Project Area: Araziline and Sevapuri blocks of Varanasi. Supported by: Global Fund for Children.
Grant Use
The Varanasi sari industries are spread across vast stretches of urban and rural areas, employing a very big majority of child labour. Through its fund, GFC reached the children of the “Last Mile” and brought welfare-oriented initiatives establishing preventive measures to restrict the movement of children at risk to the sari-making looms. HWA utilises GFC’s grant for education, sanitation and hygiene practices, awareness and sensitization, and capacity building of staff, community volunteers, school-going children, and youth.
Goals and Expectations
- Generate awareness about child labour and child-rights issues, and basic education as a fundamental right.
- Support educational centres and materials in the poorest selected project schools at Kunderia, Pampapur, and Bhatpurva villages of Araziline and Sevapuri blocks.
- Form Child Right Forums in a structured manner for children’s rights and voice.
- Provide training on quality education, joyful learning, and child rights to teachers in selected schools.
- Involve all stakeholders in the process of development.
Organizational Capacity
HWA planned a baseline survey to find out the actual condition of Muslim minority and Dalit communities, working in close collaboration with the Block Resource Centre, headmasters of nearby government schools, Gram Pradhans, local community, and religious schools. Bal Adhikar Manch were formed at every NFE centre for leadership and best use of child resources. Teaching-learning materials, education, and resource materials were provided to the NFE centres, with transparent financial management.
Activities
Regular activities included CSG meetings, enrolment campaigns, door-to-door sensitization, and awareness rallies. From the baseline survey and regular visits, HWA found a very big majority of child labour in the sari weaving sector, labouring 10 to 14 hours a day.
Achievements
Now the non-school-going children and potential child labourers are getting education through the project education centres. Total numbers of children studying in these centres are 226 (108 girls and 118 boys).
Case Study: Gulafsa Bano
Gulafsa Bano, aged 15 of village Pampapur, was a child labourer working as a sari weaver. Her father is lame and deaf and the single earning member of the family. Poverty did not allow her parents to send her to school. After the village was reached, with the motivation of staff and volunteers, she enrolled at the NFE centre and is now regular in her study. Within 6 months at the NFE centre she learned Hindi, Urdu, and Arabic alphabets, numbers, and tables.