Santosh’s Progress at the CARC Center
Santosh’s family background was marred by turmoil. His mother battled acute depression, a weight that she carried with the help of medication. The absence of his father, who had left due to the strain of his wife’s mental condition, left Santosh without any support. Financial hardships were a constant companion for their small family.
Before joining CARC, Santosh’s life had been a series of uphill battles. Irregular school attendance, combined with the burden of financial struggles, left him feeling isolated and adrift. His condition resulted in bullying, causing him to withdraw from extracurricular activities, academics, and even sports.
However, when Santosh joined CARC, despite the difficulties in sharing his past, CARC provided him with a safe space where his challenges were acknowledged and understood. The mere act of sharing his struggles, of being heard and recognized, was a transformative step on its own.
This process wasn’t instant; rather, it was a gradual building of bridges. Whether through connecting him with peers who shared similar experiences or interests, or offering avenues for participation in group activities, CARC nurtured Santosh’s sense of belonging. Slowly but surely, he started to feel a web of support forming around him, shattering the walls of isolation that had once entrapped him.
As he journeyed with CARC, Santosh’s transformation began to shine brightly. His attendance at school became consistent, and the spark of interest in his studies was reignited. The positivity he garnered from his CARC experiences spilled over into his school life, where he began to actively participate in activities, forming bonds with friends and classmates.
Through CARC’s unwavering commitment, Santosh found himself on a path of hope, resilience, and personal growth. Each step he took was a triumphant testament to the difference that a caring environment can make in a child’s life.
The Problem
The closure of 1.5 million schools due to the pandemic and the resultant lockdowns has affected millions of children in India. While the repeated lockdowns had stalled economic activity and pushed more families into poverty, the situation also took a toll on the education of children and heightened the risk of drop-out of school thereby undoing years of effort to break intergenerational cycles of deprivation. Children have been at heightened risk of exploitation, especially since school closures have not only precluded many from access to education but also from a main source of shelter and nourishment. In some of our operational areas we saw an increase in child labor of more than 200% during the last two years. The Covid-induced situation has also resulted in a spike in child marriages.
The Solution
The Child and Adolescent Resource Centre (CARC) Programme is specifically designed to cater to the needs of children between the ages of 6 to 18 years who are at risk of dropping out of the school system and are vulnerable to child marriage, trafficking, and child labor. The program has various aims, including the retention of motivation levels and positivity about education amongst children to prevent them from dropping out of school. It also focuses on building the agency of children through life skills and sports to promote their well-being and confidence to pursue their aspirations and recover from losses. Another critical aim of the program is to transform parents’ and caregivers’ mindset regarding the importance of education and the value of protecting their children. Additionally, the program aims to reinforce informed and aware community vigilance and action to protect children and influence government mechanisms to function optimally for the care and protection of children at all levels from village to state.
Impact of the Project
● 124 villages covered
● 4981 children covered under 6 to 18 years age
● 4390 children in center attending school regularly
● 4554 attended CARC and are not in labor
● 4208 attended CARC and are not married
2023 Plans
● Working with 3660 children across 24 centers
● Retain motivation levels and positivity about education amongst children
● Provide study support and bridge classes for grade 6 to 12
● Provide class appropriate teaching aid and workbooks
● Facilitate digital education to children in grade 10 to 12.
● Conduct life skill sessions with children and adolescents for overall mental and emotional development
● Career guidance & skill programs for children
● Build the agency of children through life skills and sports to promote well-being and confidence
● Enable transformation of parents and caregivers with regard to the importance of education
● Influence government mechanisms to function optimally for the care and protection of children at all levels
● Reinforce informed and aware community vigilance and action to protect children
