HCNF•Articles by: alvitofernandez@gmail.com

Author: alvitofernandez@gmail.com

Safe and Clean Drinking Water in Schools

In partnership with Urban Rural Management Empowerment Establishment (URMEE), and with the support of Tata Capital Housing Finances Ltd (TCHFL), water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities were provided to 61 government schools in the Karjat and Mangaon blocks of Raigad district in Maharashtra.

The entire project was undertaken in a bottom-up manner, with involvement of the education authorities, the school heads, teachers, children and the school management committees (SMC) which are representatives of the parents and community.

Awareness, motivation and maintenance support are being provided through the project. An internal impact assessment study confirms that the project has positively affected health and school attendance.

Water Conservation in Yawatmal

Water Conservation in Yawatmal: One of the initial projects supported by HCNF targeted the marginal farmers’ community in three villages of Yavatmal district of Vidharba region.

As the area is drought prone and agriculture intensive, water conservation was very important. The project on the entitled Right of children and young people to a healthy environment” constructed many water conservation structures like percolation tanks, ponds, irrigation tanks, cleaning and rejuvenating streams and rivulets.

Awareness and tree plantation, school gardens, land levelling and organic vegetable cultivation were initiated. The water availability in the three villages has increased and sustains to date. The four years project was supported by Forbes Marshal Foundation, Pune.

‘Green Catalysts’ in Ahmedabad

‘Green Catalysts’ in Ahmedabad was another important project which was completed. The three years project supported by Gala Freudenburg Group, focused on training university students as Environment Ambassadors.

These trained people undertook various project like awareness creation, segregation and management of solid waste, safe collection and disposal of e- waste, street plays and campaigns at different locations.

They also collaborated with the Ahmedabad pollution control board and arranged programmes in schools and also initiated school gardens. Many of these trained Green Catalysts are still engaged in environment protection initiatives at different levels. The project was implemented by Pariyavaran Mitra, Ahmedabad in full cooperation with HCNF.

Samvaad – Pune

This is a direct implementation project of HCNF, in cooperation with the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) of Pune district. It seeks to provide psycho- social  care services for children in need of care and support and in conflict with the law.

Bhimnagar Education Support Centre – Pune

Most children attending school receive some form of support outside school, either from parents at home or through tuition classes.

For children whose parents cannot provide this form of support, schooling becomes difficult and sometimes impossible, especially in middle and high school. HCNF has initiated a direct implementation project in a settlement in Visharantwadi, Pune.

Support classes are run for science and mathematics, by a trained teacher appointed by HCNF. At present, about 33 children from the settlement are attending these classes regularly, with many others dropping in from time to time.

Khelghar – Pune

Working in Laxminagar, Pune, this project focusses on a crucial aspect that hampers children’s learning at an early stage: language.

The NGO Palakniti Pariwar runs Khelghar with HCNF support, using its expertise to help children from migrant families bridge the gap between home and school language, and also supports them in mathematics.

In addition, the centre also helps them to deal with issues such as corporal punishment and domestic violence, through counselling services and other interventions. Around 170 children benefit from these interventions.

Community Resource Centre – Pune

Centre for Youth Development and Activities (CYDA), has been our partner right since the Covid19 pandemic, where support classes were started to try and prevent learning loss during the long school closures.

The project continues to provide children in the Tadiwala Road settlement in Pune with support for their school work, as well as other activities contributing to holistic development like art , music and sport. Where needed, career guidance and psychological support services are also provided.

All the children from the centres who appeared for the board exams after Classes 10 and 12 passed, with some scoring as high as 80%. The youngsters are growing in confidence and sensitivity, with leadership training programmes and other cultural activities. 153 students are currently benefitting from this initiative.

Supporting Children and Youth in Delhi

Association for Development (AFD) has been partnering with us for the last 4 years, with support from Hellman Worldwide Logistics and R.G Cargo Services. The project in Trilokpuri, one of the resettlement areas in Delhi.

Apart from support classes for education, community libraries have been set up so that a culture of reading is developed by people of all ages. The project works to engage communities on issues that affect them.

A highlight of the project is the youth group, which initiates action related to the environment and health. In fact the theatre group activities have enabled some of the youth to join professional theatre groups. The group also showcased their theatre skills for the staff and families of Hellman Logistics , and one of the young people, Sanjana, visited the head office of Hellman in Germany.

Another organisation called Paradarshita, working in similar settlements, has received support from RG Cargo to extend similar activities.

Enhancing children’s education and life perspectives – Delhi

Seemapuri in north east Delhi is a slum resettlement colony which lacks proper infrastructure in civic amenities though the schools run by Delhi government and the municipalities have improved.

Many children are still out of school or are on the verge of dropping out. Without any family or coaching support, they struggle. The project supports such children through classes and study sessions in different shifts. The children are also engaged in different creative learning programs. Arts, sports and cultural programs are also part of the project.

The youth are engaged in different topics and issues of the community through discussions and awareness programs. Through interaction with parents and community leaders and liasoining with local government the project tries to create a healthy and harmonious situation, caring for children and their education.

Contributing to reducing carbon emissions in Delhi

This is a direct implementation project with the support of Hellman Logistics Worldwide. Given the crisis-level pollution of the Delhi environment, the project seeks to involve children and communities in raising awareness, promoting plastic recycling, and advocating for solar power adoption. HCNF has established contact with housing societies, residents’ associations and schools.