Project Eco Foundation for Research and Training (EFFORT)

Campaign Story

About the project

Bhadradri Kothagudem in the Telangana district has an 80% tribal population. Their major livelihood depends on agriculture. The infant mortality rate and Under-Five Mortality Rate (U5MR) in this community are higher than the state average. Due to poor living standards, lack of prenatal and postnatal awareness, and limited healthcare access, children suffer from anemia, malnutrition, and severely stunted growth. Low-income levels and lack of parental awareness are significant factors contributing to school dropouts, child labor, and child marriages. Additionally, Anganwadi centers face significant challenges in fostering Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) due to a lack of space and outdated training resources.

Making a difference

CRY America’s Project Eco Foundation for Research & Training (EFFORT) works toward bridging the gap between the privileged and the underprivileged by facilitating healthcare access, providing nutritional support, and encouraging family participation in the 48 villages of Bhadradri Kothagudem District. Key activities under this project include identifying vulnerable families, providing parental counseling for children’s health and education, tracking pregnant women, lactating mothers, and malnourished children, ensuring immunization of new born children, and improving Anganwadi centers. Another focus area is forming children and adolescent collectives to raise awareness about child labor, child marriage, and school dropouts.

The way forward

● Ensure data collection for 1,800 identified vulnerable families.
● Sensitize 350 pregnant and lactating mothers on nutritional values, child care, and the importance of immunization.
● Create 24 village health committees to ensure better healthcare access and encouraging institutional deliveries.
● Track 231 children aged 0-3 years for immunization and monitor the health of all lactating and pregnant mothers
● Assess all 48 Anganwadi centers and support them with improved infrastructural facilities.
● Track all 637 children aged 3-6 years and monitor their growth and immunization.
● Build 15 children collectives and 15 adolescent collectives
● Organize capacity-building activities with the existing 10 childrens collectives and 15 adolescent collectives

Project Impact

Child laborers identified and re-enrolled in schools

438

child laborers identified and re-enrolled in schools

Dropped out children identified and re-enrolled in schools

58

dropped out children identified and re-enrolled in schools

Youth and women trained in skill-based programs

234

youth and women trained in skill-based programs

Families received financial aid for land development activities

167

families received financial aid for land development activities

Families received MGNREGA job cards

3,608

families received MGNREGA job cards

Villages facilitated with Community-Based Organization (CBO) centers

74

villages facilitated with Community-Based Organization (CBO) centers

Last Year’s Grant Disbursed : $53,911

Current Year’s Approved Grant (Jan to Dec 2024): $32,927

From child laborer to children’s leader

Twelve-year-old Anjana resides in one of the villages in Budaun district. When she lost her mother to COVID-19, she was forced to drop out of school after completing her 5th standard and was pressured to work as a child laborer. She was made to sit and sell things on the streets during festive times to support her family and was often bullied by her peers.

CRY America Project SVS discovered Anjana, who was a keen learner and aspired to succeed in life. The project team linked her and her younger brother with a state program that financially aids children in need. The team counseled her father and convinced him to support Anjana in completing her education. Consequently, Anjana was re-enrolled in the 6th standard and started attending support classes at the CRY’s Child Activty Center (CAC).

Upon discovering that Anjana’s father was spending the educational aid on buying himself a motorbike and getting his second daughter married, she immediately warned him about the consequences. She counseled her father on the misuse of aid, which could result in the suspension of the funds from the government. She managed to convince her father and he instead bought her a bicycle to commute to school daily. Anjana, who was once a child laborer, is now the chairperson of her children’s community group. She takes leadership in organizing adolescent group meetings and other initiatives in the village. Anjana is also receiving educational support from the CAC and ensures to keep herself motivated to complete her education.

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