A Rural Children's Library Project

A Rural Children's Library Project

Following the evident success of the Chaglatti Children's Library, CRT wanted to start a project to spread the idea to more areas. With funds from the Maggie Black Trust, U.K., the project started in Bellary district in June 2011 with NGO partners who showed keen interest in running such libraries in rural areas.

CRT's role is to train the NGOs for a year in:

• Initial set of children's books, graded as per the Hippocampus method.

• Training about children's library management, children's participation and child rights.

• Periodic evaluation and follow up of all libraries

• Library exhibitions.

• Distribution of child-friendly books to children to create in them an interest in reading.

• Remuneration to the librarian (for 1 year).

• Establishing network with libraries in other parts of the state.

Role and responsibilities of NGOs:

• NGOs that are willing to start such libraries should provide separate room for library.

• Make sure that a minimum of 30 children are registered as members to start with.

• Appoint one person for library management among the staff member.

• Collect more books from donors regularly.

• Send the activity report to CRT on monthly basis.

• Give publicity about the library and collect books for the library with the co-operation of children.

• Ensure that the library is managed by the children with the guidance of adults.

• Let the children decide the name of the library.

• Should contact CRT for any needed books, training infrastructure etc.

Project Activities to date:

Ten NGOs are participating in this project including one from Dharwad district. A Children's Library Management workshop was first conducted for them in July this year. The participants were oriented on grading of books, administration of libraries and financial management etc.

The book distribution program was held in September. When the trained librarians came to collect the books, they were once again oriented about maintaining the library and grading the books. Right now, there are 400 books in every library. Half the libraries haveopened and are functioning, while the inauguration functions of the rest are due soon.

Half the libraries have opened and are functioning while the others are being prepared for their imminent inauguration.

Half the libraries have opened and are functioning while the others are being prepared for their imminent inauguration.

KCRO Data Collection Workshop

Report of the Data Collection and Analysis Training Workshop -conducted on behalf of KCRO

Date: 22-24, March 2011 Venue: Sagara, Shimoga district

The development field has several dimensions... In order to understand the various issues related to development, one of the tools used is Field Research that involves collection of data. These need to be supplemented by a systematic and comprehensive analysis of the same and use of the findings for advocacy. Data and reports on many issues including child related ones are available at national and state levels, and occasionally at the district level for some indicators. However these are often outdated and do not delve into causes for shortfalls and problems. Most importantly, they are not available at lower levels and since there could be local problems and reasons, it is difficult to pinpoint the most effective remedial actions in each case.

We have so many Goals related to children (State Plan of Action for Children, Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), World Fit for Children (WFFC) etc) but many times we never know whether we are going reach to these goals or not. Many NGOs who are working in the field of child rights are not aware about these goals and their importance. Some of the NGOs are doing surveys in their field but they are not following scientific methods in them. Also, they do not generally organise these data, analyse them and use them fruitfully for advocacy and their own planning and evaluation of programmes.

Hence, collection of data is very important to the organisations who are working for child rights to solve the problems that children are troubled by, and to protect child rights. Hence knowledge of research methods and of data collection is very important.

Against this background, Karnataka Child Rights Observatory (KCRO) conducted a three-day Bangalore division level workshop for representatives of voluntary organisations on data collection and analysis from 22-24, March 2011 at Sagara of Shimoga district. 26 members of 11 voluntary organisations participated in this workshop. The resource persons were drawn from CRT, the secretariat of KCRO.

After briefing the participants about the objectives of the workshop Mr. Nagasimha G. Rao got the participants to introduce themselves. Mr. Sathish.G.C. explained the importance of statistics and the National and State Action Plans for children, the Millennium Development Goals and the World Fit for Children and other such major targets that India and the State have accepted as well. Further, he continued that the progress of these goals can only be possible by collecting, analysing and utilizing the data on child related issues periodically in their working area. Only can one compare these data with the given goals at all levels.

The participants were then briefed about data collection and its methods like observation, interview, questionnaire, focus group discursion, case studies etc.

The afternoon session dealt with types of surveys and sampling methods using a participatory method. Participants were told about household questionnaires as well as secondary data collection schedules. At the end of the day the participants were divided into 4 groups for the planned field visits.

On 23-3-2011, all groups visited Shivappa Nayaka Nagara which is in Sagara city and nearby villages Shreedhara Nagara, Karikatte Nagara and Manve Village to collect primary data from households as well as secondary data from the Anganawadi, PHC,School and Panchayats. The households were selected by systematic random sampling method to collect information.

The last day of training participants submitted their analytical reports. Dr. Padmini made some suggestions about those reports and explained to them how to write reports more effectively. In the afternoon session participants heard about methods of tabulation; after which participants were asked to tabulate the collected data.

At the end of the training programme, participants learnt about focus groups discussions, collecting case studies, individual interview etc. At the end of the program, representatives of four organisations said that they are going to use these methodologies in their upcoming surveys. Some of them asked for KCRO help in developing the questionnaire and choice and other aspects of correct methodologies. This was agreed to by KCRO.

Chagletti Children's Library wins award!

The librarian is as old as the readers here.

"The Hindu, 26^th April 2011, Page 2

While libraries in the city are struggling to sustain themselves with the advent of the Internet, e-books and pod casts, a library in a village can still prove a crucial window to the world beyond.

The children's library started by Child Rights Trust (CRT) Chagalatti village, situated eight kilometres from the International Airport, is proof of how a library can broaden a child's world. That it is managed entirely by the children of the village is an additional feather in its cap.

Top of the heap

The library was last week given an award by the Hippocampus Reading Foundation (HRF) as the “best library in a community centre”. The foundation has also donated a large number of English books to the library and trained children in library maintenance".

http://www.hindu.com/2011/04/26/stories/2011042665640200.htm

A library by the kids, for the kids

A child rights club initiated by CRT's associate director, Nagasimha.G.Rao, in 2006 has many success stories to share, the latest being a children's library run by it on their own.

This child rights club is in a village of 500 people called Chagaletti (fondly referred to by many as 'Chocolatey') that is 8 kms from the Bangalore International Airport.

The village has 90 children and the club has 30 children (20 girls and 10 boys) between the ages of 5-18 years.

The child rights club was started with the intention of spreading awareness on child rights and promoting child participation.

The most heartening facet of this has been the enthusiasm of the children and support from adults in the village. The children have taken up many activities and initiatives over the past three years to promote child rights like bringing drop-outs back to school, polio awareness drives, H1N1 awareness drives, mobilising funds for children affected by North Karnataka floods immediately after the disaster hit, monthly meetings etc.

With no library within 15 kms of the village, there was a great need for one to be set up. With the help of the Hippocampus Reading Foundation and Child Rights Trust, a library has been set up on 14th August, 2010.

The link to the article in Deccan Chronicle covering this can be accessed here.

Our hope is for this initiative to reach all children in rural Karnataka and that they all have access to the joy of reading and learning.

You are free to drop by at the Chagaletti library anytime. Do get in touch with us if you would like to support this venture or get more details.

PROTEST AGAINST DISCRIMINATION IN SCHOOLS

Campaign against Child Labour-K (CACL-K)*organised a protest on August 2 against a controversial circular brought out by a Bangalore high school about provisions in the Right to Education Act. 

The circular, pointing towards their discriminatory attitudes, states that admitting poor children (as part of the mandatory 25 % reservation in the Act) will be "detrimental to the psyche of all the children". The circular goes on to potray underpriviliged children in a distasteful manner by implying that they could beat up other children and misbehave with girls and the school will have to watch helplessly.

The circular reads:

Kindly do not ignore this circular as it affects your child's future directly

Any child will have to be allowed into school and share the classroom with your child. Eminent psychologists have said that this will be detrimental to the psyche of all the children.

Once this Act is enforced, another child could beat up your child, smoke on the campus, misbehave with a girl or a teacher and the school will have to watch helplessly.

The school has since apologised for bringing out the circular. But what is unfortunate is that this alarmist and discriminatory attitude extends to many private schools and is not confined only to this school.

CACL-K, in the light of these negative attitudes being displayed by many private schools, held a protest on M.G. Road, strongly condemning such institutes and individuals.

Children protesting on MG Road

While the Right to Education Act is far from being perfect and there are many gaps to be filled, it is sad that a move looking towards allowing every child a chance to education, irrespective of background and status, should meet with resistance.

*CRT is the Convenor of the Bangalore chapter of CACL-K.

Intern Speaks: Alexandra Schlossarek from Germany

I started my three-month internship with CRT in 2005 and it was the most interesting experience in my life. I had already known about some of the child issues from university, but working in an environment with so many like-minded people really changed my perspective.

Alexandra in a saree with the CRT team

During my internship I went to different workshops and took trips to the country side which was a great experience. I also participated in a South Indian meeting of different NGOs working with child rights which helped me understand the pressing issues for children's rights not only in Bangalore but for the whole of India.

I think that CRT is making a great effort to spread awareness for child rights and standing up for every child not only in India but in the whole world.

Workshop on Anti Child Trafficking

A workshop was conducted by the Department of Women and Child Development (DWCD) for CDPOs, Anganwadi supervisors, Anganwadi workers and NGO workers on anti-child trafficking. CRT staff were the resource persons for the workshop held on July 22, 2010 at Chikkaballapur.

Content of the workshop: Introduction to child rights, Status of children, Trafficking-meaning, causes and effects, Child trafficking, and the roles of the participants and various government departments in addressing the issue.
Changes that can be addressed at the grassroots' level was also discussed.

No. of participants: 30

Feedback/Impact: The participants appreciated the clarity on the concept and the introduction to child rights providing a comprehensive overview of the issue. They vowed to bring increased focus to the issue that they felt had been neglected by them previously.