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Mahila Mandal

One of FSC's successful projects funded through WHFC has been the creation of women's groups living in the Azad Nagar Slum called Mahila Mandal. Forty women from the community have formed a group to initiate the process of economic empowerment through Self Help Groups (SHG).

Social workers from FSC work closely with this group, which meets every Friday. They discuss topics like healthcare, contraception, nutrition, personal hygiene, education for children, and identifying training opportunities for self sufficiency. Social workers have made the women aware of previously public resources they either didn't know existed or couldn't access before.

Garbage Disposal

Community volunteers, mainly the women from the Mahila Mandal, worked closely with city workers for removal of garbage to greatly improve the sanitary conditions in the Azad Nagar slums. The alley was previously a dump. It has been almost completely cleaned up, and two new garbage bins have been intsalled. Campaigns for maintaining clean surroundings are conducted on a regular basis with full involvement from the community. The women have devised a system for garbage disposal and have formed groups for maintenance of sanitation and hygiene in the area.

Tuberculosis Clinics

Mahila Mandal volunteers Ehmati Shaikh and Akhtani Shaikh have developed a community-based slum-friendly health education program on tuberculosis. Groups formed in the slums are responsible for community dialogue and door-to-door visits to TB patients to monitor their health, nutrition and hygiene, and take them to the Public Health Center for treatment. Audio/visuals are also used to build awareness in the community. This project has been successful in early detection of infectious TB cases, reducing the number of infectious individuals in the community and therefore limiting transmission.

Balwaadi

The Balwaadi provides pre-school education to children ages 2 to 4 years, a community priority identified by the Mahila Mandal. 30-35 children attend the school every day for 4 hours. Reshma Sheikh, a Mahila Mandal volunteer, provides a daily nutritious meal to the children. The teacher, Sushma Sabre, belongs to the same community as the children. She was identified and trained by FSC social workers. (This year, Sushma has enrolled to take the HSC board exam to complete 10th grade. She feeels it will motivate the children, as well as enhance her self-esteem and confidence.)

To give the children a good start in life, their interest in school and education is developed through various activities. FSC provides the yearly syllabus, a nutritious food chart, notebooks, pencils and erasers. Mahila Mandal volunteer teachers use charts, poetry and songs to educate the children about the importance of education. Every festival is celebrated at the school and field trips are also organized. Apart from preparing the kids for entrance tests (in English, Hindi and Marathi) to Municipal schools, cleanliness and nutrition are also taught.

Parent/teacher meetings are held monthly in order to hear feedback from the parents and also to motivate them to send their children to school.

Most of the parents are illiterate and unable to help their children with pre-school education. Without the Balwaadi, these children would have been on the streets begging or working at a very early age with no prospect for an education. The Balwaadi is playing an important role in supporting these families and children.

Income Generation Activities

Most women from the community had expressed a strong desire to learn sewing or tailoring. FSC social workers worked with Sonia Jaiswar (at right), mother of a child in the sponsorship program, and government teachers from the community on establishing the vocational training center and making it self-sustaining. Social workers helped Sonia to prepare for the tailoring government exam, which she has passed recently. Sonia now conducts all the training programs and even takes private sewing classes at home. Vocational activities were initiated with sewing classes. FSC works with Taj Hotels which provides napkins for edging, which helps in generating the extra income for the family.

Mahila Mandal is looking into expanding the scope of initial training activities and adding new regular training programs like a beautician training course and a basic computer literacy program in order to increase employment generation opportunities. The women from the Mahila Mandal living in the Azad Nagar slum stayed at home and looked after the children while thier husbands went out and worked. They were illiterate and lacked confidence. After volunteering at the Mahila Mandal, the family and others in the community were surprised to see the change from shy, timid women to confident women who can speak up for their rights.

They have a sense of achievement and pride in what they have done. They have gained unity and respect in the community and helped the children in understanding the importance of education.

Success Story - Fazilat Shaikh

Fazilat is a young charismatic, healthy 17 year old girl living with her family in the Geeta Nagar Slum (Mumbai). Their home is a single room (approx 10'x10') built with brick/cement, a tin roof and no windows. A single tube light on the ceiling is the only means of light in this room. The family uses the community paid restrooms which cost them one rupee per visit.

Fazilat hails from a very poor and desperately needy family. Her father was a hard-working tailor and his meager income did not suffice to support his family (3 daughters and 1 son) or provide them with even one square meal a day. His diabetes now prevents him from working. Fazilat's mother is illiterate and is not able to help with any financial support. She also was diagnosed with diabetes recently. Due to the family's desperate circumstances, Fazilat had to drop out of school. Her parents were desperate to give their children a chance for a better future through education and approached FSC for help.

In 2003 Fazilat was enrolled in the sponsorship program and was able to return to school. Sponsorship funds help pay for tuition, school supplies and books. She initially struggled with English in 11th and 12th grade, and took the initiative to save the extra money from sponsorship to purchase grammar text books and taught herself English. She is now proficient enough to tutor young children in English and Urdu, thus making 250 rupees (approximately $5.00) per month as an added family income.

She successfully passed her 12th grade exam from an Urdu Medium School. Fazilat is very sincere and is motivated to complete her college education. With the help of FSC social worker, Puja Saloi, she has now enrolled in college for FYBSC (First Year Bachelor of Science) for which she is traveling a half-hour bus ride, 25 minute train ride and then walking for another half hour to get to college. She has also sent an application for an Optometric three-year diploma course.

Fazilat's hard work has even inspired her elder sister, Famina, to find a job at the mobile store to help with additional family income. Fazilat is very grateful to be able to attend school. She has expressed appreciation to her sponsor for the sponsorship money that has provided her with school uniforms and supplies, as well as nutrition for her and the entire family.

Success Story - Priya Jaiswar

Priya is a very sincere, smart, clean and humble 14-year-old. She lives with her parents and two younger brothers in the Azad Nagar slum area. The approaching road to their house is through narrow alleyways which are less than 3' wide. Priya's rented house is on the second floor with an extremely narrow and steep stairwell. Her congested home (approximately 8'x8') has brick walls, cement floor, and a very small window on one wall for ventilation.

Priya's father is a carpenter who doesn't have a stable source of income. Her parents are illiterate and therefore unable to secure jobs. Upon enrollment in the sponsorship program, Priya's father has been working with the social worker to manage his alcoholism. Sonia, Priya's mother, became part of the Mahila Mandal, and now conducts all the training programs and even takes private sewing classes at home, which helps to bring in 1,500-2,000 rupees (approximately $40) extra a month.

The social worker is working with this family to help manage their monthly expenses. Sonia is very proud that she is able to keep aside 100 rupees ($2.00) per month from the sponsorship money in a savings account for the children's education. She has also received nutrition education on planning a balanced diet and cooking simple, inexpensive, and nutritious meals for the family.

Before enrolling in the sponsorship program, Priya struggled to make passing grades and would have dropped out of school altogether. After enrolling, her attitude towards education changed and her academic performance is very strong. She is fluent in English and is taking some extra classes so that she can tutor younger children from the Balwaadi. She is a very responsible girl who always assists her mother with domestic chores whenever she is out of school. She even plays the flute in the school band and enjoys reading, dancing and singing. Priya plans to continue her education and is confident that one day she will become an engineer. She remarked:

"After I become an engineer, I want to come back to my community and educate other children just as the sponsorship program has helped me. Thank you very much for the support you have given me..."

Her smile reflects the gratitude that is in her heart.