Small Steps Foundation
www.smallstepsfoundation.org
40471 Torenia Circle, Fremont CA 94538
PROJECT PROPOSAL
Contact Information:
Contact Person Name
Logo (if available)
Your Organization’s Name
Ramesh Sekhar Reddy.P
FCRA Details:
The Organization was registered with Ministry of Home
Affairs for receiving foreign funds under Registration No.:
010230388
Year of Establishment &
Years of operation
The Organization was registered as Non-governmental
Organization, under Public Societies Registration Act, 1340,
Government of Andhra Pradesh on 22nd October, 1994 and
the Registration No: 5238/94
Address
# 1-8-522/42, Flat No. 105, SV’s Papaiah Estate,
Chikkadpally, Hyderabad – 500 020
040-27641858
040-27646231
hyd1_mahita@sancharnet.in
mahitahyd2002@yahoo.com
Phone(s)
Fax
Email
The document is divided into 2 sections.
Section 1: Questions on pages 2 to 4 relate to the whole organization.
Section 2: Questions on Page 5 relate to a specific EDUCATION project(s) that you would like
us (SSF) to support/fund. If you have more than 1 project that you would like us to fund you can
make copies of page 5. For each project provide a separate sheet (i.e. page 5)
We define EDUCATION as formal, non-formal and alternative education, remedial &
tuition classes, vocational or skill-based training.
Small Steps Foundation
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Section 1: Organization Details
A. Introduction to your organization
(Please feel free to attach any additional sheets and/or information such as brochures, press reports etc.)
1. Brief background information
Mahita, a term derived from ancient Indian scriptures, means regeneration. Mahita is a team of
committed individuals who formed in to a group in 1995 to initiate development activity in the
urban slum areas. Mahita's ideal is to generate development that is socially just, economically
viable and culturally vibrant and true to the area and regional ethos. Mahita consists of team of
social scientists with experience in various social sector developments. It was a convergence
of mutual commitment that initiated Mahita with a motivation to facilitate development
opportunities with special focus on the poor of the urban slums especially girl children.
The core issues addressed by Mahita in urban slums of Hyderabad is: creating education
amongst child labour and non-school going children, developing livelihood skills for youth
and empowering women in enhancing their social status and decision making power,
Corporal punishment in the school, early child marriages, abuse and exploitation of children
apart from other issues concerned to Child and Human Rights with a special emphasis on
issues of girl children.
2. Mission statement
Ensure all the children have equal rights, accessibility to education, health, protective
environment, equal participation and to realize the rights of poor and marginalized
communities to access quality services.
3. Describe scope of work
a. Cities/states covered
82 urban slums of Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy district of Andhra Pradesh
b. Target development area (for example education, health etc.)
Education, Child rights and Community empowerment.
c. Target population (for example children of ages 5 to 10 years etc.)
Children, especially the girls in the age group of 6-14 years and adolescent girls in
the age group of 14-18 years.
4. Describe what ‘Success’ mean to your organization.
All the children are going to schools and acquiring education in a friendly and protective
environment, without any dropouts, and the community is taking ownership of program
and taking care of rights of children both at home and community level- We believe this
as a success of our organizations.
5. List internal and external performance metrics by which you measure success. Share
performance evaluation against your organization’s goals/metrics for the past two years
Annual reports for last 2 years enclosed
6. Management and governance (for example number of board of directors etc). Provide an
organization chart with names/titles of key personnel
Small Steps Foundation
Board Members:
Prof.Kethu Vishwanatha Reddy
Ms.Gita Ramaswamy
Mr.Ramesh Sekhar Reddy
Dr.Ch.Mastan Rao
Mr.M.Uma Shankar
Sis.Swarna
Ms.Tanuja Shammohan
Page 3 of 20
-
PRESIDENT
VICE-PRESIDENT
General Secretary
Joint Secretary
Treasurer
Executive Member
Executive Member
The core values of the organization are transparency, good governance, accountability, and
equity. MAHITA believes the same over years and peculating in to field also. Towards
achieving the goals of the organization the committed staff has formed into a core committee
for implementation as well as monitoring and evaluation of the activities at ground level.
The Board supports organization in developing core philosophy and the values to inform the
work. It also brings in information on policies of national and international level, bridging
crucial links between programme work and the current external environment. The policies
for the organization both financial and programmatic have to be approved by Board. The
nominees of the Board visit project areas and interact with the team for periodic reviews and
monitoring. .The Board guides the core group in understanding the macro policies and
supporting them in conceptualizing the fieldwork. They share the information and
experiences of their work elsewhere. During the review meetings they facilitate motivators
and core group in analysis and conceptualizing of the fieldwork. The Board reviews and
approves auditor statement of accounts, annual plans and other legal affairs.
Backgrounds of key Trustees
Prof. Kethu Vishwanatha Reddy: A retired professor from Dr. Ambedkar University,
and a prominent Telugu Poet and short story writer, with vast experience in the field of
social development and was associated with many National and International
organizations. Mr. Reddy was also honored by “Kendra Sahitya Academy” award in the
year 1998 by government of India.
Ms. Gita Ramaswamy: A prominent Human Rights Activist and a columnist in Deccan
Chronicle (Daily Newspaper). She has been associated with many movements and
advocacy campaigns on land, children and women rights. Apart this she has undertaken
many studies for UNICEF, Save the Children and other national and international
organizations.
Dr. Ch. Mastan Rao: A scientist by profession in Hyderabad Remote Sensing Agency, having a
philanthropic outlook towards social development. He is also been associated with many research
projects such as Hydro Geology, Natural Resource Management etc.
Mr. M. Uma Shankar: A software engineers, associated with an Multinational software
development firm rendering his voluntary services for MAHITA in carrying out many activities
in the slum areas.
Ms. Tanuja Shammohan: A Post Graduate in social work from Osmania University, having a
very rich experience in social development. She has also been associated with many Urban and
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Rural NGO’s and made many remarkable achievements. As an activist she had very effectively
worked for the rights of women.
7. Size
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
Permanent employees 15
Part-time employees 4
Volunteers 80
Support staff 2% total; Project staff 98%
Funds received in the past two years, Rupees 80,19.905 and Rupees 81,15,407
Annual spend in the past two years, Rupees 72,82,564 and Rupees 83,19,057;
Provide 75 % spent on your Programs/Projects and 25% spent on Administration
(support staff, administrative activities etc.)
g. Number of Projects supported in the past two years & total since inception, 8 and
6
h. Number of children supported in the past two years & total since inception, ,
5204 and 23,600 children
i. Girl: Boy ratio 30:70
8. Education focus - Describe your organization’s focus on EDUCATION as a:
a. % of annual spend in the past two years, 70% and 82%
b. % of projects supported in the past two years, 60% and 720%
c. % of children supported in the past two years, 80% and 85%
d. % of employees, volunteers
B. Financial Information for the Organization
(Please attach financial reports, annual budget, annual reports (if available)
1. Share funding sources across projects for the last 5 years
Previous Projects:
Sl.No
Name of the Project
01
Social Movement for Basic
Rights
02
Creating Educational
Opportunities for Children
03
Strengthening of Mahila Arogya
Sanghas through Link
Volunteers
04
Pre-School Education through
Play Schools
Period
Supporting Agency
2001-2005 Manos Unidas, Spain
1999-2004 Child Relief and You,
Bangalore
1995-2001 IPP-VIII, Municipal
Corporation of Hyderabad,
Govt.of AP
2000-2004 DPEP, Govt.of A.P.
Mahita has been a Nodal Agency
On going Projects:
Sl.No Name of the Project
01
Quality and inclusive
education in Andhra Pradesh
02
Empowerment of Girl Children
03
Promoting Child Rights through
Strengthening of Grass Root
Period
On going
On going
On going
Supporting Agency
Save the Children (UK),
South Zone, Hyderabad
Rajiv Gandhi Foundation,
New Delhi
DKa Austria, Austria
(Consulting Office at
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Level Interventions in Andhra
Pradesh
Continuing Education Centre
for Women and Children
04
05
06
07
Hyderabad)
On going
India Literacy project,
Bangalore
Education a Tool for
Community Empowerment
Providing Computer Literacy
On going
National Education Group,
NEG, New Delhi
United Way, Mumbai
Opportunities through
Education, Income Generation
and Skill training
On going
On going
Global Fund for Children,
USA
2. Share future funding sources; briefly describe your fund raising activities
The future fund raising plan of Mahita will be as follows
1. Fund raising from corporate sectors
2. local community contributions
3. Corpus fund for further sustainability of the organization through memberships
Funding agencies to be approached for the purposes
-
Corporate sectors (Microsoft, HSBC, Accenture etc)
Foundation and Charitable Trusts ( Charity Aid Foundation, Smile Foundation)
3. Describe any restrictions attached to the funds raised or if the funds have been earmarked
for a specific project(s)
No
4. Provide a brief one line description of key planned capital projects or purchases and
corresponding capital needs.
Mahita is overseeing a full fledged infrastructure with appropriate facilitates for creating
education amongst the underprivileged children of the slum for which Mahita is seeking a
capital investments from any government and non-government agency.
5. Provide details of funds raised and other income in the table below under Actual columns
for the past two years and under Projected columns for the coming two years:
In Rupees
Funds
raised
Income
Earned
Other
Total
Actual
2006
77,98,210
Actual
2007
77,90,914
Projected
2008
80,00,000
Projected
2009
90,00,000
68,521
57,781
70,000
80,000
22,16,95
80,88,426
32,44,93
81,73,388
30,00,000
83,70,000
3,60,000
94,40,000
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6. Provide details of the following major categories of expenses under Actual columns for
the past two years and under Projected columns for the coming two years:
In Rupees
Actual
2006
Actual
2007
Projected
2008
Projected
2009
63,32,18
68,05,18
70,00,000
80,00,000
-
-
-
-
32,36,122
21,25,871
25,00,000
28,00,000
32,23021
53,78,011
50,00,000
55,00,000
Capital/Fixed Expense
19,02,03
13,46,57
1,50,000
2,00,000
Total Spend
72,82,564
83,19,057
83,50,000
93,00,000
Marketing & Fund
raising activities
Overhead (rent,
utilities, subscriptions,
telephony, supplies)
Salaries and Benefits
for Management
Salary and Benefits for
the employees
(excluding the
management)
Payments to Directors/
Governance Body
Other key expense
category
Total Recurring or
Operating Expense
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7. Provide the following balance sheet information under Actual columns for the past two
years and under Projected columns for the coming two years:
In Rupees
Actual
Actual
Projected
Projected
2006
2007
2008
2009
Cash and Investments
20,59,931 21,14,262 15,00,000
18.00,000
Property and Equipment
28,620
27,930
50,000
50,000
Other
Total Assets
20,88,551 21,42,200 15,50,000
18,50,000
Account Payable
Short Term Liabilities
(Loans)
Long Term Loan (greater
than 1 year maturity)
Mortgage
Other
Total Liabilities
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
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Section 2: Project Details
1. Project name and key contact person from your organization
Creating educational opportunities for the children of migrant construction workers
Key Contact person of organization: Mr. Ramesh Sekhar Reddy.P
2. Share a concise summary of the project, the ‘problem’ it tackles and how the project will
help alleviate the problem:
PROBLEM STATEMENT:
The rapid process of urbanization and fast track development of corporate industry in Hyderabad
and its surroundings have attracted many builders and developers towards it. Major construction
firms across the country have planned and invested in the various major projects of Hyderabad. The
emergence of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and construction of flyovers, over bridges,
shopping malls, apartments and offices have been increased. The need for skilled as well as
unskilled labour also increased in the same process. To cater the needs of the construction
companies many of the people are adopting Labour contracting as a profession and are procuring
cheap labour from various states of India and districts of Andhra Pradesh on a contractual basis thus
assuring them shelter and sufficient remuneration for their work.
Asif Nagar mandal being the adjoining mandal of Rajendernagar mandal where enormous
construction site are emerging as an opportunity for the labour to earn livelihoods, over a period of
last 3 years many of the migrants settled at the vicinity of the slums adopting occupation of
construction laborers these laborers are currently living in the make shift huts provided by the
construction site owners and their contractors, among them few are living in the slums areas of asif
nagar, traveling regularly to the construction sites. As most of them are migrated to the city along
with the families in search of livelihoods by their own or brought by the contractors prefers to work
along with their children. Hence their children cannot able to get opportunity of education.
Summary of the Project:
The project intend to create educational opportunities for the children of migrant construction
workers in 2 slum areas of Asif Nagar mandal, through establishing Educational Centers within the
accessibility of the children. The primary objective of the project is to brining continuity in
education for the children who are migrating with their parents to the city. The proposed project
would also undertake Child Tracking Mechanisms to track further educational status of the children
who have enrolled at the Educational Centers. Child Friendly teaching – learning environment
would be enabled at the centers to motivate and attract the children towards education
a. What is the ‘Target’ beneficiary population?
`
The target group will be the children of migrant construction workers, in between the age
group of 6-14 years.
b. Where possible, quantify your assessment of the problem and your solution with
supporting data
1. Problem:
The real estate boom and high investments of international construction companies in infrastructure
development at the Rajendernagar mandal has created a great demand for the labour market
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especially in the construction industry. The prevailing situations at the surrounding districts and
states across India due to natural calamities pushing the rural poor to migrate in search of
livelihoods. The current demand for the labour force pulling many such migrants towards
Hyderabad and its surrounding belts such as Rajendernagar mandal. The labour contractors play a
vital role in brining such labouers to the construction sites who pay them lumpsum amount for half
or one year as per the project duration. The labour contractors prefer to bring labour from backward
areas of states like backward districts of Andhra Pradesh.
Usually these migrant labours come along with their families, leaving behind their older parents at
the villages. The services of such labours are very cheap therefore most of the national and
international construction companies prefer them for work. Majority of these labours working in the
in the area are from backward areas of Kurnool, Prakasham, Warangal and Mahaboobnagar districts
of Andhra Pradesh who are speaks telugu, whereas some labours belongs to Maharastra, Bihar, and
Uttarpradesh, who speaks Marathi, Bihari and Hindi languages.
The migrant workers were accommodated in a temporary make shift huts at the surrounding of the
construction sites. Without provision of electricity, drinking water sanitation facilities. As most of
them migrant along with their families, both the parents are engaged in to work whereas the older
children sometimes help their parents in their work or engage themselves in taking care of younger
siblings. Most of the children go unattended by the parents due to pressure of work, even their
health needs are go unaddressed by them thus make them to suffer with common alignments. Due
to inaccessibility of educational institutions in their know languages their children cannot able to
get educated.
Solution:
The issues can be addressed through establishing Educational Centers at the surrounding
of the construction sites and through motivating the construction workers to send their
children to the educational centers to make them continue their education.
Strategies:




Motivating and counseling Construction workers for sending their children to
educational centers
Establishing educational centers at the accessibility of children.
Sensitizing the construction site owners for not engaging the children in work.
Develop linkages with the government to foresee follow up of the process.
CONSTRAINTS:
-
Ignorance and lack of awareness among the construction workers on importance of
education.
-
Construction site owner’s exploitation to gain cheap labour.
-
Lack of interest among the children to pursue education at the educational centers.
-
Poverty of the construction workers
-
Accessibility of the schools for mainstreaming these children
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Overcoming Strategies

Motivational and mobilization of construction workers towards sending their children to
educational centers
Creating awareness among the construction site owners and workers on importance of
education for the children
Enabling a child friendly and attractive educational syllabus for attracting the children
towards education.


3. Provide measurable project objectives



The project envisages development of 100 children, of migrant construction labours
though proving education to the children in the age group 6-14 years.
Establish of two Educational Centers at the accessible distance to the construction
sites.
Mainstreaming of these children in to manifold of education system
4. Statement of Work: List proposed work items and Resource requirements.
Sl.No
1.
2.
3.
4.
7
Name of the Activity
Requirement of
resources
Educational Centres
Running of the 2 Educational Centers at slums
Rs.2000 X 2centers X 12 months (rent for the centers includes
water, electricity, etc.,)
Educational Material
Rs.10000 X 2 centers (reading material, boards, books for the
centers, carpets etc.,)
Community awareness campaign (including cultural
activities & wall paintings) Rs;1000 x 12 programs
Honorarium to teachers/Counselors for the educational
centers
Rs. 3000 X 2persons X 12 months – Teachers
Administration (Rs.1000x12months) (Printing, Stationary,
Accounts, Auditing, Traveling etc.,
Total Project Cost
48,000-00
20,000-00
12,000-00
72,000-00
12.000-00
1,64,000-00
5. Project Timetable: Present a timetable for each phase of the project.
Description
Start Date to Completion
Date
1st Month
Phase 1 1. Establishment of
Educational Centers
2. Development and
purchase of Educational
material
1st Month – 2nd Month
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Phase 2 Community awareness
campaigns (sensitization of
the community on
importance of education
and other social aspects
From 1st Month – On going
process
6. Budget: Provide a budget for the project. Use a table or chart to show budgeted items and
total cost.
Resource
Budget
Personnel
72,000-00
Technology
20,000-00
Distribution
48,000-00
Promotion
12,000-00
Other Services
12,000-00
Total Cost
1,64,000-00
7. Key Personnel: Provide an organization chart of the project management team
Management Staff:
Name
Ramesh Sekhar
Reddy.P
Educational
Qualifications
M.A.
(Sociology)
Swaroop Kumar
B.A. BSW
Ms.Rafia Nousheen
M.A.
(Literature)
Years
Work Experience
Associated from the
inception of the
organization
Associated from the
inception of the
organization
7 Years Experience
with Organization
15years experience in the
field of Rural and Urban
developmental activities
20 years experience in
the field of development
Ms.Latha Kumar
B.Sc., (Nursing)
8 Years experience
with Organization
Mr. Mallikharjuna
Reddy
B.Com.
Associated from the
inception of
organization
6 Years experience
with Organization
Ms.Nazia
B.A
8. Evaluation: Discuss how and when the project will be evaluated.
6 years experience in
Teaching and Language
Development
16 years experience in
the field of community
Development
10 years work experience
in the field of Financial
Management
6 Years work experience
in the area of community
motivation and
Mobilisation
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a. List quality assurance steps that will occur during the project.
-
Quality assurance steps
Monthly reviews with staff and stakeholders
Day to day attendance of children
Course curriculum and syllabus
Progress Reports
Meetings with community
Monitoring by Project In-charge
b. List evaluation methods that will be used after the project is complete.
Mahita will submit a performance report of activities planned and undertaken to the
Foundation every 6 months and the Foundation can review the project staff and Mahita.
Mahita will conduct the reviews with the project staff and the stake holders of the
programme in every month. Annual evaluation can be made by the Foundation according
to its norms and specification like qualitative and quantitative achievements of the project
c. List the quantitative and qualitative performance metrics that you will utilize to
measure performance
Quantative
2 educational centers for 100 children will
established for providing educational
opportunities.
90 families sensitized on educational
development of the children
Qualitative
Increased Minimum Levels of Learning of the
children
Develop the interest on Education and willing
to mainstream in to formal education
Awareness on Child Rights: The Project will
generate awareness among the community on
the child rights which they are ignoring, they
came to know about what is right and what is
wrong in the context of children.
Decrease in incidence of Child Labour: It
hopes that the child labour and domestic child
labour rate in the projected will come down, in
the project level in compassion with the earlier
rate of child labour .
d. Explain how you will act on the results of your assessments and project evaluation.
The evaluation or assessment of the project is definitely provide learning’s for the
future course of interventions, which will be very useful for the organization further
progress and will also strengthen the capacities of the staff to act upon the
information as soon as they found it critical. Mahita’s team always welcomes the
suggestions and critical evaluations.
9. Endorsements: List endorsements from individuals or organizations, if available
No
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10. Funds: List current and futures sources of funds for this project and amount of funds
collected from each source:
The support for the proposed project is not been approached anywhere other than
the Small Steps Foundation
Answers to the Queries from Small Steps Foundation:
Greetings from Mahita
As per your suggestions we are providing the information.
1. Mention of the names of two slums where the education centers will be started
(Alluri SitharamaRaju Slum -100 families & Veer Nagar slum - 250 families)
The proposed slums where the intervention is to be carried out are pre-dominated
with Migrant Construction workers, from backwards districts of Andhra Pradesh.
Alluri Sitaramaraju Nagar is having approx. 100 – 120 families of construction
workers, whereas the Veer Nagar is accommodating 220 -250 families.
2. Mention profiling of kids to access the education awareness/literacy level at
program entry and then again at program exit.
The project would create access to education for the children of migrant
construction workers. Most of the children especially the girls are left at the home
to take care of the younger siblings, whereas the male were taken along with them
to assist in loading and unloading concrete, bricks etc at the construction sites.
The intervention will create educational opportunities for two age groups i.e.,
children in the age group of 6-9 years and 10-14 years. The younger children were
provided with Minimum Levels of Learning for further mainstreaming them to the
nearby schools. The grown up children will be prepared for higher education
through Distance Education system for further career development.
Entry and Exit Levels:


The children in the age group of 6-9 years will be prepared for mainstreaming
into the formal schools. They will be retained at the centers for 6-8 months.
The children in the age group of 10-14 years will be also be prepared for
mainstreaming as well as their learning levels will be developed for open
schooling.
3. Please mention under quantivative performance measurement the GOAL of
achieving like 50 kids/ 50 percentages of kids to enroll in mainstream school as a
result of this effort. Please put the number that is more realistic.
The interventions will create educational access to 100 children through
Educational Centers. 60% of these children will be mainstreamed in to formal
education system.
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4. Please mention contact information for Mr. Swaroop Kumar as well who will be
involved with this project implementation
Mr. Swaroop Kumar
Program Administrator
Mahita
Flat.No. 105, SV’S Papaiah Estate, Chikkadpally,
Hyderabad – 20
Tel : 040-27641858 Mob: 9985469752
Please provide Break down of the age-group to 1) 6-9 yrs who will get be given
education from 9am - 1pm 2) 10-14yrs who will be given supportive education from
2 - 4:30pm. Also give an approximate break-up of kids between these two groups
like 70:30.
The project intends to cover 70% children in the age group of 6-9 years and 30 %
will be 10-14 years.
5. Also provide details of " Education Plan for the Year " like Govt literacy kit to be
followed for 6 months to provide education for 6-9yrs old, and then focus on govt
school books and curricula for 4 months to help them get absorbed in mainstream
schools.
Mahita would like to adopt the books from other NGOs to teach in the centres. We
would like to follow the Educational Kit developed by Rajiv Vidya Mission (SSA).
The Kit contained basic literacy skills covering Alphabets, Numbers, Simple
Mathematics, Environmental Science and Social Studies. This kit will be adopted
for 8 months and remaining 4 months, we will adopt the government school
syllabus to develop the minimum levels of the learning among the children
according to their age groups.
6. Also provide details of "Education Plan for the Year” like National distance learning
exams intended for 10-14 yrs old which will be initiated.
We are planning to coordinate with National Institute of Open Schooling for
preparing the children of 10-14 years to acquire higher education. The Education
plan will be developed as per the Syllabus of AP Open School System.
7. Some more details on what is involved in Community Awareness Campaigns which
are to be held every month like on Child labor, and other issues.
The community awareness campaigns will be primarily planned to sensitize the
parent of the children and other community members on the importance of
education. Meetings with the parents and community members will be organized
at the slum to discuss about socio- economic and legal issues. In regard to the
child labour they will be oriented on laws and mechanisms of the government to
stop child labour. This programmes will take every month basis.
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Activity Photographs
Adolescent Girls at Computer Literacy Centers
Science Resource Centers of Mahita
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Community Meetings at Slums
Health Camps at the Slum
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Children at Other Educational Centers
Children at Educational Centers
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Children at the Consultation
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NGO Capacity Building Programs by Mahita in other districts
Street play on Child Protection
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Puppet Show