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*Foundation for Children and Women

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Update 2014

Since this update is being made in 2014, this  post is a brief update on the happenings in FCW since the last post.
Our donations have continued to CRT each year for its publications and advocacy material, with some project support and administrative costs also.

In addition, support continued to Goodwill and Casa Materna for a year more, and then in 2012, we initiated a new grant, to Suraksha [WRHCP] which aims to help women at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS.

Based in Bangalore, India, it cloaks its advocacy, information and treatment in a reproductive health programme to circumvent the stigma faced or feared by women - this prevents them from checking their status whether they are at risk or actually infected by the virus. A concurrent effort in the project is to provide economic support to the women in the community via Self-Help Groups, and training in saleable skills. The project actually got off the ground in end 2012 and has slowly stabilised. During the current financial year, it is hoped that Suraksha can raise more financial resources, both local and abroad [via FCW], and expand the project area and also venture into another project, for Orphans and Vulnerable Children [OVC], specifically those affected or infected by HIV/AIDS.

The funding climate has become very unfavorable in India and even established non-profits are struggling to continue their core activities. A lot depends therefore on private donors, big and small. Every little bit counts! CRT has registered for the World K TCS Run on 18th May to raise some substantial funds from both India and abroad. This is the link to the appeal we have issued -
http://bangalorecares.in/ngofundraise-detail/?fund=560&evt_id=6

FCW in 2010

Actually, it was more of the same! But that is not always a bad thing, is it? FCW found the ongoing projects in 2009 needed further support and so fresh grants were made for similar activites or the same. One new grant, to Nalamdana that uses innovative communication methods to provide knowledge about health and various aspects of child rightsto illiterate audiences, adolescents etc., has been made during the year.

Goodwill International was supported in its project of mainstreaming dropouts by conducting suitable bridging classes to bring them back into school.

Child Rights Trust expanded its translation and publication of advocacy and education materials on various aspects of child rights aimed at a range of groups and individuals.

Nalamdana used the funds to produce and exhibit its films and stage its live shows followed by community surveys and discussions, on child rights and adoloscent problems.

An Appeal for the Special Needs of Children Affected by Disaster

FCW has received a request from the Child Rights Trust [CRT] to channel its appeal for funding its flood relief and rehabilitation efforts following the severe floods in the northern part of the state of Karnataka, India.

In their own words:

“In addition to our normal developmental focus on child rights, we are now in the midst of the severe emergency needs of children affected by the floods in northern part of our state, Karnataka. While several NGOs and the Government are working on the overall relief and rehabilitation of the affected families, we are paying our attention to children. Not only are they sometimes orphaned, but even if their families are intact, they suffer from trauma and do not revive even with nutritious food; unless they are given counselling and cajoled to laugh and play again, their health, nutrition and their very childhood is at risk. The school-age ones among them also need some school supplies as when their own or make-shift schools do reopen, they can be ready to rejoin. These crucial aspects are not recognised in the general relief efforts and hence children continue to suffer. This can have a damaging effect on their long-term development. We are noticing these problems even after a month has passed since the floods.

Please see the attached appeal for information on our response to the disaster”.*

We hope you will respond generously to this appeal. If you would prefer to donate to our general fund that covers needs world-wide, you are welcome to do so. As before, you can donate by check to FCW or by credit card at http://www.f4cw.org/ , and FCW will forward the donations to CRT, and your IRS exemption certificate to you. Please mention if the donation is a general one or specifically meant for the N. Karnataka flood relief fund.

*http://www.childrightstrust.org

Thank you for your interest.

Casa Materna Project Update - June 09

FCW's first tranche of funds [$ 1,000] in end 2006 to Casa Materna was used for the food component in the package of Basic Services tor rural high-risk and pregnant mothers. who have to come ahead and/or stay 1-3 days after the birth of their child.

The next tranche of $ 3000 in end 2007 covered most of the costs of major rewiring of the entire Casa, a r ather large building as the provision of Basic Services was threatened by rodents having eaten away at the wires and protective coverings of the Casa's building.


Total Grant as of June 2009 - $ 4,000

Child Rights Trust

FCW received a proposal from Child Rights Trust (CRT), Bangalore, India, for support for embarking on a systematic production and translation of its key documents. The proposal was approved in end 2008 for two year period with a total budget of Indian Rs. 604,000 [about 12,000 $ approximately].

CRT has been working on children's issues or over six years. Its slogan is “Every Right for every child”. Conceived as an advocacy, training, research, and monitoring child rights implementation as well as violations of these rights in India, it focuses its intensive activities in its home state of Karnataka, while it participates in regional and national efforts on many child rights issues. As the southern chapter of the India Alliance for Child Rights [IACR], iy also coordinates the southern network.

CRT uses individual discussions, training and sensitisation courses, campaigns, inputs into the media, and production and dissemination of materials for its advocacy efforts. As part of these strategies, it has been producing publications to advocate and disseminate Child Rights concepts, guides to implementation, and documentation of its research and monitoring. Many of these have been, from the very start, very popular with NGOS, Government and the public. There was a crying need to go ahead on many fronts with these and some other documents/materials for wider circulation within Karnataka as also support to NGOs, academics and Governments in other states.

The materials are mostly in Kannada, the local language. These it had not been able to disseminate widely as needed due to financial constraints for printing and for translating materials into other Indian languages and/or English [from Kannada]. A few are in English, and these needed both printing in larger quantities for use in other states and translation and printing in Kannada for wider use in Karnataka.

The publications are of three types. Some are targeted at children, some at trainers from NGOs, government and training institutions, and some others at the general public. Some of the items are priced at Rs.10/- each, which makes them easily affordable by most people. The more detailed documents [training manuals or reports of key projects or meetings] can run up to Rs.250/-. The sale proceeds of these items were planned to be ploughed back into financing further editions after the project period is over.

Earlier in 2008, FCW supported CRT's fund-raising efforts at AKKA's [Association of Kannada Kootas in America] world conference in Chicago, providing the booth space at the venue. Donations were funnelled through FCW.

Please see http:www.childrightstrust.org for details of CRT and its activities.

Total Grant so far: $ 3,500