APSA Hyderabad Work Supported by Plan India
APSA has partnered with Plan India in both Bengaluru and Hyderabad to support projects related to child development, skill training and job placement for youth, and work with government structures in order to deliver better access for marginalized communities to their rights and entitlements.
In APSA’s Hyderabad working areas in particular, Plan India has supported projects in 25 urban slums since 2011 with the objective of working on child-centred community development. The project works with 25 government anganwadis (pre-schools) and 25 government schools. APSA has now entered the 9th year of partnership with Plan India.
Some of the components of the Plan-supported project at APSA Hyderabad include:
• Strengthening anganwadi centres through training of anganwadi workers on good hygiene, nutrition, new-born care, importance of immunization, child rights awareness and school preparedness of children.
• Working towards enhancing the quality of government schools through improving quality of education, supporting infrastructure improvement (WASH facilities, libraries, laboratories, etc.), develop safety plans to deal with emergencies and disasters, provide career guidance to high school students and strengthen children’s (in particular girls) ability to protect themselves through offering self-defence education.
• Strengthen community-based Child Protection Committees to address issues of child rights violations through capacity building programs on para-legal services, and work towards integrating such Committees into the state/ national child protection system.
• Create open defecation-free communities through awareness on health and hygiene, safe sanitation practices, rainwater harvesting and solid waste management and waste segregation.
• Enhance participation of children and young people in local community development through presence in CFWs, Ward Committees and Youth Advisory Panel (YAP) meetings, and encouraging role-modelling of young people.
• Work with adolescent girls on awareness of issues related to menstrual hygiene, gender rights, sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and leadership.
• Facilitate community programs around crucial social issues such as HIV prevention, safe hygiene practices, waste management and address civic, social and child rights issues.
• Support women entrepreneurs for small business development (tailoring, sari/fabric sales, vegetable/ fruit/ flower vending, petty tea/ snack shops, pickle-making, etc.) with links to learn/ upgrade skill training, credit and savings, government welfare and schemes and job/ self-employment support.
APSA’s partnership with Plan India has impacted the lives of at least 50,000 beneficiaries.
