About Disha

Disha is a major initiative of ChildFund India since 1994 to promote sustainable community-based strategies for the prevention of this child labor. It is committed to bring children out of the clutch of labor by providing health, educational and livelihood support. Briefly, it addresses two issues – child labor, and factors contributing to it and its consequences. The KC Mahindra Education Trust, UNICEF and INDUS have previously supported this initiative.

The project is being implemented in 8 slums of Firozabad. Two of these are inhabited by the socially marginalized scavenger’s community.

The Project Includes:

• Community mobilization and capacity building
• Formation of parent’s groups and women’s self-help groups
• Sensitization of the community regarding child labor; mobilizing public opinion against child deprivation
• Campaigns to enrol children in school
• Formation of children’s forums
• Running non-formal and pre-school centers within the community to rehabilitate child workers
• Providing curative and preventive health care facilities to child workers and their families
• Providing recreational, cultural and skill development opportunities to children and adolescents
• Establishing linkages with government and non-government facilities and resources
• Mainstreaming disability issues in all the fields of work

Project Highlights

 Four model centers are offering integrated child development services to slum children.

A sustainable livelihoods center called “DAKSH” is offering a multi-solution approach. Under one roof it provides library services, vocational training in tailoring, beauty and IT, and coaching on personality development, spoken English, and entrepreneurship. Additionally, it promotes and provides a national platform for youth and Self-Help Group federations.

 25 youth clubs are helping to engage young people in community service.

16 clubs are ensuring literacy, numeracy and life skills for children in the operational area. They seek to increase children’s engagement in school and out-of-school activities to extricate them from home based labor.