIDS PROGRAM

Save the Children India in collaboration with B.Y.L Nair hospital and ARCON (Aids Research And Counseling), initiated a program for prevention of Mother to Child transmission of HIV, in April 1999.

The main aim is to decrease the infant mortality rate among new-born babies of HIV positive mothers, by reducing the risk of mother to child transmission of HIV, thereby improving the survival and quality of life of these children.

Under this program, pregnant women are given HIV tests and those testing positive are offered intervention with anti retroviral medicine, to prevent mother to child transmission. HIV testing services are also offered to their spouses, with post-test counseling and individualized alternatives to breast-feeding.

In March 2000, National Aids Control Organization (NACO) took over this project. Save The Children India continued to support the project in the following ways:

Nutritional support in the form of alternative milk feeds in case the mother opts not to breast feed the baby for the first 12 months.

·         To sponsor Hepatitis B Vaccination for these children.

·         Growth monitoring and medical aid for these children till the first five years of life.

·         Any medical and financial support for investigations or treatment of these babies.

·         To arrange for adoption of children in good homes, in case of parental death.

·         As of today STCI has given nutritional support to 150 babies. 75 children have been given Hepatitis B Vaccine.  

YOUTH Against HIV/AIDS and Trafficking:
Sensitisation of National Service Scheme (NSS) Volunteers in Mahrashtra

Inter-linkages and Vulnerability Of Trafficking and HIV/AIDS
Sex trafficking is an almost inevitable death sentence for the victims for variety of reasons. Since the trafficked victims are virtually enslaved, they have no bargaining power upon condom use and are vulnerable to dangerous sexual practices, most associated with transmission. Second, trafficking victims are forced to endure intercourse with multiple partners. STDs are more common among women than men, and women often contract STDs at a younger age than men. Trafficked women are more vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases this is further compounded by their inability to receive medical testing, treatment, counseling, prevention services, or other health care.

It is very clear that the anti-trafficking and HIV prevention program could combine resources in an active partnership to reduce the number of young women and men entering brothel prostitution and to help those already trafficked stay as healthy as possible until they can be safely removed and reintegrated into the society.

Rationale:

Save Our Sisters is an anti-trafficking movement launched by SAVE THE CHILDREN INDIA on March 2000 with an explicit aim to combat trafficking and sexual exploitation of women and children. The movement has four main objectives - ADVOCACY, PREVENTION, REHABILITATION AND LEGISLATION

Today, SOS has reached to thirteen districts viz Latur, Osmanabad, Amaravati, Nanded, Beed, Parbhani, Sangli, Raigad, Sindhudurg, Chandrapur, Nagpur , Gondiya and Bhandara, and would be exploring possibilities of moving in other districts too.

Experience gathered so far in SOS intervention progamme by SOS rural partners revealed an urgent need to seek an active participation of rural youth in its fight against trafficking and HIV/AIDS in source areas.

Youth (15-24 yrs.) comprise of around 19% of the total population today. STCI believes participation of trained and sensitized youth population could be a turning point in the entire SOS movement. To keep the movement alive and move forward, the partnership with the young generation has to be developed and sustained.

STCI in collaboration with the state NSS Cell, Department of Higher and Technical Education, Government of Maharashtra would be organising District level Peer Educators training progamme on Youth Against HIV/AIDS and Trafficking. Following are the project objectives:

1. To train the Peer Educators (NSS volunteers) to create awareness amongst the youth and the community (rural/urban) regarding the socio/psycho aspects of HIV/AIDS

2. To train the Peer Educators to create awareness amongst the youth and the community (rural/urban) on trafficking of women and children

3. To make them aware about SOS Anti Trafficking Movement, and

4. To make them partners in SOS district level programmes and activities

About Sensitisation Programs:

Three days residential camps would be organized at district levels, where 100 NSS volunteers would be participating as trainees, from selected colleges. These camps would be conducted jointly by NSS district coordinators and STCI resource persons. NSS department has already developed trained resource persons on HIV/AIDS, since District and University NSS Coordinators have already undergone a series of trainings on HIV/AIDS.

Inputs on trafficking for sexual exploitation would be covered by the SOS district level Master Trainers trained. The trainer's manual developed by SOS would be utilised for these training progammes.

Target Group:

Total 3500 NSS volunteers from 35 districts of Maharashtra would be trained through these camps. 100 NSS volunteers from selected colleges in every district.

The content:

The content of training would cover the knowledge on HIV/AIDS and trafficking as well as building positive attitude towards HIV positive persons as well as trafficked victims.

 

HIV/AIDS	a. Statistical information on HIV/AIDS b. Sexuality and Myth c. Psycho-social aspects of HIV/AIDS d. Health, Hygiene e. Stress Management f. Counselling/coping with HIV/AIDS patients g. Need of Positive Attitude towards positive people
TRAFFICKING	a. What is Trafficking, statistical overview, push and pull factors, etc. b. SOS movement background, programmes c. Linkages between HIV/AIDS and Trafficking d. Expectations and scope of participation of NSS Volunteers in SOS Prevention and Rehabilitation of trafficked survivors

Training Methodology:

Use of variety of training methods would be Lectures, group discussions, posters, slogan competition, songs, games, street play, role plays, audio-visual material.

Benefits of Partnership between NSS and STCI:

It is contemplated that after these sensitisation camps, the trained NSS volunteers would be involved in the SOS activities at district, block and village levels in various activities such as Mass campaigns on HIV/AIDS and anti-trafficking at district and state level, awareness programmes for adolescent boys and girls groups, Self Help Groups, formed as part of SOS prevention programmes, etc.

This unique initiative where for the first time all the Universities in Maharashtra through State NSS Cell, Department of Higher and Technical Education, Government of Maharshtra, would be joining hands with an NGO to make youth aware on HIV/AIDS & trafficking and facilitate the process of their participation in combating the heinous trade of human trafficking. This initiative would offer immense opportunities to both the project partners, STCI and State NSS Cell in achieving their goals - restricting youth in indulging into high risk behaviour by making them aware of HIV/AIDS and trafficking and generating a pool of human capital who in turn will help SOS to take the movement forward.

Ongoing projects

STCI in Gujarat

The massive earthquake that devastated a large part of Gujarat cost the local people their homes and for many the loss of home also meant the simultaneous loss of their workplace. From the beginning, STCI’s intention has been to build capacity toward real development rather than to give handouts and create dependency. 

The basic reality is that the community must have its source of livelihood restored because that, more than anything else, will enable them to find peace of mind. Participating in the process to re-build their lives and resume income generation will provide them with a sense of self. It will enable them to be creative and productive again. Since members of the community are the best judges of their own abilities, having their participation would lead to the establishment of the most useful programs. 

With this in mind, STCI decided to provide the "infrastructure" – by that we did not just mean bricks and mortar. We were as concerned with training people to look after themselves, and in turn have the trainers train others to continue the momentum.

Together with the communities, STCI has identified the following needs:

• Day care center for children
• Vocational training programme
• Uniforms for school going children
• Computer Centre
• Training cum production center or 'Aangan'
• Construction of schools
• Construction of hospital
• Formation of Self Help Groups (SHG)

STCI in Gujarat

Aangan

STCI conceptualized training cum production center called "Aangan". A community center has been constructed where the villagers come and work at various skills. Their hand-crafted products are marketed by us. The process has begun in Kuneria. The main objective behind it is to empower the villagers economically, and to get them recognition for their work.

STCI intends to mobilize the women into Self Help Groups (SHGs) and inculcate in them the habit of saving a part of their earnings. These SHGs are a very important part of the rehabilitation plan. Through these, the community will come together to discuss their problems, they will be educated as to the benefits of saving and these groups will also form the base from which we will create the "micro-credit" bank.

The "Aangan" as conceptualized, will have a Day Care Centre, workshops for handicrafts and handlooms for women. We are registering "Aangan" as a co-operative and villagers from all around the area will be eligible to be members. Since it will be expensive for some villagers from the surrounding area to come to Kuneria, plans are underway to establish "Satellite" centres in the villages that are looking to be a part of the project. Our staff members have already initiated visits to neighboring villages to explore the potential.

Presently, we have 24 women working under a makeshift roof in Kunaria. They are currently being paid a fixed daily wage in Kuneria. The wage band is determined based on both quantity and quality of work presented by the members. A grading system has already been developed. In the "Aangan", the women are provided with all the raw materials for their work.

STCI would like to believe that the "Aangan" would provide employment opportunities to a significant number of persons under our rehabilitation scheme.

Upcoming Projects

STCI identified the following schools which were affected by the earthquake and we have taken the responsibility of rebuilding it under 100% scheme.

Name of Village	No. of Classes Rooms
Gamreu Primary School	4
Khokara Primary School	5
Tuna School No.1	10
Tuna School No.2	5
Tuna Kathawadi	5
Rampar Primary School	6
Ganeshnagar Primary School	22
Adhoi (Girls and Boys) Primary School	24
Total	81

We will be also planning to provide the schools with the infrastructure facilities and i.e. sitting arrangements with, teaching material and uniforms to the children.

The Magic Box

The Magic Box is an In-Flight Collection Programme which was launched in January 1997 in alliance with one of India 's premier airlines - Jet Airways.

Nearly 70,000 passengers have contributed to Save The Children India's initiatives and the funds from these collections have helped run 50 pre-schools, reaching more than 20,000 urban slum children as well as supporting nearly 267 villages with advanced medical services through the S.P.A.R.S.H. - Hospital in Sastur,Osmanabad District. The Hospital was specially built in this district of Maharashtra to cater to the people of Sastur, affected by the severe earthquake in 1993.

Many concerned and thoughtful individuals have sponsored a child through the In-Flight Magic-Box Programme. Most of our children from the Special Care Center have been fortunate to receive the benevolence of caring strangers who have eventually become our friends and part of our family at STCI with their regular donations.....

All contributions made in-flight are Tax exempt under Section 80G of The Income Tax Act, India .

I.T. Exem No. DIT(E)MC/80-G/2700/2000-2001

dt. 10-08-2000

Partners

For over 14 years, SAVE The Children India (STCI) has enjoyed successful partnerships with reputed corporates such as :

 Jet Airways  

MasterCard International 

 Prudential ICICI  

The TATA Group  

The Taj Group of Hotels  

IDBI (Industrial Development Bank of India ) 

IND Auto Limited  

RAYMOND  

Mahindra & Mahindra  

SONY Entertainment Television

 VITESSE Ltd.  

  H.D.F.C. (Housing Development & Finance Corporation) 

Profiles

Ismail Kanga - President

Closely involved with Save's Balwadi's and School Programmes, Mr. Kanga has always been supportive of STCI's educational causes, even having an educational campus named after him in Kashi Mira. Appointed as Counsul General of Ethiopia , he was decorated by the Emperor of Ethiopia with the distinguished Order of the Star of Ethiopia, with the rank of commander. 

 Jagdish Khanna - Vice President

Closely involved with STCI since its inception, Mr. Khanna has generously donated prime office space for STCI's administrative use and takes active interest in the supervision of the Balwadi's, Comprehensive School and Special Care Centre in Mumbai. A chartered Accountant by profession, Mr. Khanna has been past Rotary Governer and President of Punjab Association and is currently active in the Indian Merchant Chambers.

 RajSingh Dungarpur - Chief Patron

Son of the late Maharwal Laxman Singh -- erstwhile ruler of Dungarpur, Mr. Dumgarpur needs little introduction. Well known amongst the cricket fraternity as President of the Cricket Club of India and former President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India , Mr. Dungarpur has been an ardent supporter of STCI and all its activities for many years. He has been conferred with the Giants International Award amongst others in the field of sports.

 Anita Goyal - Chairperson : Fund-Raising

As Vice-President Marketing & Sales of Jet Airways Pvt. Ltd., she is actively involved with STCI. Totally committed while participation in social welfare projects she also strikes a perfect balance between home and work contributing to the growth and prosperity of the Airline. Full of wit Mrs. Goyal likes interacting with people from all walks of life.

  Sunil Gavaskar - Co-Chairman

A distinguished record - breaking sportsman, conferred with country's highest awards such as Arjuna Award, the Padma Bhushan and Maharashtra Bhushan Award, Mr. gavaskar needs no introduction. His concern towards the plight of children has him deeply involved on all of STCI's activities and always readily available for the cause.

 Rustom Gagrat - Legal Consultant

An Advocate, Mr Gagrat takes keen interest and offers advice on the legal aspects of STCI's functioning. He is currently Partner in Gagrat & Company and Director of several Public and Private Limited Companies. He also serves as Trustee of Public and Private Trusts and is a Member of Committees of Chambers of Commerce. 

  Vipula Kadri - National Director

Under her leadership SAVE The Children India is working towards improving the quality of life of underprivileged children and women. Her dream is to make India a child-friendly nation and STCI is the platform through which she reaches out to the neglected children and women through various programmes.

Constantly organising conferences and workshops to educate and keep the awareness alive, she believes in networking with similar organisations and initiating movements to tackle issues such as the prevention of trafficking of women and children.