Girls at risk, Karunalayam

Background

The Good Shepherd Sisters in Mangalagiri have been working there since 1967. Their goal is the empowerment of girls and women in especially difficult circumstances. They especially focus on  Dalit women. The Sisters help the Dalit women in the villages of Guntur District by addressing and giving information on: the various social issues they experience, their economic conditions, and the reality of the political structures that they face. Each year, Karunalayam, which was started in 2000, has been offering rescue and rehabilitation for approximately 60 street girls, in difficult circumstances. Over the past five years, Karunalayam has become a well known centre and has formed sustainable partnerships with organisations and institutions that enhance the greater wellbeing of these girls who are victims of abuse and deprivation. 

Problem

In 2007 The Ministry of Women and Child Development in India conducted, for the first time, an important study on the extent of child abuse and neglect. The study involved 12,447 children and 4,800 young adults in 13 States of India and revealed that 53.22% of the children reported having faced one or more forms of sexual abuse. Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Assam and Delhi reported the highest percentage of such incidents. Despite the Indian Government’s willingness to address and improve the situation, it becomes complicated to create new laws and even more so to control their enforcement. 

Objectives

The goal of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd at Karunalayam centre, which offers services to these street children and other disadvantaged girls and children, is:

Activities

• Capacity building of the organisation: The staff team will have at least 2 phases of training each year; each phase will last 3 days. It will provide practical guidelines in facing the current challenges in the rehabilitation process of street and deserted girls. Experts in the field will be invited to illustrate how to build such a program and give some orientation about the issue.
• Orientation of parents of street and disadvantaged girls: Repeated counselling sessions, sensitisation camps and interactive sessions for the parents will be organised when needed or required. It is also proposed that the most sensitive communities will be provided with continuous orientation to enable the parents to internalise their roles and responsibilities in bringing up their children.
• Rehabilitation services: Will be offered to help the girls’ reintegration into their families. This is top priority when they enter the Karunalayam centre. Educational support services will cover educational expenses for the girls. With the help of other local organisations, the program at Karunalayam will also provide food, clothing, shelter, health care, supplementary education, vocational training, referral and legal aid. 

Progress/Results

• A 2 day training on 8th and 9th August 2008 was organised for all 13 staff members and presented by two experts in child issues. The staff members received guidelines about the child’s rights and how to safely rescue children.
• The staff identified the need and conducted two meetings in two different contact points, Tadepalli and Kolanukonda. On 4^th & 9^th August 2008, 110 parents gathered in their respective villages, and the staff organised orientation programmes about their children’s situation.
• Reproducing the past successful experiences, the Sisters of Good Shepherd in Mangalagiri, in collaboration with other institutions, initiated, in January 2009, a 6-month training in Embroidery & Fashion Designing at Mandadam village. On completion, the girls received a certificate.
• On 6^th October 2008 a special medical camp was organised with the support of Dr. K. Ravindra M.B.B.S. He gave advice on health, hygiene and nutrition, and every child got a general health check up. Dr. Madhusudhana Rao regularly holds children’s clinics.
• On 4^th February 2009 a state level consultation meeting with different NGOs, Forums and Networks was held in Vijayawada to lobby all the political parties to produce a Child Friendly Political Manifesto with the collaboration of the children.
• Among the 65 girl children in Karunalayam, 47 are attending formal education in different schools, 12 attended vocational education and 6 are attending special school.
• Karunalayam provides the opportunity to develop potential artistic talent among the girls through drawing, clay works, dance, picnic, movies while at play and recreating.