Arunodhaya Centre for Street & Working Children
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Mission Statement
Vision :A just society in which every child enjoys childhood assured of his/her rights with dignity and happiness. Mission : Build a social movement that will uproot all form of exploitation and oppression of children and promote and protect the basic human rights of children enabling them to enjoy a dignified childhood and effect policy changes and ensure social justice through research, documentation, campaign, networking, advocacy and lobbying
About This Cause
Arunodhaya centre for street and working children is a registered charitable trust started in the year 1992. Arunodhaya started its work aimed at Elimination of child labour and promoting right to education with a deep belief in enlisting community participation. Over the years nearly 5000 children have been directly removed from child labour and mainstreamed to formal education. A community based intervention of mobilising youth, women, children, community leaders, police, health professional, municipal representatives, legislators etc. has been the hall mark of its intervention. The major objectives of the organisation are Create a protective environment for every child from all forms of violence, exploitation and neglect. Create an environment at all levels for every child to express themselves, take decisions and participate in governance on all matters concerning them. Create opportunities for all children to fully develop physically, mentally, gain knowledge and develop their personality. Ensure the rights of all children by strengthening all community based organizations and institutions meant for the protection of children from all forms of violations. Effect changes in policies, laws and programs concerning children at local, national and international level based on the grassroot level experiences. The interventions are carried out in 75 slums in Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts reaching out to more than 30,000 families. The major activities are Child development Education is the main focus. Programmes are implemented to provide Early childhood care, ensuring school education and motivating children for higher education. Early childhood care (ECC) The programme is run at two levels. One is strengthening the existing early childhood care programme of the government run through Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS) and starting Early childhood care centres where there is a need. ECC provides for holistic development of the child and ensures the enrolement of child at the age of 5 yrs, thus ensuring enrolement of children in school and prevent drop out. The programmes also relieves the elder girl children in the family from the burden of taking care of the younger sibling and provides for the girl’s education. Strengthening ICDS centres- Strengthenign ICDS centres is done through making the community aware of the scheme, what benefit they should get, their rights, having an interaction with the officials of ICDS and the local municipal councilors, taking the demands to them and getting it rectified. Organizing ECC centres One ECC centre functions at Athipet reaching out to 20 children (Irula) in the age group 2-5 yrs. Children are provided a safe place, nutritious food is provided, Inmmunization and health check up is organized. The children are enrolled in school at the completion of 5 yrs. of age. Enrolement and retention in schools Enrolement campaign organized at the start of academic year to identify dropouts and out of school children and motivate them to join school. This is organized in collaboration with local municipal schools. Reading skill enhancement programme Reading skills of children is found to be very low, Reading skill enhancement programmes are organized in municipal school through organizing reading sessions. At present it is being organized in 7 schools. Special sessions are organized for slow learners, libraries in schools and community libraries activated. Guided Learning Centres Children who need specials support in studies are assisted and guidance provided to them to do well in their studies Motivation sessions Motivation sessions are organized twice a year especially for children preparing for Board exams ( 10th and 12th standard ) to build self confidence and enhance their ability to do well in studies. CHILD PROTECTION Child labour elimination The interventions carried out by Arunodhaya in the past twenty years with a strong focus on elimination of child labour has led to a situation where the community is well aware of the issue and the Community Based Organizations (CBOs) are well motivated to initiate action against the practice of child labour. Regular visit is organized by the CBOs to factories to identify child labour and they are withdrawn. Awareness programmes are organized. Income generation programmes organized for the families to enable the children to stop the children from labour. Creating a safe space for Adolescents Awareness programmes are organized for adolescents to understand the changes happening within them and protect them from abusive situation. Sexual reproductive health awareness is imparted to prevent them from being exploited and abused. Affected adolescents are guided through Counseling and Healing unit. Addressing the issue of child sexual abuse Awareness given on child sexual abuse to children on how to protect themselves and parents are sensitized on the measures to be taken to prevent child sexual abuse and action to be initiated if such incidents happen. Railway CHILDLINE Childline help desk set up at Egmore Railway station supported by Ministry of Social Justice and in collaboration with Ministry of Railways. Started in June 2015, the project rescues abandoned, run away, trafficked chidren and rehabilitates them in collaboration with the Railway Police and Child welfare committee. Shelter home for shelterless The shelter home located at Kodungaiyur reaches out to children working in the dumping yard. This programme is supported by Chennai corporation. The shelter home provides accommodation, food, counseling, health services and motivation for continuing studies. CHILD PARTICIPATION Confederation of Arunodhaya children sangam is the platform through which children exercise their right to participation. Arunodhaya plays the role of information dissemination, capacity building, creating safe space for children to participate, create opportunities and scope for children to express their views on matters affecting them, identify issues, initiate actions to bring about changes. preparing adults to listen to children and initiate action. Children Nagara sabai formed in 15 wards of Chennai corporation to enable children to participate in local governance. School children Council formed in 15 schools. COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT Community based organizations are formed to protect child rights. The capacity of the CBOs are developed through various training programmes and interventions Women groups Youth forum Community child rights monitoring committees