project description | project budget
Child Enrollment Program (CEP)
Project Description
The 1991 census reports that only 65% of children in Salem are enrolled in school; leaving an astounding 35% of children without education and most likely working on the streets to survive. Thus, CST feels a responsibility to create a social intervention program to combat this problem and allow the children of Salem and Namakkal a right to an education and a chance to improve their situation in life. This project is to be called the Child Enrollment Program (CEP).
In keeping with its philosophy of self-development, CST will encourage the community to become responsible for the social malady of child labor. It plans to utilize the Self-Help Groups (SHG) and youth groups already established in the 10 blocks of Salem and Namakkal in order to realize the goals of this program. The main goal of this program is to enroll children between the ages of 5 and 10 in government schools in order to put an end to child labor. CST will provide incentive to the people of the community to accomplish the enrollment process and education of the children on their own. This will empower and develop the social fabric of the entire community as the population becomes more educated and skilled.
The Child Enrollment Program will be enacted by CST in all 10 blocks within the 2 districts of Salem and Namakkal. The plan is to reach 300 villages, totaling a population of 1000 children. It is hoped that this program will eventually be expanded to over 1000 villages in the area - 300 directly and 700 indirectly.
CST will send staff members to motivate and mobilize the women's groups to take responsibility for the education of the children in their direct community. This will be done through counseling of the group, inter-personal dialogues, printed materials, and motivational meetings. CST is confident of the success of this self-help community development project because of the strong character and great accomplishments achieved by the members of the SHGs in existence.
There are 10 to 15 youth groups already in existence in each block. These groups are currently organizing entertainment programs for the youth in the villages. They also plan cultural programs during village festivals. These groups shall be motivated to do enrollment campaigning in their communities. They will be reached by CST in a similar manner as the SHGs.
The use of these 2 existing group structures will provide benefits for various aspects of the community. The SHGs and Youth Groups will experience strengthened relationships due to the effort. They will be responsible for their communities' children's education, thus instilling educational values into the very core of the community.
For a financial proposal for CEP, our annual report or business plan, printable versions are available in PDF format to download:Request for Financial Cooperation: Child Enrollment Program Annual Report 2000-2001 Business Plan
Download a free version of Adobe Acrobat Reader to view these files.
"I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; I will not refuse to do the something I can do." --Helen Keller