Child Welfare

The child welfare and well-being program focuses on child protection and safety. It also aims to facilitate skilling and education of rural children and dropouts.

BWDA Summer School Programme

BWDA conducts a summer school program for children every year with a well-formulated curriculum in its adopted areas. Volunteers are selected and given orientation training to conduct classes in these schools. The duration of the summer school is 5 to 7 days. The summer school program imparts general knowledge, leadership skills, life coping skills, financial literacy, awareness about the environment, health and sanitation, education, etc. through awareness songs, poems, and dramas. Children also express what they have learned through cultural programs like dramas, dance, songs, rallies, etc. in their respected areas that create awareness among the local residents, and gives the children an opportunity to expose their latent skills and enhance their creativity.

BWDA Childline Project

Childline is a national 24-hour emergency phone (1098) and outreach service for children in need of care and protection. Any child or adult can call 1098 to report a child in distress. CHILDLINE intervenes in emergency and links children in need of care and protection to long- term services for rehabilitation. Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India, nationally supports CHILDLINE.

CHILDLINE India Foundation initiated CHILDLINE Villupuram in July 2011 as rural model of CHILDLINE. BWDA being the Nodal NGO for Childline programs in Villupuram District perform its lead role in program implementations Child related projects.  With the coordination of other NGOs ARM, Nambikai Trust, Mother Trust and SECOWOR, we were able fulfill the needs of children in distress.  Regular monthly meetings were conducted for all the coordinators and team members of the NGOs who work in Childline sub centers in their respective towns/cities of the district.

During last year 278 child marriages have been stopped and 289 girl children are rehabilitated and another 59 children were rescued from various sexual abuses.  Out of 773 school program 20,652 children were benefited by receiving awareness on child rights, sexual abuse and 1098 child helpline under school outreach program.  More than 8,201 SHG and other CBO members received child related awareness programs under community awareness programs.

Apart from organizing training for Childline coordinators and team members, we also conducted 2 trainings for NGO directors to ensure the quality and prompt services to children with distress. Also we initiated process of forming Child Advisory Board (CAB) for Villupuram district involving all the Government line departments, so that the Childline team would easily associate and feel comfortable in working with all concern Government departments.  Sensitizing government official and Childline staff on child related Acts which are in practice is another responsibility of BWDA as the Nodal NGO of the district.   Training on Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO 2012) was conducted to police officials of the district.

We conducted training on amendment of Child Labour Prohibition & Regulation Act, 2016, Child Marriage act 2006 for all the Childline Coordinators and team members by the officials of the District labour department gave update on the act and follow the same in practice.

Awareness on Childline 1098, Child Marriage Act 2006, POCSO 2012 through IEC materials as stickers, handouts, posters and distributed to all communities where Childline operational areas and in common places where large number of public gather.

Community Knowledge Centre – CKC

BWDA in partnership with Yes Bank implemented the CKC project in Villupuram, Cuddalore, Kanyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu. 30 CKCs were established to offer free tuition to poor students. Impressed with the performance of the CKCs, Yes Bank has agreed to extend the programme for the next financial year. Till date 1348 students have benefitted.

BWDA Crèche for Poor Children

For the benefit of children of poor, sick, working women and SHG women, BWDA implemented the BWDA Crèche programme in Villupuram District from 2003 – 2012, supported by Tamil Nadu State Social Welfare Board. Through this programme, it has been imparting free nursery education, offering food and medical care to children. 275 poor children benefited through this programme

Free Tuition Classes

BWDA conducted free tuition classes for school going children of its target population who find it hard to cope up with the curriculum before formal school started. The programme benefitted many children of SHG members and bullock carters benefitted.

Child Rights

BWDA has organized Child Rights Programme during the parliamentary election to include child rights in the political parties manifesto. The program was organized jointly with other 18 NGOs