Sankalp - The Initiative

SANKALP- THE INITIATIVE

ASK, as an NGO and CONRAN, a UK based buying house sourcing brass from Moradabad and committed to social development came together to begin an intervention in Moradabad in 1998. The foundation of the intervention was strongly based on two factors:

To reach across to the producer class and thereby build the value chain till the lowest level
To launch an intervention that can be built on the strengths of the two sectors viz; Corporate and Social Development.

The child was chosen as the focal point of intervention, primarily for few basic reasons:

He/she was most vulnerable, deprived and directly involved in the hazardous processes of the brass manufacturing.
Intervention with children would help in organizing the community and building trust and faith thereby paving way for initiating development activities with the family.
Providing developmental and childhood opportunities to these Children would enable them to become constructive and productive adult work force with an enhanced bargaining capacity for self

To sentient the community & stakeholders in the direction of inducing positive and strategic change in their attitudes and views is one of key objectives of Sankalp. This process was carried out in a non-threatening manner to evolve appropriate strategies to bring qualitative change in the lives of working children. The program endeavors to ensure to these children working in brass industry experience a normal childhood through educational, health, recreational and nutritional inputs in a non-formal ambience.

Working children in Moradabad comprise of only male and hence initial intervention was restricted to male children only. However, the project also has now included Girl Children taking into consideration the socio-economic realities, which deprive girls of a normal childhood. At present the project is providing development opportunities to 400 children.

Advocacy & Sensitization Program: Promoting best interests and rights of working children

In order to make sustainable impact on issue of Child rights, “Child Advocacy” project was started in 2001, under the same intervention with the objective to create an atmosphere in favor of working children through dialogues with all the stakeholders of civil society like Children, Youth, parents, NGOs, Media, exporters, Government Officers, social and political leaders, schools etc. The project was financially supported by Canadian international development agency (CIDA).

Service Offered by ASK

Facilitation on working children program

On the strength of its experience at SANKALP - a project aiming at holistic development of children working in brassware industry of Moradabad, ASK facilitates other NGOs and corporates in planning & implementation of community based social and economic development projects focusing on providing development opportunities to children in difficult circumstances to ensure normal childhood experiences and overall development to them.