GuideStar and The Foundation Center Grant Proposal

Proposal Summary

Overall objective:

“To contribute to improve the standard of life of children affected by Tsunami in Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu, India”.

Immediate objective:

Needs and Priorities of the children in tsunami affected ten villages in Chidambaram-Taluks of Cuddalore district are effectively addressed in an equitable and sustainable manner.

Results/Outputs expected by End of the Project (EOP):

Improved awareness on child needs, priorities and rights for all the stakeholders such as children, parents, CSOs, SHGs, Balwadi organizers and other community members.

Improved confidence and capacity of children on social, environmental and rights based issues through 'children parliament' approach

Effective and sustainable community based institutional setups and networks established and functional to protect child rights

Quality of education improved through additional coaching provided by the project

Improved academic excellence of children through motivational camps, developing leadership qualities, managerial capacities etc.

Project coverage and outreach:

The project will cover five most deserving villages in Chidambaram-Taluks of Cuddalore district. (Villages list enclosed as annexure). The project will work for 702 children under the age of eighteen and covering 717 most vulnerable families.

Project Duration:

One year starting from October 2012 to September 2013

Rationale for the Program

Cuddalore Ddistrict of Tamil Nadu is one among the districts with more number of dropouts, suicide among the adolescent girls. Child labour exists in the district in the form of works in the Bricklins, Hotels, Automobiles. Apart from the above sectors as the majority of the population in the district are mainly agriculture coolies or fishing it is obvious that children normally get involved in their traditional family trade, unknowing about the fact that they are loosing the chance of empowering themselves by their school education (Gerin, 2006). Tsunami, caused by the colossal earthquake with the magnitude of nearly 8.9 Richer scale on 26th December 2004 badly affected the coastal parts of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala states and Pondicherry and Andaman & Nicobar Union Territories. Cuddalore being situated on the north coast of Tamil Nadu it was also badly damaged. Around 51 fishing hamlets of this district were affected causing about 610 deaths, which in turn made 78 women as widows. Tsunami aggravated the situation of the district more and the losses on the assets of the people started creating a great impact on the lives of the peoples mostly the children. Though immediate response from the development agencies across the world was remarkable and the families who had lost their household and productive assets were given compensation for a few months and aid materials was poured in by many number of non-government, national and international agencies (Grant proposal guide, 2000). Children were supplied with uniforms, notebooks, playing materials, during the relief phase. Government also announced fee exemption for the affected communities. However during the rehabilitation phase the concentration on the well being of the children started declining and most of the district population affected by the Tsunami were unorganised labourers, small farmers and fishermen. It is hard time to address the issues related to the child right protection and child ...