Comprehensive Child and Community Empowerment in Urban Slums of India
Children from urban slums in India are highly vulnerable to exploitation
The project works with vulnerable children from socio-economically marginalised families living in the urban slums of Coimbatore in India. We improve children’s access to education, health, ensure child protection and socio-economic development, and enable social protection for their families.
-
Thangaperumal Ponpandi
Country Manager, IndiaChildren left unattended and not going to school is a common occurrence in the urban slums of Coimbatore in India. The project ensures a comprehensive model to empower the children.
Background
Coimbatore city has a total of 319 pockets of slums with 46,650 households. The majority of the population (slums and suburban areas in Coimbatore) live in single-room houses with tiled roofs and poor /absent basic amenities.
Poverty and lack of awareness are the main drivers of child exploitation in these slums.
In addition to the socioeconomic vulnerabilities of the families, the major protection concerns/violation of child rights are children being out of school, worst forms of child labour, sexual exploitation and abuse, drug and alcohol use and early pregnancy.
Our Goals
Our Approach
We work in the slums of Coimbatore, India.
Promotion of Child Protection Committee
To ensure efficient functioning and effective delivery of protection services through improved functional capacities and enabling conditions
Working with Relevant Stakeholders
Working with officials from the government, law enforcement agencies, schools and youth clubs.
Children as Change Agents
Nurturing children and youth to be change makers in the community.
Enhanced health care outreach
Linking children and families with health care services
Social Protection
Improved access to social protection and welfare schemes
Our Results
- Enabled age-appropriate education and vocational skill development for 1,118 children, fostering positive behaviour change and improved social skills.
- Re-enrolled 47 out-of-school children, enabling them to resume their education and continue their learning journey.
- Capacitated 38 agents of change—including teachers, students, and community members—to promote health education, child rights, and protection within their communities.
- Supported 1,263 children with health interventions and empowered 992 vulnerable families to access civic identification and government welfare schemes, improving overall child and family well-being.
Our Partners
Implementing Partners
Funding partners
Wipro Cares
Wipro Cares is an employee-led community initiative arm of the Wipro Foundation and engages in Education, Primary Healthcare, Community Ecology, and Disaster Management.