Project Salem People Trust (SPT)

Campaign Story

About the project

The serious issue in SPT’s operational area is that the rate of female feticide is at 28%. It is still in practice in the rural pockets due to the lack of livelihood options and poor wage system. Children drop out because schools and Anganwadis are very far away from interior hamlets. Lack of access to schools coupled with poor infrastructure like no safe and hygienic toilet facilities for girl children, electricity, playground and a friendly atmosphere are also major reasons for drop out.

Making a difference

CRY America’s project SPT works in Salem and Dharmapuri Districts, Tamil Nadu to ensure proper health and nutrition. The project activities are, enhancing the quality of education through direct engagement with stakeholders and sensitizing the community towards reduction in the rate of incidences of female feticide. The other activities include organizing health awareness for children at household level, awareness with parents and children focusing on enrollment & ensuring retention of children in the transiting grades.

The way forward

● Organize sessions for members of 16 adolescent collective members & 38 children collective on life skill modules
● Organize sessions for 100 parents on life skill modules
● Engage with teachers for re-enrolment of 30 dropouts, 50 irregular children and ensure support to cope up in studies
● Organize 7 cluster level awareness meetings on gender, patriarchy, and importance of girl children and reach out more than 300 community members
● Ensure the enrollment of 25 children are linked with the education scholarship

Project Impact

children transited to upper grades

1,634

children transited to upper grades

of children cleared 10th exam

87.3%

of children cleared 10th exam

women received maternity welfare support

64

women received maternity welfare support

parents linked with MNREGA scheme

23

parents linked with MNREGA scheme

parents participated in life skills sessions

180

parents participated in life skills sessions

Donate To Project

Last year’s budget: $36,130

Current Year’s Approved Grant

Education$37,701

Administration$5,586

Total Budget$43,287

Malti’s Determination to Continue Her Education

Malti lived in Salem with her parents and two younger siblings. Her father worked in the construction industry, and Malti had just completed her 10th grade. She was the eldest of her siblings. One day, Malti’s mother had to move to Udayapatti due to some family issues. People in Udayapatti advised to bring her children along for their safety, so the family moved and stayed there for six months, hoping to return once the problems were solved. However, they had to stay for over a year.

During a regular home visit, a team member from an organization enquired about Malti. Malti’s grandmother told the team member that she had joined the arts stream. However, when the team member verified they found out that Malti had dropped out of school and was forced to work at a footwear shop.

The team member decided to speak to Malti and visited the shop where she worked. Malti revealed that she had dropped out of school to support her family due to their financial status and had been working for almost a year now.

The team member confronted her parents about the situation and counseled them. They explained that it was never too late for Malti to enroll back in school. She highlighted that Malti was only 17 years old and that if she studied well, she could go to a good college and earn a better income. Otherwise, if she kept working, she might be married off early. The parents finally agreed to enroll Malti back in the Higher Secondary school.

The next day, the team member visited the school and helped enroll Malti into 11th grade in the arts stream. Malti has been attending school regularly since then, and the team member follows up with her regularly. Recently, Malti’s parents moved back to their village, and the team helped in providing MNREGA work opportunities to Malti’s mother to help support the family. The team now closely monitors her schooling and has also enrolled her into the Children Collective in the village.