Child and Youth Development

Residential Special Training Center (Supported by Rajiv Vidya Mission):

In order to control student dropout rate among child workers in the state, Rajiv Vidya Mission (RVM), has been supporting partners organisations to operate bridge courses for school dropouts. The government's Rajiv Vidya Mission will support and monitor to eradicate child labor. RVM has been focusing on the growing problem of schooling of disadvantaged children in urban areas. Since, urban areas have special challenges like the education of street children, rag pickers, homeless children, children whose parents are engaged in professions that makes children’s education difficult, education of children living in urban working class slums, children who are working in industry, children working in households, children at tea shops, garages etc.

Thus, KARUNA mainly thrives for the Education of children, in this quest runs and RSTC (Residential Special Training Center) for UDC (Urban Deprived Children) in Kapra area. Its present strength of children is 45 including boys and girls. Most of the children are Orphans and single parents, who can’t afford for their child’s education, as it is a Residential in day time teaching will go on with qualified teachers, all facilities are provided for them. Prior to this we have done awareness activities also.

Mission Education:

Karuna firmly believes that whether you are addressing health issues, poverty, population control, unemployment, human rights, there’s no better place to start than in the corridors of education. Karuna with the help of Smile Foundation promotes and catalyses universal education among underprivileged children and creates the process required to streamline them into mainstream Schools. The programme ensures that all the children attend to the schools regularly without any drop outs. With support from Smile foundation, we are promoting basic nutrition to these children to be healthy, since most of them are mal nourished.

Skill based activity with the youth:

Employment is a major social problem in our nation, Karuna identified this issue and have designed a programme to cater to the skill development of youth. Most of the underprivileged youth are educated however, lack the skill set to get into a proper employment leading to unemployment and frustration to the family. Thus Karuna identified these underprivileged youth in the urban and rural areas. In urban slums namely Jawahar nagar, JJ Nagar, Damaiguda and Lalapet. Moreover, rural youth from Nampally mandal in Nalgonda district were provided with skill based training to equip themselves to the jobs in the private sector. About 120 youth (both boys and girls) are identified from the said areas from below poverty line. The youth who have passed 10th class and discontinued from intermediate and degree are been trained in this centre. The main objective is to make the unemployed youth self-reliant by improving and enhancing their personality. The youth are divided into 2 batches. They are provided training on basics of computers, retail management and soft skills. After the training program few youth are also given placements.

Observing Development Day’s

Every year Karuna ensures that all the developmental day’s are well recognized and celebrated

Women’s Day celebration:

Karuna has good representation of women in the board strongly believes gender equality. Women’s day is treated as a special day for women, wherein on this day celebrations are performed by inviting few prominent people from development sector. The purpose of the meeting would be of both celebration as well as awareness generation. This year about 150 women members have gathered at Main Office for celebrating Women’s Day. Day began with lightening lamp by the Guest Mr.Janardhan, Advocate, Welcome song sung by Ms.Kalyani. The celebration of the day gave women an opportunity to be together and to exchange views and express their concerns and aspirations. All the women have participated in the games organized by us. The children of community members have also gathered for the occasion and for their recreation few games were organized for them.

Republic Day Celebrations:

A lot of youngsters are unaware of the importance of this day — as to what really happened on this day in 1950. Many others do not know the difference between Republic Day and Independence Day. Thankfully, some had a vague idea while others remained content in the fact that it was yet another holiday. We also came across a few students who actually knew what the day meant for the country and for them. Republic Day is an important day for every Indian. It is on this day that the Indian Constitution was adopted.
This was the day when our rights and duties were brought to a concrete form. It holds a lot of value in every Indian’s heart and mind. India’s Constitution was displayed to the world on this day. Many great scholars and freedom fighters have put in their efforts to draft our Constitution. With a view to educate and sensitize the children and youth about the importance of Republic day Karuna organized celebrations of Republic day in their target schools and villages

World AIDS Day:

December 1st is AIDS day, every year on this day; we will participate in the rally taken by APSACS (Andhra Pradesh State Aids Control Society) in Hyderabad. This time also we have actively participated in it with nearly 200 volunteers from our intervention slums like Adarshnagar, Virat Nagar, Manikeshwari Nagar, Balram Nagar consisting of men, ladies, youth etc., This time rally had started from Nizam College to Lalith Kala Thoranam, in Nampally, this time flag was rallied by Sri Rajendra Prasad actor come comedian from Tollywood, many NGO’s have also participated in the rally who are working in this field. Every time out of our own interest we are voluntarily participating in the rally taken out by the APSACS and all the NOG’s and CBO’s, we think as we are also working in this field like conducting AIDS awareness activities for the people in nearby slums, we have taken this opportunity to aware more people on this day about the HIV/AIDS.

Independence Day Celebrations:

While the Prime minister unfurled the National Flag at Red Fort on the 15th August, a similar action happened at the target area schools of Karuna society. The celebration began with the hoisting of the Flag by the headmasters which was followed by the faculty recalling the struggle for Independence and the learnings from the various National Leaders. The students were encouraged to be inspired by them and work diligently to further develop India in all spheres of activities. India performance at the Olympics was also shared with the students. The school premises were colored with tri-color flags, kites, birds etc. Students put up a variety program of music and dance based on patriotic songs like “Vijayee Vishwa Tiranga pyara”, Ma…tujhe salaam……Aye Vataan…..Mere Desh Ki Dharti . The students shared aloud their dream of an Ideal India and how they would contribute to making it so. The celebration ended with the National Anthem.

Awareness Campaigns:

Awareness programmes on Education

Awareness camps were organised in 8 slums in Kapra, Jamigadda, Lalapet, Malkajgri, Chilkalguda, Chandrababu Nagar, Chilkanagar and Hemanagar areas of Hyderabad. Mainly the focus was to aware the children on their basic right that is on SURVIVAL, PROTECTION, DEVELOPMENT & PARTICIPATION. All children have the right to SURVIVAL- To live, Get good health care, Get good food regularly, Have a name- your own identity, To have a nationality - belong to a country that will care for you. All children have the right to PROTECTION (To have a family that will protect you, to be safe from every harm- physical or mental & To have your own privacy). Childrens were also educated on the Right to Education Act 2009. As today’s children are tomorrow’s future

Awareness campaign on Anti-Tobacco

Organisation after Baseline study organised awareness camps on Prevention of Tobacco at different areas of Kapra, lalapet, Malkajgiri slums as Tobacco consumption in multiple forms presents an emerging, significant and growing threat to the health of adolescents, especially those from low socio-economic communities. Prevalence of Tobacco use was higher among boys than girls. Adolescents reported using Tobacco in multiple forms, chewing Tobacco being the most popular. Peer pressure, easy availability and affordability were important reasons associated with Tobacco initiation and continued use. Though they had some knowledge about the harmful effects of Tobacco, this was not sufficient to motivate them to abstain or quit. Smoking-related illnesses cause more deaths than alcohol, car accidents, illegal drugs, suicides, homicides, driving while intoxicated, and fire . Tobacco use is responsible for a wide range of other health conditions. Cigarette smoking causes many diseases and affects every organ of the body. Tobacco use is a major contributor to chronic lung disease. We have taken this initiative forward and done camps in industries like Coca-Cola Company and A.P.Food Cooperation, we have chosen the medium of communication through Magic Shows

Women Empowerment:

Self-help Groups:

Organisation has started over 30 SHGs in Nagulapalem, Parchur Mandal, Prakasam District. It has more than 350 members who are actively utilizing the services of these groups. These members have saved more than 1 lakhs and are helping each other to get rehabilitated. Many women have started Income generating activities like vegetable vending, kirana stores, Tailoring, Cattle raring and petty shops to become self-sufficient with the help of revolving fund received from the government. These groups are actively running & motivating many women for involvement in SHG’s for their self-sustainability. KARUNA has established strong grass root level network with these self-help groups. Leaders and members act as the mediators between the community and service providers for the holistic development

Awareness Generation Projects for Rural and Poor women

Its main objectives are to identify the needs of rural and poor women, to increase their active participation in decision making both in the family and community on development issues including atrocities on women and children.

Karuna has organized various awareness generation camps for women in the slums of Jammigadda, and Lalapet of Hyderabad district. Subject experts were invited to deal the sessions by the Society. About 1200 women were sensitized on various issues and topics covered under this programme. The objective of the programme is to increase awareness amongst women on a set of selected topics so as to both inform and educate them.

The topics covered under this camps were as follows.

Health:

Health Camps:

General Health Camps were organised at Malkajagri, Amberpet & Secunderabad slums for both males and Females. Initially we have interacted with Ramakrishna Math Trust and with their support conducted many health camps, and distributed free medicines. Our each of the camp would cover nearly 200 to 300 community members.

Eye check-up camps:

Eye camps were organized in different part of the cities, conducted nearly 10 to 15 camps namely in Malkajgiri, Kapra, Lalapet, Chilkanagar etc., this was worked out with support from Lions Club and Saraojini Hospital.

Distribution of Special Aids to disabled:

With the help of different local leaders, KARUNA is working for up-liftment of the disabled children. Children with disability are being helped for their education, surgery, aids and appliances, income generating projects. Till now about 10 disabled children were supported with Aids, surgery, education. Participated in programmes for their upliftment.

Health and sanitation strengthening:

We trained over 100 grass root level leaders on basic and reproductive health and empowered them to utilize the services from the Urban Health Posts in Hyderabad. These grass root level leaders acted as the link between UHP and community in better utilization of services from the UHPs. They have motivated number of men and women for adopting temporary and permanent family methods. The main achievement of the program is people in the slums are demanding services from UHPs and ensuring service providers to provide services regularly.

HIV & AIDS Awareness and Counselling:

Also focused in the health camps the basics on HIV & AIDS about transmission modes, prevention cause and consequences were explained. All the participants have realised the importance of spreading the message and to reduce stigma and discrimination towards the affected and infected. Local administration has assured that if any case found would be referred to ICTC centre which government has taken measures to get treated for free of cost and also the follow up procedure up to ART treatment and care and support. Used different mediums like Magic Shows, Cultural teams, Float vans etc.

Environment Activities:

Under this head we have conducted the programme in Keesaragutta, which is In outskirts of Hyderabad, comes in Ranga Reddy district, it is a famous pilgrimage for the people, God is “Sri Ramalingeshwara Swamy” so on the occasion of “Shivrathri Festival” there will be three days jathara in keesara, so we have planned to utilize the occasion. For the jathara this time around total 10 lakh pilgrims’ are expected. For conducting the programme we have contacted DPRO District Public Relations Officer Mr.Ventaktesham and took the permission to conduct the programme using Street theater medium, The crowd is a mixed population consisting of Farmers, Labours, employees and general public, so we thought it should entertaining and informative so used the artists 6 of them from Nalgonda District. They have covered all the points and done a skit on this and awared the general public, farmers using the theme, the programme has attracted the people and made them spellbound, in between they have entertained them with palle suddullu also, they have even touched the topics like rain water harvesting and use of eco friendly bags. What all has been told has been covered in the introduction. Programme lasted for more than two hours. At last made the DPRO also to speak few words and even our director has explained about the theme and said about the usage of planting plants. In mean time we have distributed some pamphlets to the audience at last some songs on BIODIVERSITY and Environment were sung by the artists to make the audience interested, at the end of the programme all have said this is a good programme and have thanked us for the programme, they were other programmes after ours.

While the programme was going on we have even distributed pamphlets to the educated people who are there we have totally distributed nearly 500 of them. Total number of audience were 500-600, it was a huge gathering, some of them were floating, overall the programme was successful, even police people have seen the programme and appreciated our efforts, press reporters also we have invited, they have covered our activity. We have invited local reporter Mr.Yadagiri who works for Namaste Telangan news paper as resource person, who has good knowledge over the subject.

Under this component this time we have done plantation of local varieties, to encourage this type of activities in the children we have chosen the local government school for this activity, we have made children to plant the plants around the school, and made them to water them and said to take care of them, Head Master was very supportive and said this type of activities will encourage children to do such type of activities at their homes also. Children have enjoyed the activity and said they never felt so happy doing such type of things. We have provided snacks for the children for doing the hard work. We have also done the same programme in nearby colony also, we have chosen areas like saket colony, jammigadda and kapra areas for this, we have distributed some plants and in saket colony with the help of volunteers we have done the activity. In the colony we have planted flowers and fruits plants. Overall we have planted and distributed nearly 130 saplings; we have purchased them from nearby nursery. Colony people have appreciated our work and said this will definitely make the change in the people thinking. Some of them said behavior of people will be change, more people will be interested in doing so, they said why don’t you regularly do such type of activities, while doing this, we have also awared them about the uses of the planting.