Chauras

Day care -cum- literacy center for children staying at construction sites.

Overview

With support from the IIFL Foundation, the project was initiated to address the needs of working mothers and laborers earning minimum wages by providing improved early childhood services and daycare facilities. These services are offered at various locations, including mineral grinding sites in Kishangarh and Beawar, brick kiln site settings in Anupgarh, and construction sites in Jaipur, Noida, and Ahmedabad. By focusing on these specific locations, the project aims to support families where parents, particularly mothers, are engaged in labor-intensive work, ensuring that their children receive quality care and early childhood education despite challenging circumstances.

The target audience of the project is children under the age group of birth to 12 years who mainly belongs to migratory population from rural areas of Chhattisgarh, MP, Bihar and UP. Hence, the purpose of the project is to take care of the nutritional needs and improve the malnourished status of children, ensure their good health, facilitate non-formal education, promote enrollment in formal schools, and empower the community with knowledge of ECD and childcare practices.

What sets this project apart is its direct engagement with our primary beneficiaries, children aged 6 months to 12 years and a 360-degree approach towards the well-being of children. Across 11 IIFL-supported centers, the project prioritizes children's nutrition by providing three cooked meals daily, along with monthly doctor visits and access to healthcare facilities provided by ANMs. The project also focuses on safeguarding children from hazards in labor camps and workplaces, offering non-formal education tailored to their holistic development and enrolling children on formal schooling in local schools.

Emphasizing hygiene and cleanliness, the project aims to prevent diseases and promote good health in the community. Through the Chauras project, we aim to build strong relationships with community members, enriching their understanding of early childhood development, education, child protection, and the needs of young children. This comprehensive approach underscores the project's uniqueness and commitment to fostering the well-being and development of undernourished children and their communities.

HIGHLIGHTS

The program has ensured all children at the project sites are regularly attending the center.
Regular health checkups of all children and their mothers have been conducting at the project sites on regular intervals.
The children have been engaged in meaningful and age-appropriate activities for developmental milestones.
The program has supported children with school readiness skills and later on mainstreaming them to the near-by schools.
The program has been implemented through trained workers in ECD and center management.
The program has impacted the protection of children; since the centers' inception, no cases/incidents have been reported.
The program has helped in sustainability by empowering children through holistic development and for communities, who are always on move.
Mothers at the construction sites have been provided awareness session on lactation, child-care, and home-care facilities.

Students

982

Project location

Jaipur, Beawar, Ajmer, Anupgarh, Ahmedabad, Noida

State

Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat.

Project start year

April’2023

Project end year

March’2024

Process

As a starting point, we interacted with the migrant construction site workers and their respective employers to understand their requirements and limitations. The primary requirement was to provide a place of safety for the children when the parents were at work. The secondary need was to get an instructor who could teach the children. The combination of the two requirements led to the inception of 'Chauras' – A place of safety and learning for the children of migrant construction workers.

Chauras operates from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm throughout the week and provides basic functional education to children along with nutritional meals. The age group spans from the youngest being three months old to an adolescent of 14 years of age. Teachers and volunteers address issues and discuss topics such as community sanitation, attendance of the children, crèche, school admission (mainstream), personal hygiene and health.

Testimonials

"I am forever grateful for the unwavering support of IIFL Chauras Sunfootprint daycare center’s didi. They were my guiding light during one of the most challenging moments of my life. Their assistance and care ensured my baby girl's safe delivery and restored my faith in humanity." (Neha Harindra Yadav, a mother from Sunfootprint centre, Ahmedabad, Gujarat).
"I wanted my children to go to school, but no facility was available at Neemli Ricco area, Beawar. Thanks to the IIFL Chauras Neemli Centre’s didi, my children now receive nutritious food, education, and proper care. This assistance has enabled me to contribute significantly to my family's well-being by assisting my husband in his work." (Nargis, a mother from Neemli centre– Beawar).
“I was pregnant and lacked information & knowledge about the vaccination required for me. However, the didi from 2 JSM centre informed me about the vaccination and since then I have received regular vaccination. I am thankful to IIFL for providing me with the platform to gain knowledge.” (Sonam, a mother from 2JSM centre – Anupgarh).
When I entered the centre I was very happy to see the children were smiling and engaged. The frontline workers are talented. This place is very sweet and lovely. And I am sure giving the children a bright future will be useful. Thank you to IIFL for the unwavering support. (Ms. Swati Jain, owne of Rise Resort – Noida).
"As an 8-month pregnant woman employed at the 2 JSM Brick Kiln site in Ghadsana, Anupgarh, Raj. I initially lacked information about vaccination during pregnancy. However, through monthly meetings organized by IIFL Chauras Centre and the diligent efforts of the 2 JSM center staff, I gained valuable knowledge about vaccination for pregnant women and children. Thanks to their guidance, I underwent necessary health checkups, received vaccinations, and was provided with iron tablets. I prioritize my health and well-being by properly eating, drinking, and maintaining cleanliness." (Sonam, a mother from 2JSM center – Anupgarh).
"In partnership with IIFL, our centres are dedicated to providing the nutrition, health, hygiene, protection and education of children aged 12 at the Chauras Centers. We aim to provide nutrition services to 350 children and ensure the well-being of 45 children, ranging from malnourished to normal categories. Additionally, through the partnership with IIFL and MC, we were able to organize community engagement meetings to foster community awareness about ECD and its relevant practices and provide support to pregnant and lactating women, teen girls, and boys in prioritizing their health on-site through ANMs and professional doctors" (Shravan Nayak, Coordinator, Urmul Khejri Sanstha, Nagaur, Raj.).
"We initiated this project on October 23 and have since enrolled 52 children into our program. Among them, 20 are enrolled in the Creche, 20 in the Balwadi, and 13 in the Bridge Course. Initially, 13 children were identified as undernourished, prompting us to focus on improving their health. As a result of our efforts, 8 of these children have fully recovered and are thriving. It's heartening to see all the children enthusiastically participating in daily activities. Their parents are delighted to witness their children's progress and well-being under our care. We extend our gratitude to IIFL and MC for entrusting us with this invaluable opportunity to positively impact these children's lives." (Nitin Mathur, State Head, SAATH, Jaipur).
"In collaboration with IIFL and MC, our organization operates four centers across two construction sites in Jaipur and mineral grinding units in Ajmer and Beawar. Through this partnership, we offer comprehensive facilities catering to the needs of children from birth to 12 years, including nutrition, healthcare, cleanliness, education, and safety, specifically tailored for the children of migrant workers. Our organization recognizes and emphasizes the significance of Chauras daycare centers in providing children with education, health, and overall well-being, and we remain committed to ensuring their security and welfare. We sincerely thank IIFL for their unwavering support and contributions towards our mission to safeguard early childhood and provide essential services for their overall well-being." (Abhay Singh, Program Director, Gramin avam Samajik Vikas Sanstha, Ajmer).

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Disclaimer: Data period April 2023 to March 2024