MISS-Collect
In India, 12% of children (aged between 5-14 years) are engaged in hazardous child labour activities, including waste picking.
1689151818 Children access child-friendly formal and informal learning institutions, mothers increase their economic capabilities through sustainable livelihoods. People and corporates also contribute and invest in the solution.
Anne Priya
Project Officer
Background
In India, 12% of children (aged between 5-14 years) are engaged in hazardous child labour activities, including waste picking. Bangalore is one of the largest hubs for waste collectors with 68% of waste collected by municipal authorities. The remaining is left for scavenging by waste collectors. Further, Bangalore is also a preferred destination for thousands of unskilled migrant workers from other parts of India who migrate with their families.
The children are involved in waste-picking work in hot and humid conditions with unsafe surroundings, which has an adverse impact on their health. Their living conditions are poor and unhygienic which leads to the children contracting numerous infectious diseases. Being a migrated population, there is a language barrier which leads to school dropouts and in a few cases, the children never attend school and start working as waste collectors at a tender age. Being out of school, their risk to abuse increases.
Goals
- To eradicate child labour in the waste picking in the 4 slums of Bangalore.
- To ensure improved and sustained access to mainstream formal education
- To create sustainable and decent working opportunities for financial stability for the families of children
Approach
Drop Off Programme
Establishing and running the Early Learning Centres (ELCs) for children less than 5 years and a community level ‘Bridge Course Learning Centre’ facilities
Drop out recovery programme
Support of study materials, digital learning facilities and tuition centres for children
School-family partnership awareness programme
Community level participatory sessions with children and their families
Waste paper collection units
Setting up a system to collect waste paper, enabling livelihood opportunities for women
Self-sustaining business models
Developing business models for income generation such that children do not have to work. This also encourages responsible consumption.
Skill development
Training workshops and on the job training for adults in waste processing, health and safety procedures for workers engaged in waste collection
Partner
Children of India Foundation
Children of India Foundation (CIF), an affiliate of Terre des Hommes Netherlands, is a registered Non-Profit organisation based in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, that engages in activities related to child protection, health, livelihood and education.