Field Visit to WORD by Freedom Fund & Geneva Global

From September 2015, WORD has been implementing a Project to reduce the risks of young workers in Textile Industries in 50 villages in Pallipalayam & Trichengode blocks of Namakkal District with the support of Freedom Fund and Geneva Global. The project activities ultimately provide better protections to vulnerable populations to prevent cycles of various exploitations. 

Coordinated interventions will include: 

• Engaging with communities to improve access to education, training, and employment opportunities, and reinforcing community structures and social services to reduce vulnerability among adolescent girls and young workers.

• Working with district and state-level authorities to strengthen worker rights.

• Help families develop better economic opportunities and reduce their reliability on moneylenders and enable the government assistance schemes reach them effectively.

The officials from Geneva Global, Freedom Fund and C&A Foundation visited WORD on 28 October 2015 for project site visit. They interacted the community support group and the adolescent groups in E-Pudupalayam village in Pallipalayam block in Namakkal District. 

More on this project can be found at here.

PROGRAM TO REDUCE THE RISKS OF YOUNG WORKERS IN NAMAKKAL DISTRICT

With the financial support of Freedom Fund, US and with the collaboration with Geneva Global, US a new program has been launched in four districts in Tamilnadu viz Namakkal, Erode, Dindigul and Virudhunagar district to reduce the risks of young women in Textile Industries with 13 NGO partners.

Women’s Organisation in Rural Development (WORD), Leaf Society and Donbosco Anbu Illam are the implementing partners for this project in Namakkal District.

Textile Industries are the major source of income for most families in the district. Adolescent girls, young women, and migrant workers were recruited at spinning mills where the working condition was extremely exploitative.

Though the initiatives by the government had led to improvements in labour conditions, the problem continued to exist. The problems include, working overtime, restrictions on movement and communication with others, vulnerable to various exploitations and extremely low pay.

Hence, to reduce the young worker’s vulnerability to high-risk jobs, the NGOs will work alongside local government bodies and businesses to improve jobs for young women.

The concentrate co-ordinated efforts under this project are

• Engaging with communities to improve access to education, training, and employment opportunities, and reinforcing community structures and social services to reduce vulnerability among adolescent girls and young workers.
• Help families develop better economic opportunities and reduce their reliability on moneylenders and enable the government assistance schemes reach them effectively.
• Working with district and state-level authorities to strengthen young worker rights.

      The official launch of this project for Namakkal District held on 9th September 2015 at Hotel Coastal Residency, Namakkal which was jointly organised by WORD, Leaf Society & Donbosco Anbu Illam.

     Mrs. M. Renida Sarala, Director, WORD welcomed all. Mr. A. Balamurugan and Mr. A. K. Jaleel, Program Managers, Geneva Global delivered the key note address. Mr. C. Manjunathan, Inspector of Labour, Namakkal District, Dr. Sherin Philip, District Social Welfare Officer-Namakkal, Mrs. Anita Rosalin Mary, Deputy Director, Department of Industrial health & safety, Mr. M. Selvam, District Child Protection Officer, Namakkal,   Mr. A. B. Antony Jennit, Project Director, National Child Labour Project-Namakkal delivered the felicitation note. Fr. Amalopavaraj, Director, Donbosco Illam delivered the vote of thanks. 

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End term review learnings of Project Blooming Buds

Mr. Thangaperumal, Country Manager- India and Mr. Ezekiel Kanavalli, Program Officer from Terre des Hommes, Netherlands have visited WORD from 12-13 August 2015 to consolidate the end term review learning of Project Blooming Buds- Stop Child Exploitation Project in Namakkal.

Terre des Hommes, Netherlands have supported Project Blooming Buds from October 2007. 

They have reviewed the documents, had interactions with the staff and visited the field sites to get to know the impact of the project. Here are a few snaps from their field visits. 

Tribute to our great leader

Tribute to our great leader Dr. APJ. Abdul Kalam!!

Visit by MSW Students from Kongu College of Arts & Science to WORD

The I Year MSW Students from Kongu College of Arts & Science, Perundurai have visited the administrative office of WORD at Pallipalayam on 29 July 2015 to get to know the social developmental activities of WORD. 

During the program, the students have interacted the staff to get detailed information on the ongoing projects. 

Mrs. M. Renida Sarala, Director, WORD explained about our history, thrust areas, management mechanisms including planning, implementation, monitoring & evaluation of programs. She also clarified their doubts. 

Appreciation for WORD

Geneva Global with the funding of Freedom Fund is about to roll out a Hotspot Program in Tamilnadu comprising Erode, Namakkal, Dindigul and Virudhunagar districts to end modern slavery practices in Textile Industries.

The implementers workshop was organised at CEEMA, Erode on 22 July 2015 in which WORD also participated. 

WORD was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation for its dedication to the Community and Commitment to Stop Bonded and Forced Labour Practices within the Textile Industries in Namakkal District in Tamilnadu

Impact Evaluation

WORD implemented Project Blooming Buds with the support of Terre des Hommes, Netherlands from October 2007- September 2014. From October 2011 onwards the project focused on the children abuse and exploitation issues in poultry, power loom and brick kiln in Namakkal District with the core strategies on prevention, protection and prosecution. 

An impact evaluation has been carried out by Terre des Hommes, Netherlands to understand the impact of educational activities as a prevention mechanism against child exploitation among the project activities. 

Mrs. Joyathri Ray and Mrs. Kalpana Sathish, Consultants carried out the impact evaluation for WORD from 14-15, July 2015.

They had interactions with the project staff, met the target groups in the project sites, met the children in our short stay home for children, the network partners- National Child Labour Project (NCLP), District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), Namakkal, School Authorities- SBM Hr. Sec. School, Government Primary School- Porasapalayam, Anti Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU), Namakkal as part of this impact evaluation.