PROFILE

Shramika Vikasa Kendram is non-profit Organization established in 1992 to undertake development work in Mahabubnagar district with particular reference to the backward communities and child labor. As part of a UNDP sponsored intervention, SVK formed women’s groups, facilitated thrift and credit activities and worked on liberating girl children working in cotton fields. Self Help Groups (SHGs) at the village level were federated into a Village Organization [VO] at the Panchayat level. Efforts culminated into the formation of Mandal Shramika Mahila Samakhya [MSMS] a representative body of all the SHGs in Peddakothapally Mandal.

The basic aim of the organization is to mobilize the rural poor on issues related to empowerment of the community with special focus on creating access to education and skills and enhancing their economic standard of living. The organization also aims to facilitate the community to become the basis of planning and implementation of the developmental activities affecting the community. SVK increased awareness among communities in the context of women Rights by conducting public meetings with the Mahla Hakkula Pari rakshana Sangham and other groups highlight women’s rights.

There were 65 women rights groups formed in SVK operational Area. Meetings were held with Village Organization Members youth and the Mahila Hakkula Pari rakshana sangham in all villages to address issues such as the patriarchal nature of our Society, Child Marriage, girl child education, Health rights of women. Women’s economic and social empowerment, equal rights on hereditary Properties,Protection and safety of women, Domestic violence ,dowry ,Gender bias. SVK working for the child rights protection in an integrated manner, where as it views the child in center of the society and addresses the issues of IMR, ICDS centers, Health facilities and health centers, land rights and providing job security to the people which determine the family income.

Thus addressing the economic influential factors of the society, SVK feel that automatically creates protection for the children in the society. SVK strongly emphasize on the fact that without thinking about the economic crux of the families, one cannot address the issue of child rights protection. Shramika Vikasa Kendram working for the protection of child rights in Mahabubnagar of Telangana and Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. The main focus of the organization is to protect child rights. It addresses the issue of child rights in a holistic approach for that it deals in an integrated manner. SVK strongly believes that there is one root cause which is behind all the social problems, which creates in discrepancies in the society i.e. there are very few people having land holdings and many are landless laborers.To address the issues and increase the conditions, SVK has been working in Education, Health, Empowerment, Livelihood components and established strong Networking system with the government and other non government organizations.

The objectives are to increase the health conditions, to increase the literacy among the children, to protect the child rights, To empower the communities to raise their own voice and make access the government services. SVK and CBOs active involvement and efforts resulted the empowerment of Community Based Organizations and identifying their community issues and also working towards in order to address the issues. Community empowerment and involvement presence is very much active in all projects working areas and involving in community developmental activities.

Health and Education facilities strengthened and increased the community access to the services which helped to improve the Socio, Economic and Health conditions of the communities which clearly showing evidences of strengthening the PHCs, Sub Centers, ICDSs and sanction of 7 new ICDSs which helped in reduction to less than 1% in Infant Mortality, 95% of Immunization of children, Increased the Institutional Deliveries, increased the utilization of health services, 97% of Child Birth Registrations. Successfully made access and provided the child rights especially in education sector and prevention of child marriages. Strengthened the School Management Committees and actively involving ensuring the proper facilities in the schools and quality education which resulted the reduction in dropped out of children and increase in the enrollment of 6 to 14 age group children in schools.

Awareness and empowerment in the community prevented the child marriages in the villages and so far 66% villages declared as 100% child marriages free villages. SVK is not only focused on health and education and also focused on related issues like migration; unemployment of youth and the outcome is reduction in migration as employment opportunities provided in employment guarantee scheme and also enhanced knowledge and skills in seasonal cultivation methods. Unemployed youth inculcated with the Job oriented courses and provided employment in private firms. In spite of lot efforts and achievements, still the challenges are prsist which preventing to provide the better quality services. The community is expecting the instant benefits to their family and children and immediate understanding is the major challenge. In sufficient facilities in health infrastructure and long pending vacancies in HR is one more challenge which is continuing long time.

SVK learned that community mobilization and empowerment will help to solve the issues and indicate towards sustainability. It is also learned that addressing the influenced/root cause problems will help to provide good health and quality education and also in protecting the child rights. Government commitment and budget allocation also increase trust on government services which will help to increase access the services. The Shramika Vikasa Kendram (SVK) is committed to eliminating child labor in India and ensuring that all children have the opportunity to attend school. Working primarily in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh the Indian state with the highest incidence of child labor,

SVK conducts household surveys and mobilization drives to identify and engage with out-of-school children as well as those currently in the labor market. Key to the program’s approach is the promotion of universal education as an accepted norm at the village level. Locally-based volunteers and community leaders seek to encourage the acceptance of universal schooling, often through using cultural activities to raise awareness about child labor and schooling, and through carrying out door-to-door campaigns to encourage parents to send their children to school. Having identified the out-of-school and working children, the program provides them with a support system as they withdraw from work and transition to school. Younger children (5-8 years old) are directly admitted to school, while older children (9-14) are put through Residential Special Training Centers (RSTC) and Non-Residential Special Training Centers (NRSTC) which prepare them to join school for the first time. RSTC camps (community-based versions of these courses) are also held in order to prove the importance of education over labor to the community, and to disprove the myth that older children may no longer be able to leave the workforce and join school full-time. Additionally, a follow-up program has been developed that ensures a minimum dropout rate, and makes the education system more accessible to working children. Very often, this involves addressing issues such as acquiring birth certificates, negotiating with teachers for admission, helping students to seek and verify adequate accommodation in cases where the school is outside of their community, and also providing them with tutoring and health support.

SVK is Present Working Geography area Wanaparthy and Nagrkurnool district since last 20 Years onwards.