Nabadisha- education project for street and working children in association with Kolkata Police

• Out of 537 children, 47 children are non-school going and 490 are school going in 16 centres under 15 thanas.
• Nearly cent percent promotion after annual examination 2012.
• 23 students promoted to class VIII, 4 students in class IX and 10 in class X.
• Various medical tests and medicines are distributed free of cost.
• Art and essay competition in all centres on Rabindra Jayanti – 8th May, 2012, prizes were distributed for 1st, 2nd and 3rd positions
• On the occasion of Rath Jatra, special nutrition was provided at all the centres
• Participated in dance competition in August, 2012 organized by Paribar, an NGO working with street children. 5 children participated from Ultadanga Nabadisha centre at Indian Museum Hall
• In the month of October, 2012, new clothes were distributed, on the occasion of Durga Puja. Special nutrition was provided during Durga puja at all the centres on 20.10.201..
• Strong linkages have been established with the Kolkata Police and the Community.
• Participated in annual sports on 13.1.2013 organized by Kolkata Police at Bodyguard Lines. The students from different centres received 10 prizes.
• 24 students passed Madhyamik and 2 Higher Secondary examination.

Projects in Red Light Areas:

• 13 trainees completed the course
• 8 women have already started earning using the skills.
• The trainees have started considering using this skill as alternative source of income.
• Some women-in-prostitution from other locality within Sonagachi are interested to learn this course.



Sponsor a Granny (for aged prostituted women)

• Food and health services have been provided. The quality and quantity of food has improved. The nutritious diet has also improved their health status.
• 2 peer groups have been formed.
• Their behavior has changed due to regular interventions such as increased interaction with the fellow grannies, increased participation in community festivals, control on using abusive languages, reduction of alcohol consumption and smoking. They get leisure time to chat in the late afternoon hours.
• They get leisure time to chat in the late afternoon hours.
• The Community worker visits their home regularly. They get a regular platform to express their problems personally.
• Increased acceptance by the community.

Integrated Child Development Scheme (pre-school children)

• 28 children were mainstreamed into primary schools.
• Most mothers are now going to the hospital for child birth.
• Mothers have become aware of pre and post-natal care, immunization etc.
• The Nutrition and Health status have improved; through adequate food and malnutrition in children of red light areas have been reduced.

Evening Drop-in centres for children of women in prostitution


• During this year 20 children (Jalpaiguri – 4, Din Bazar – 11, Changrabandha – 5) have been mainstreamed.
• The centre students along with Sonagachi centre visited Belur Math on 30th March, 2013 – a centre for preaching Hindu religion founded by Swami Vivekananda inspired by Thakur Sri Sri Ramkrishna Parahamsa Deb.

Prevention of cross border trafficking in women and children

• ACHIEVEMENTS during 2012-13:-
• No. of Vigilance group formed – 4
• No. of vigilance group nurtured – 15
• No. of adolescent group formed – 4
• No. of adolescent group nurtured – 12
• No. of street play performed – 4
• No. of girls rehabilitated – 21, currently 11 girls/women are in the process of rehabilitation
• No. of girls in Half-way Home – 6
• No. of girls went to school – 10
• No. of girls took vocational training – 11 in various vocations such as tailoring, jewellery making, beautician course
• No. of girls restored – 7 restored

STRATEGY FOR PREVENTION RESCUE AND REHABILITATION IN TRAFFICKING OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN

Awareness generation activities :

• In the last 6 months Women's Interlink Foundation organized 12 Kishori Group meetings in the community. About 302 people participated covering various meetings. The issues discussed in the meetings were child marriage, women and child trafficking, human rights etc. Ever since there are no cases of trafficking in the community.
• 12 Self Help Group meetings were organized during this period. They were made aware of their rights and duties in combating trafficking and to take suitable steps within their capacity. Around 337 people participated.
• 2 school programmes sensitized 110 students and 14 teachers so that the young students do not fall into any trap laid by the traffickers. They were also informed about how to protect themselves and keep traffickers at bay.

POLIO ERADICATION INITIATIVE

Quantitative -


• 2706 Children were provided with health check-up, medicines were immunized through 35 health camps.
• 246 Inter Personal Communication was organized in 10 wards.
• 260 Influential Meetings were conducted which included local school teachers, ward councilors, club members, local doctors, mosque members, shop keepers, small eatery owners, tailors and influential, key Community persons. They also visited X houses i.e. the resistant houses/families who refused to treat their children with polio drops, houses having sick children.
• 27 magic shows and talking doll shows were held, through which mass awareness were generated among the communities.
• 103 Polio classes were held in different schools. The participants included Headmasters, teachers, students and their guardians. WIF distributed Comics amongst the students after the Polio class. The colourful book was well received.
• 15 Auto campaigns, which covered all the project specific wards including resistant and sick pockets. The autos were decorated with banners and flags. Polio messages were conveyed through mikes. IEC materials were distributed among the bystanders.
• 51 rallies were organized as active participants. IEC materials such as handbills in Urdu and Hindi were distributed among the bystanders.
• Mosque announcements were made by the Imams during SNIDs. Appeal letters from the District Magistrate were distributed among the social mobilisers and they handed over the letters to the Secretary and Imams for announcement.
• Bolao Toli : A new concept was introduced which was implemented during the September SNID. 5-10 children formed a group under the supervision of the Social Mobilisers in each ward. A total of 35 ‘Bolao Toli' worked during the SNID. This was very effective in bringing children and guardians to the booth. The children in the ‘Bolao Toli were provided with badges.
• IEC materials such as Titli, inland letters, leaflets in Hindi, Urdu and Bengali. Comic books, posters, caps and flags were distributed for polio class rallies etc.
• Trainings were given time to time to update the PCs, BCs, mobilisers on communication skills for social mobilization.

Qualitative -


• Strong network between the communities, mobilisers, WIF and the Government Health department's representatives at field and policy & Management level who are the Government Supervisors and Doctors, Zonal Medical officers & Municipal Medical officers. Through National Polio Surveillance Programs, District Level Task Force Meetings, Municipal Task Force Meetings, meetings at Borough and Zonal level.
• A huge acceptance and appreciation of the work done by WIF in mobilization at community level leading to visible success implementation and efficiency in micro planning.
• Increase in wards given to WIF by popular demand from the Senior Medical Officers and demand for undisturbed continuation of our interventions. The creation of a model in ward no. 34 has led to WIF being able to take on ward 38 under Borough IV, since the rate of XR house were more and it was difficult for Government Health representatives to convert them into positive.
• WIF facilitated retention of Routine Immunization Cards and has prepared a ward wise list for those who had lost their cards.
• Increase in booth coverage.