South Asia Monthly Newsletter

December 2011

Active anganwadi* services to reduce mal-nutrition among children

Malnutrition is a serious issue among children in most parts of India. A recent survey done by a national NGO revealed that 42 per cent of children under five years of age are underweight. As part of our efforts to address the rising number of malnutrition cases in the project area in Madhya Pradesh, our partner Sopan organised several meetings in coordination with the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). Several meetings were organised at Nagandevri and Dhuma villages in our project area in Madhya Pradesh with the aim to understand the severity of malnutrition and discuss the ways through which it can be prevented. A total of 94 members, including ICDS officers, anganwadi workers and supervisors took part in the meetings. Additionally, it was recommended that several malnourished children be sent to rehabilitation centres. As an immediate measure, the team has decided to provide regular services to the beneficiaries of the anganwadi centres and to celebrate Mangal services in each anganwadi centre. The discussions, which took the shape of a village-level campaign against malnourishment, built awareness on various issues, including nutritious food for malnourished children; need for prevention of child marriage since this is considered to be one of the main causes for the rise in malnutrition; and encouraging immunisation among the beneficiaries in the area. For more information, please contact: prashant.anchal@aide-et-action.org Further information on the project is available at https://sites.google.com/a/aide-et-action.org/ind04/
*

Government sponsored child-care and mother-care center in India.

Literacy programme for women

AEAI - SA; December 2011 iLEAD Guwahati conducted a month-long free computer literacy programme for women from marginalised and economically poor communities. The classes for the women from the neighbouring areas of iLEAD began on 27 December, 2011, and were conducted every day for two hours from 11 am to 1 pm.The targeted women were from different localities in Guwahati such as Birubari, Rupnagar, Jonakpur and Hatigaon localities. A total of 20 women participated in the special course, with 17 of them completing the course successfully. The initiative was targeted at building rapport with the community and developing iLEAD Guwahati as a resource centre for all other target groups in the area. It is to be mentioned that iLEAD Guwahati has already been developing inter-linkages with the children of neighbourhood communities. For more information, please contact: pranab.panging@aide-et-action.org To read more on iLEAD, please visit the site: https://sites.google.com/a/aide-et-action.org/ind053/

NEWS LETTER

A study of social skills among primary school children

Our new study of social skills among the primary school children in Chennai (India) indicates the influence of the Home Life Experience and the School Life Experience of the pupils in the development of their social skills. Poor home and school environments tend to lower the development of social skills, and thereby increase the social problems of the children. Aide et Action International South Asias (AEAI-SA) Chennai team conducted the study with the objective to understand the social skills among school children and to know the influence of their home life experiences and school life experiences on the same. The assessment was done for 860 randomly selected school children from the Arumbu Child Development Project as well as school children from Chennai (where we are no longer intervening). A comparison between school life experience, home experience and social skills among the respondents from the Arumbu Child Development Project and that of children from the non-project area was also conducted.In this study, Home Life Experience refers to how the pupils feel about their life A large number of boys, as compared to the in their homes. It is the relationship with members of the girls, had a very good home life experience family and treatment met with. The School Life Experience refers to how the pupils feel about their life in the school. Most of them do not have good school life It is the relationship between teachers and peer group and experiences the experience he/she gains in the school, said Radhika, Arumbu Project respondents have better soProgramme Manager, Chennai office.Tools were developed cial skills than children from non-project area to collect data on home and school life and also to rate the social skills of children. For more information, please contact: radhika.ramesh@aide-et-action.org

World AIDS Day: 'Getting to Zero'

The theme for World AIDS Day 2011 is 'Getting to Zero'. After 30 years of the global fight against HIV/AIDS, this year the global community has committed to focusing on achieving 3 targets: "Zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS related deaths". AEAI-SAs Link Worker team organised several events in December; one such was the poster exhibition held at an open public place in 22 different villages in Rajasthan (India). In villages were most women and men are illiterate, poster becomes the best medium to spread awareness on HIV/AIDS. The team also shared booklet and pamphlets to create a common understanding and motivate them for HIV testing. For more information, please contact: arvind.prakash@aide-et-action.org

AEAI - SA; December 2011

NEWS LETTER

Seasonal hostels for children of migrant families

In December, 2011, AEAI-SAs Hyderabad team started two seasonal hostels in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh. Mr. S.A.M. Rizvi, Collector and District Magistrate, Krishna District, who visited the Edurmondi and Swarlgondhi Seasonal Hostels situated at Nagaya Lanka Mandal, said that the hostels, which are primarily for the fishermen community, will run throughout the academic year. He also provided cyclone shelter for the seasonal hostels and instructed the district administration to construct toilets and bathrooms within a period of 10 days. For more information, please contact: suresh.gutta@aide-et-action.org Log on to https://sites.google.com/a/aide-et-action.org/ind061/ to know more about the Migration initiative in South Asia

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Migrant youth completes training at iLEAD Bolangir

In December, 22 youths from migration prone area in Odisha completed residential traning in plumbing, welding and electrical trade at iLEAD Bolangir. These youth used to move out from Odisha (India) and engage in menial labour work in Mumbai and other states in the last migration cycle, said Sreedhar Mether, Regional Manager, AEAI-SAs Patna Region. After training, we are planning to track their career growth- to know if the training has helped them earn a better livelihood, wages and dignity at work. All the 22 youths have been placed with good salary in Odisha (India). For more information, please contact: sreedhar.mether@aide-et-action.org Log on to https://sites.google.com/a/aide-et-action.org/ind061/ to read about migration initiative in South Asia. AEAI - SA; December 2011

Evening centres targeting quality education, Shiksha Evm Sanskar Kendra, were started in 19 villages in the Chhindwara district in Madhya Pradesh (India) in December, 2011. The primary aim of these centres is to provide extra coaching to school-going children with the help of active volunteers who belong to the same villages. Since then, there has been increasing interest in education among the children in all the 19 villages, thanks to the efforts made by the volunteers. The main focus has been to identify children who are weak in studies and help them learn better by using teaching learning material (TLM); providing extra attention to children who are poor performers by making education more interesting and joyful; and helping children improve their general knowledge. For more information, please contact: prashant.anchal@aide-et-action.org Log on to https://sites.google.com/a/ aide-et-action.org/ind04/ to know about this project

Theatre training workshop

With the aim to provide a platform where children can express themselves, as well as explore and enhance their hidden skills, a five-day theatre workshop was organised at the Child Right Project at Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh. About 56 children were selected for the performances such as Jimmedar Kaun (Who is responsible?) and Anpardh Jindagi ka Safar (Journey of an Illiterate Life). This workshop helped to raise pertinent social issues and create awareness in the community. For more information, please contact: rakesh.jha@aide-et-action.org Log on to https://sites.google.com/a/aide-et-action.org/ind067/ to know more.

NEWS LETTER

Working towards child friendly learning processes

Nepals primary education is characterised by inadequate school infrastructure and lack of a childfriendly and joyful learning atmosphere. As a result of the lack of teachers trained in child-centred learning processes, traditional teaching methodologies are still used in the classrooms. This kind of inefficient school management system proves to be a major barrier for providing quality education to children. In order to address this issue, AEAIs NGO partner, Aasaman Nepal conducted a two-day training session for social mobilisers on the need for child-friendly school atmosphere and child-centred learning processes in Pokhara, Nepal, on December 22 and 23, 2011.This training will support teachers in developing their schools yearly plan and make the utmost use of the specially designed child-friendly learning materials in the classroom. Aide et Action International - Nepal implements the Back to Basics Programme in 98 schools in Baglung and Saptari in Nepal, reaching out to over 7534 children. The aim of Back to Basics is to help children of primary schools achieve acceptable competency levels, enable teachers to practice competencybased teaching methodologies and ensure effective and quality monitoring and supervision mechanisms. The training was aimed at enhancing their understanding and knowledge of: Activity-based approach Participatory and creative learning process Development of child-friendly learning materials

For more information, please contact: babu.ram@aide-et-action.org Log on to https://sites.google.com/a/aide-et-action.org/nep001/ to know more about the project in Nepal.

Children's fair in Golaghat, Assam

A Sishu Samaroh (Childrens Fair) under the Access and Quality Education Project was held on 25 and 26 December, 2011, at Missimiati Amguri village in Golaghat. The members of Child Clubs formed in 30 project villages participated in several competitive events at the Samaroh. More than 500 children participated in the event while children from neighbouring non-project villages formed a large chunk of the audience. The main objective of the Sishu Samaroh was to create a platform where children can get together in an informal way and share their thoughts. This in turn helped foster self and group learning to promote an awareness of and pride in local and indigenous skills and knowledge systems. The Sishu Samaroh also had a mini book fair to inculcate the habit of purchasing and reading books among the children. The book fair witnessed an encouraging number of book-loving children while the sale of childrens books highlighted the growing trend of increased reading habits among the children. For more information, please contact: pranab.panging@aide-et-action.org Log on to https://sites.google.com/a/aide-et-action.org/ind044/ to know more about this project.

AEAI - SA; December 2011

NEWS LETTER

A new iLEAD in Sri Lanka

A new iLEAD centre called iLEAD - Vavuniya was inaugurated in the northern province in Sri Lanka on 4 December, 2011. It was declared open by Professor Rajiva Wijesinha, Member of Parliament and the Advisor to the President, who is also a board member of AEAI-SA. Colonel Ranasinhe, Civil Affairs Officer, Security Forces Head quarters, Vanni and Mr. K Vedharaniyam, IOM Co-ordinator for North Sri Lanka, also attended the ceremony. Speaking on the occasion, Professor Rajiva Wijesinha said that vocational education along with the English language is extremely beneficial for the youth in Sri Lanka. He further added that the cultural exchange programmes between the students of iLEAD centres in Vavuniya and Ambalangoda should take place in the future, so that reconciliation among the youth belonging to two main ethnic communities can take place. Professor Wijesinha said that the opening of more iLEAD Centres in Mulative (Northern Province) and Trincomalee (Eastern Province) districts by AEAI will benefit the youth in these areas too. iLEAD Vavuniya will train students in market oriented courses in Computer Hardware, Room Attendant, Beautician, Computer Application and the English language. For more information, please contact: kapila.dhanapala@aide-et-action.org Log on to https://sites.google.com/a/aide-et-action.org/ind053/ to know more about this project.

Education of migrant children: Stake holders meeting

Our Hyderabad team organised a stake holders meet on 16 December, 2011, in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad. Around 200 participants from 23 districts which included the partner NGOs from across the state,Alternative Learning School (ALS) Co-ordinators and representatives from Rajiv Vidya Mission participated in the meeting. Chanda Khan, Principal Secretary, State Education, pointed out the need for greater co-ordination among the officials and those on the counter parts. The central governments focus is on regions such as Hyderabad, Mahaboobnagar, Khammam and Adilabad. Each of these districts has been selected on the basis of The migration project in Andhra Pradesh is one of specific criteria, challenges that are unique to the the few innovative initiatives in todays context. It has respective areas, said Ms. Khan. She expressed the potential to catch attention on the global stage, her concerns on the lapses that were witnessed said Ravi Pratap Singh, Regional Director, AEAI-SA. He lauded the team for the concerted efforts shown in during the previous seasons and suggested ways reaching out even to the last neglected child as well out for tackling them in the current cycle. She also as the multi-pronged approach taken for addressing laid emphasis on the need for an effective acathe needs of a socially disadvantaged class. demic monitoring system while running the work site centres and the seasonal hostels for migrant children. For more information, please contact: suresh.gutta@aide-et-action.org

AEAI - SA; December 2011

NEWS LETTER

Satya Narayan: An entrepreneur in the making

Life seemed to offer Satya Narayan Karna, 20, a resident of Mahadeva Village Development Committee (VDC) in Saptari district, Nepal nothing special other than perpetual drudgery and biting frustration. Hailing from a poor agrarian family, Satya Narayan and his family earned their bread through daily wages. He had no choice but to follow his parents' footsteps and work in fields despite his success in the School Leaving Certificate (SLC) exams. Family circumstances and abject poverty nipped his dream to enrol in a college to pursue his higher studies in the bud. However, the deity of luck smiled on him the day Satya Narayan heard of the iLEAD training programme. He wasted no time in inquiring about the free training programme (with the people on community mobilisation drive) provided by Aasaman Nepal with financial support from Aide et Action International -Nepal. Satya Narayan realised that skill training was the best opportunity available to him to improve his livelihood options. He personally consulted a boy who had already graduated from the iLEAD centre and applied for enrolment upon the latter's recommendation. Today, Satya Narayan is the proud owner of a mobile repairing shop and earns around Rs. 7000 per month. He frequently visits the iLEAD centre and renders his unconditional support whenever required. In future, he wants to develop a business model of his own to motivate others in entrepreneurship. A couple of years down the line he envisages himself providing OJT (on job training) opportunities to local iLEAD students and much-needed support to the iLEAD trainees. Satya Narayan graduated in cell phone repairing trade under the iLEAD Training Programme (Third Batch) from Rajbiraj centre, headquarters of Saptari district, in central Nepal. It was not easy. During his training period, he travelled 20 kilometres (to and fro) to reach the iLEAD centre.

For more information, please contact: babu.ram@aide-et-action.org Log on to https://sites.google.com/a/aide-et-action.org/ind053/ to know more about this project. AEAI - SA; December 2011

Coordinated & Edited by AEAI-South Asias Communication Unit Visit us at: www.aea-southasia.org
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