ANNUAL REPORT –CHANGE FOUNDATION, VIJAYAWADA
SUPPORTED BY POSIELEK STIFTUNG FÜR STRAßENKINDER & MENSCHWERDUNG CHRISTI PARISH
(THROUGH KINDERMISSIONSWERK/DIE STERNSINGER)
NÜRNBERG, GERMANY (January 2009 to December 2009)

1. Introduction:

The year started with a solemn note with the visit of Mr. Joachim Posielek, the Chairperson of the Posielek Foundation, Germany along with its two other active members – Dr. Damian & Dr. Barbara Posielek, in the month of February. The visit had its impact – an occasion for stocktaking for the project team , especially assessing the impact of the works undertaken so far for various target groups with the support provided by the Posielek Foundation, along with Menschwerdung Christi Parish/children of Sternsinger under Kindermissionswerk.

Gathering at Yanadi Colony – During Posielek Members Visit in Feb. 09 & with the staff

2. Integrated Child Rights Approach and Building Knowledge-Based Communities

During the year, special emphasis was given to the activities at Yanadi colony, where the most marginalized people of the project area lives. While on the one hand, children were prepared during the summer bridge course for regular schooling from April 09 to June 09 & evening tuition centre was organized for retaining children who were enrolled in the local government school & supplementary nutrition was provided to more than 35 children of the Yanadi colony including breakfast for many weeks, on the other, focus was given in organizing the local community through door-to-door visit, periodical gatherings of parents and local leaders, street theatre, etc.

The underlying principle here is to equip the parents of the children and the local youth and leaders of the colony, as part of Integrated Child Rights Approach and building knowledge-based communities, with the information and skills on various legislations & government programmes/schemes with a view to enable them to demand and access their rights and entitlements. Also, the families are facilitated to obtain various basic life documents for children. The launching of Children’s Parliament & Youth Activists Groups in the Yanadi colony is in the active process.

In this regard, the incoming of Mr. Thota Nagaraj as the Project Coordinator was a real impetus to the project implementation at various levels. With his efforts, an in-depth door-to-door survey was conducted at Yanadi colony and collected information about children, especially those below 6 years. A report on this group of children was submitted to the Women Development & Child Welfare Department along with the application for starting an Anganwadi Centre (Pre-School) at the colony under Integrated Child Development Scheme of the Government of India. The concerned Project Director readily agreed to the proposal as there is more than 40 children in the colony, and as per the judgment of the Supreme Court in December 2006, the Department should maintain a pre-school where there is more than 40 children below 6 years especially in a community with majority of tribal or scheduled caste families. Anganwadi centre will have to take care of not only the nutrition/health needs of children below 6 years but also the pre-natal / post-natal care of women along with lactating mothers. The immediate effect of putting the application was the regular monitoring of the staff of the nearby pre-schools and health-care workers by the department, resulting in the daily provision of supplementary nutrition and medicine to the children below 6 years, pregnant women and lactating mothers. Otherwise, the concerned officials were not bothered even to enter the colony.

Door-to-Door Survey to collect details about children of the Yanadi Colony before applying for Pre-School from the Government under ICDS Scheme – Visit by ICDS Community Coordinator as first step to set up Anganwadi/Pre-School in the Yanadi Colon

Efforts are also in process to monitor the running of the local school by the Youth Activists Group of the colony. The plan is to entrust the implementation of the activities, for instance, the evening tuition centre, to this group.

With project team’s constant efforts, especially organizing activities at evening tuition centre, altogether 43 children have been enrolled and retained in local school at Yanadi colony

Ready for Regular Schooling - Closing Day of Summer Bridge School – 10th June ‘09

During the reporting year, 41 students (30 new students and 11 old students) were supported for pursuing higher studies/professional courses, with a total amount of Rs.270,950/-.

Usha - Final Year CA & Sarojini – Working as B.Sc. Nurse – Both sisters supported by the Foundation

4. Skills Trainings

During the year, apart from providing education scholarships, skills training in computer applications (Desk Top Publishing), maggam embroidery and tailoring were also organized. (Please see the related Annexures for details.)

4.1. Training in Computer Applications

Training in computer application, during the reporting year, was organized in two batches (from November 08 to May 09 & July 09 to December 09). A total of 54 joined for the course. Out of these, 43 successfully completed the course. Out of 43, 7 got job placements and 23 are trying for jobs and 13 college going students attended the training adding value to their higher education.

Trainees at Computer Centre

Training in Maggam Embroidery was organized during the reporting year in two batches (January 09 to May 09 & July 09 to September 09). Altogether 25 girls joined the training; out of these, 16 successfully completed the training. Out of the 16, 7 got job placements in outside establishments; 8 doing maggam work at home and earning Rs.2500 to Rs.3000/- per month.
 

Dr. Barbara with one of the Maggam Trainee – Employed now earning Rs.2000 a month

4.3. Training in Tailoring

Of the three skills trainings offered during the reporting year, the most spectacular achievement is to be noted in Tailoring, organized for 17 women of the Yanadi colony – many of whom earned a meager living by picking rags on the road side and from drainages. Out of these, 14 successfully completed the course. Out of these, 7 have formed into a group and procured orders for stitching saree underskirts. Presently, each of them earns a minimum of Rs.100/- per day - bidding good-bye to rag picking!!! Others who completed the training are eagerly waiting to join the group, and accordingly the project coordinator – Mr. Nagaraj and the tailoring instructor – Mrs. Sailaja are on the look-outs for more orders from other textile shops.

They were once rag-pickers - looked down upon by other villagers -
now they earn a minimum of Rs.100 a day from stitching skirts

In the month of February when the Posielek Foundation members visited the project, on a unanimous agreement of the then tailoring trainees, a sewing machine was donated to a widow trainee. As a sole bread-winner, she now earns a livelihood for the whole family by stitching clothes for her neighbors.

Posielek Members with a Widow provided with a sweing machine –
She now runs her family with the income From stitching clothes for neighbors

5. The Devastating Floods – October 2009

Change Foundation in collaboration with the local community collected donations and distributed rice and other provisions to one of the tribal communities most affected by the recent floods in October 09. The said community is located on the banks of river Krishna, nearby to present project area at Tadepalli/Yanadi colony. This year’s flood was the most devastating one within the last 106 years. It destroyed their hut-dwellings along with the means of livelihood – nets, utensils, etc.

The most devastating floods in 106 years – Change Foundation Reach to the Victims
of one of the Marginalized Tribal Community in collaboration with the local community

As stated in the previous Annual Report (2008), Pragathi Mahila (Women) Society, facilitated by Change Foundation, was formed with members from Yanadi colony, mothers of students who received Education Scholarships from Posielek Foundation via Change Foundation and of skills trainees. The Mahila Society is governed by an Executive Body. The students who received Education Scholarships through Change Foundation as Implementing Organization of ‘Change Programme’ is encouraged to contribute back the amount in affordable monthly installments (not to Change Foundation but to Pragathi Mahila (Women) Society. The amount thus collected is being utilized to help other students to pursue their education or to meet the emergency health needs. We are happy to note that Pragathi Mahila (Women) Society, out of the amounts contributed back by the education scholarship students, a total sum of rs.42,000/- was distributed as loans to 8 members to meet the educational / health needs of their wards. Yes, we are sure, the concept of self-help / self-sustainability started with Mother Theresa Mahila Society, facilitated by Apple Society is not only desirable but very much feasible. And, the happenings at both Mother Theresa Mahila Society & Pragathi Mahila Society bear ample testimony for the same!

Old and Present Executive Committee Members of Pragathi Mahila Society – Distribution of Loans
with the contributions received back from the Education Scholarship Students

Monhtly Health Check Up of Children & Viewing TV - at Yanadi Colony

Apart from providing daily supplementary nutrition, efforts are being undertaken to keep track of all the children, who attend evening tuition centre at Yanadi colony, on an individual basis, for instance, monthly health check-ups, and individual records are maintained. Recreation facilities are provided for the children in the colony. That apart, periodical outings to city parts and other places were also organized.

8. Contribution from Local Community

As noted in earlier reports, the Village President and his team actively collaborated in the activities for children at Yanadi colony. At his initiative, two rooms of the local school in the colony were allotted for conducting evening tuition centre and organizing skill training in tailoring.
A few donors came forward to provide new and used clothes to the school going children, apart from the breakfast provided by the then Village President for around 5 months for the school-going children (due to lack of funds, it’s now stopped by him.)

Happy note is that one of the donors, during the visit by the Commissioner of the newly erected Tadepallli Municipality on 30th December 2009, has agreed to contribute partly towards setting-up a small children park (play-materials) in the vicinity of the school at Yanadi colony.

Village President & Posielek Foundation Chariperson - Joachim Inaugurate the Tailoring Centre &
the renovated Evening Tuition Centre at Yanadi Colony

Visit by Tadepalli Municipal Commissioner & distribution of School Uniform

9. Gatherings and Celebrations

Looking from a social angle, one has to say that it is the periodical gatherings and celebrations that inculcated a family spirit – sense of belongingness – among the children, students/trainees and their families, under one umbrella of Posielek Stiftung Für Straßenkinder, Nürnberg/Germany with its counterpart - Change Foundation, Vijayawada/India. As part, Change Foundation celebrated its 2nd Anniversary on 27th of December 2009.

Children’s Day Celebrations – 14th November 2009 - Picnic to Manasarover

Celebrating Deewali – festival of lights - with Yanadi Children

2^nd Anniversary of Change Foundation
Distribution of Certificates to the Computer Trainees & winners of Games Competitions

To the Future ….

As part of Integrated Child Rights Approach, the project team plans to undertake activities towards strengthening soft skills of the target groups – without which the real impact of other activities – such as, skills trainings, education scholarship, etc.- cannot be achieved. In today’s market, a student without career orientation, soft skills (communication, creativity, problem solving, etc.) cannot bloom, however high marks he obtains in his exams. Without training families how to prioritize their needs and accordingly spending, the extra income they may be able to earn will not result in meeting the education, nutritional/health care needs of the children. Without facilitating the marginalized communities to establish market linkages, the objectives of skill training in various skills cannot be attained. Without facilitating families, especially the marginalized ones, to obtain Basic/Life Documents, especially for their children, one cannot envisage to equip them to demand and access their rights and entitlements provided by the State under various schemes – for instance, a marginalized family without having the ‘white ration card’ cannot avail the benefit under Arogyasree/free Healthcare Scheme. Or, a child without birth certificate cannot avail admissions into educational institutions / employment opportunities, etc. Hence, the relevance of the following activities – taking us forward:

• Career Guidance
• Life Skill Education cum Education in Sexual health
• Facilitating market linkages
• Facilitating Basic/Life Documents for the child/family
 

!!! Thank U All !!!

Dear Friends at Posielek Foundation, Menschwerdung Christi Parish, especially children (Die Sternsinger/Kindermissionswerk),

Your efforts bring smile and hope to them – the children, students and families we reach out with your support. Thanks a lot!

Wishing you all a peaceful and prosperous New Year,

Anto Maliekal
Executive Director
Change Foundation.