Project Wide Angle

Campaign Story

About the project

The Kangpokpi and Imphal West districts of Manipur are facing ongoing social unrest due to conflict among tribal communities. This has deeply affected the lives of children and women, with many families displaced or left without stable shelter. Limited access to healthcare, prolonged school closures, and the repurposing of educational institutions as relief camps or military bases have significantly disrupted children’s education, pushing many into early labor. The continued uncertainty and instability are also taking a toll on their emotional well-being.

Making a difference

CRY America’s Wide Angle Social Development project works to improve children’s access to education while safeguarding their mental and physical well-being. Key activities include identifying out-of-school children and supporting their enrolment, strengthening child protection mechanisms, and reinforcing school systems by working closely with Child Protection Committees and School Management Committees. The project also sets up support classes and connects children to relevant educational programmes. Additionally, the project also provides counselling for both parents and children, helping families cope with ongoing social distress and gradually rebuild a sense of stability, safety, and well-being in their lives.

The way forward

● Facilitate academic sessions for 570 children across 5 learning centres to help bridge their learning gaps

● Enrol 30 out-of-school children (aged 6–14 years) into schools, and support them through life skills sessions

● Conduct life skills sessions for at least 50 children from the Children’s Collective across 5 remedial centres

● Provide educational support materials to at least 50% of vulnerable children identified through Village Child Protection Committees (VCPCs) and CRY’s remedial centres

Project Impact

9

Children removed from labor and re-enrolled in schools

100

Children participated in sports

1,330

Children received essential relief materials

610

Children attended learning camps on psychological wellbeing

235

Children received psychological support through cultural engagement

610

Children accessing learning support at CRY’s learning center

Last year’s grant disbursed for Jan 25’ to Dec ‘25: $24,067

This year’s grant approved for Jan ‘26 to Dec ‘26:

Education$4,218

Administration$1,144

Protection$93

Participation$1,057

Total Budget$6,512

Juhi’s path back to possibility

In the conflict-affected regions of Manipur, where uncertainty shapes everyday life, Juhi*, a Grade 8 student, was on the verge of dropping out. Ongoing tensions at home and financial strain meant that much of the household responsibility fell on her mother, and gradually on Juhi as well, at an age when her focus should have been on school. At times, the pressure felt overwhelming. She tried to leave home in search of relief, but each time, she returned. As challenges deepened, her family began to see early marriage as a way to ease their circumstances.

When CRY America’s project team learned about Juhi’s situation, they stepped in with care and persistence. Through repeated visits, they engaged her parents in conversations about the risks and consequences of child marriage, and the importance of continuing her education. They also shared information about government support programs to help ease the financial burden of schooling. To ensure a holistic intervention, the team reached out to the boy’s family as well, helping them understand the legal implications and long-term impact of child marriage. Along with members of the Child Welfare Committee and a counselor, they supported both families in reflecting on the opportunities education could offer Juhi.

With consistent follow-ups and collective efforts, the marriage was eventually called off. Today, Juhi is back in school in Grade 9, taking steady steps toward a future shaped by her own aspirations.

*Name changed to protect child’s identity

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