Take
action to promote health in their communities with support
from others.
About 850 children
from two formal schools, 310 children from two non formal
learning centres, 29 teachers, 60 parents and other
community members in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, built their
capacities and gained programmatic skills through the
intervention,.
The evaluation of
the initiative has revealed several positive outcomes. Apart
from improving and internalizing about the CTC approach
and health knowledge, children and adults
have enhanced self confidence, self esteem and life
skills such as assertive communication, negotiation, taking
initiative and making decisions.
Children’s
participation came through distinctively when children in
the field sites planned and organized Summer Camps along
with teachers and CHETNA team.
A film on Summer Camp
is available at CHETNA.
National and Regional Consultations on CTC in India and
other Asian countries
CHETNA
collaborated with organizations of national and
international repute such as National Institute of Public
Co-operation and Development
(NIPCCD),
Christian Children’s Fund (CCF), Plan-India and Plan
International for mainstreaming CTC approach in programmes
such as ICDS, school system and other non-formal programmes.
In May 2006, CHETNA co-facilitated the Regional Consultation
and orientation workshop for PLAN- International officials
at Bangkok along with the CTC Trust, London.
From rights to responsibilities: enabling children to take
action for social change
Encouraged by the
positive results of the CTC implementation, CHETNA scaled up
a participatory initiative with children in Valsad a
predominantly tribal district in Gujarat, India during
2006-08.
The partners in this
endeavour were UNICEF, Gujarat and Vasudhara Dairy,
Valsad, Gujarat.
Using the Child-to-Child step approach,
children were able to identify and prioritize health and
development concerns, develop their life skills and take
action in their communities with support from adults.
Children in action
Empowered with knowledge and skills, children mapped their
communities to identify the existing health and development
services, collected evidence through surveys and compiled
information in the form of issue-based newsletters, posters,
spearheaded rallies and made observation visits to create
mass awareness and draw the attention of appropriate village
and district level authorities. Children promoted healthy
practices at the family and community level and also took
responsibility to identify and encourage new children who could join the
task force. The initiative gained momentum with sensitized
adults- school principals and local leaders, who recognized
the action taken by children and supported them.
Children initiated Bal Kendras (Child Resource Centres)
Children have initiated Balkendras in their villages, where children discuss, jointly
plan action and approach the concerned village, block and
district level authorities for addressing community issues.
Birth registration, immunization with a
particular focus on the impact of early marriage on health
of the foetus/infants and the adolescent mother are the key
issues children have identified and are working on.
Children in Charge!!
The entire initiative culminated in a grand District
Level Convention in January 2008, wherein children from
60 villages and master trainers interacted with district
authorities, school principals, teachers and media to
highlight the issues and action taken by them.
Age was no barrier; confident with knowledge, children
anchored the convention and made sure that their voices
were heard.
Moved by children’s
potential in leading community initiatives and developing
newsletters, the Valsad District Development Officer (DDO)
made a commitment for publishing children’s newsletters.
He also emphasized the need to spread the initiative to the
entire district. The Chief District Health Officer,
District Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) Society announced
cash prizes to the presenters and children who participated
in the cultural programme. Keeping up the promises,
children have received cash prize.
Impact assessment
CHETNA team designed
a questionnaire and collected views and future expectations
of children/trainers/parents/district authorities through
interviews. 100% of the stakeholders reiterated the need to
continue the programme. While the principals and teachers do
agree that the programme is by the children, for the
children however they felt that more and more teachers
should be sensitized and guided to support children.
Charged up with the enthusiasm of children, some of the
trainers are ready to develop their villages as role models
of child participation.
The entire initiative has resulted in:
-
Empowering 821 children from 60 villages to accelerate the
community development process
-
Sensitizing 17 village volunteers, 15 block/district level
coordinators, 20 master trainers from the local agency and
50 school principals and teachers on Child Rights
-
Establishing 60 Balkendras – identifying community
spaces by children wherein they can meet regularly, plan and
discuss action on identified issues
-
A
functional model of child participation
