After transforming lives of 300 slum children, with the immense support received on GlobalGiving, we are snowballing our efforts to impact childhood of 500 Children living in Mumbai slums in India and give them a fair-start in life. Children living in slums tend to be the most compromised and prone to abuse and exploitation. Enabling safe, child-friendly spaces for them, YUVA runs Child Resource Centres (CRC) to improve school enrolment, address sexual abuse and provide safe spaces to children.
The neighbourhoods of M-East and Ambujwadi in Mumbai are overcrowded, socially and economically excluded, informal settlements that lack basic amenities and services. Children in these slums are susceptible to neglect, ill-health, insufficient education, abuse, exploitation. Growing up in such conditions have far-reaching effects on their emotional and social well-being and cause long-term repercussions. This project aims to address these issues and improve quality of life of 500 such children.
YUVA's Child Resource Centres are lively, joyful, child-friendly spaces which bring together children living in slum settlements and involve them in productive ways of spending time together. Multiple basic facilities are available in these centres which include regular educational workshops to empower them with knowledge and skills, a reading library, digital learning, educational games and sports for development. The children collectivize to take lead and form support groups for themselves.
CRCs implement programmes in partnership with families, schools, police, government to improve school enrolment and create a safe habitat. The children form collectives to build solidarity and together claim their rights. This develops leadership at an early age and instils in them an attitude to work on issues that affect them and those around them. They take lead as agents of change to spread awareness and influence others. This positively impacts the social well-being of the entire society.
