India NGO Awards 2007 Winners

GOONJ..
GOONJ..works towards creating a nation wide movement for channelising vital resources lying in excess in urban and middle-class households to far flung rural areas in India, thus addressing some of the very basic needs of millions of poor people. GOONJ uses used clothes as an entry point into the recycling and distribution channel, setting up an efficient and round the year system for proper collection and distribution, building partnerships with various stakeholders to reach a wider network of people. With offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Jalandhar, the organisations works with about 2,00,000  direct beneficiaries every year in the most marginalised areas like the Moosahari community in Bihar, the child labourers in Ferozabad (U.P), the quarry workers in Tamil Nadu, the prawn farming communities in Sunderban Delta (West Bengal). GOONJ.. has launched several campaigns such as Vastradaan, School to School, Work for Cloth and recirculation of unused Tsunami relief materials,  in the last few years to access surplus reusable materials to provide solutions to the poor and marginalised. The organisation has recently launched a new campaign that produces and distributes low cost sanitary napkins made from reusable cotton cloth and is reached to thousands of marginalised women to whom the lack of access to clean cloth can lead to great health hazards.

The Banyan:
The Banyan rescues women from the streets from various parts of the country, who are rehabilitated and reintegrated in their homes after treatment based on their wishes. Those who wish to live independently, are provided with vocational training and helped in finding suitable employment. Banyan’s projects whether  the transit care, the community outreach, reintegration and aftercare, vocational training and employment and social enterprise all ensure a line of occupation  so whether the woman is returned to her family, or chooses to live alone, she is equipped with skills to build a new life for herself as a useful member of society. In its 14 years of operations, The Banyan has responded to the needs of over 2000 women and reunited over 850 women with their families. To increase stakeholder participation, while reaching out to marginalised men also, The Banyan entered into an agreement with the Chennai City Police and Government-run Institute of Mental Health to establish and implement a first-of-its-kind Mental Health Helpline – Dial 100


Childline Foundation of India:
The CHILDLINE India Foundation (CIF) has developed and manages the CHILDLINE service -  a 24 hour, toll free phone outreach service linking children in need of help and protection to organisations run by government departments as well as those run by civil society agencies. Children or concerned adults dial the number 1098 and are connected to the CHILDLINE service in their city. Currently the service operates in 75 cities/towns across the country and services over 2 million calls a year.
CHILDLINE aims at responding to the emergency needs of every child in need of care and protection throughout the country, ensuring that there is an integrated effort between the government, non-government organisations, academic organisations, bilateral agencies, corporates and the community in protecting the rights of children.

CRY
CRY's  can be best described as an  enabling organisation , a catalyst between two groups of people-  development organisations and individuals working at grassroots-level with marginalised children, their families and communities and individuals,  coming together from all walks of life who believe in the rights of children. CRY’s emphasis is on supporting small, nascent initiatives. Over time, as each grows and achieves stability the nature and quantum of the support provided evolves. At the other end of the spectrum, the Rippan Kapur CRY Fellowship Programme (introduced in memory of the late founder) seeks to enable motivated individuals starting a career in grassroots development work to make a beginning. In almost three decades, CRY has enabled more than 2500 communities across 18 states in India to work towards addressing the root causes of issues like deprivation, adult unemployment, exploitation and abuse - that constrain the rights of children. By mobilising these communities CRY along with its NGO partners (more than 500) have ensured over 1,500,000 children across India with opportunities they could not dream of.

India NGO Awards 2007 Regional Finalists

Small category:

Dream A Dream Foundation (South)
Dream A Dream, started in November 1999 by a group of 11 young people, is today a professionally run, registered not-for-profit trust working with over 500 children coming from vulnerable backgrounds such as children from the streets / slum communities, runaway children, orphans, and HIV+ children among others. The organisation seeks to empower children from vulnerable backgrounds by developing life skills and at the same time sensitising the community through active volunteering, leading to a non-discriminatory society where unique differences are appreciated. This is achieved by providing sustained life skill development programmes to children through exposure to sports, outdoor camps, creative arts, reading based programmes, computer training programmes, cinema and theatre among others. Creation of a strong community participation model through volunteer-based programmes also leads  to empowerment and sensitisation about children’s issues among the community. Today, this has developed into a full-fledged programme including over 500 volunteers.

Pragati (East)
Pragati Koraput was set up in 1992, with an aim to work for socio-economic development of the poor and marginalised communities in the remote pockets of Koraput district in Orissa. The organisation today has a  presence in 170 villages of  Orissa reaching out to 6979 beneficiary families. Two third of the stakeholders belong to Scheduled tribes and Scheduled castes with 80% of them being small and marginal farmers. Thrust areas of the organisation are formation and strengthening of civil society organisations, natural resource management, sustainable agriculture, livelihood promotion and disaster preparedness and rehabilitation. Pragati has also promoted a district level network of forest protecting communities covering 742 villages of Koraput District. Pragati’s role is to function as a facilitator for the welfare of rural deprived sections of the society in order to merge them in the social mainstream with different interventions for development of socio-economic standard of the people living in backward areas of Koraput District.

SPRAT (West)
SPRAT headquartered in Ahmedabad offers its services through a network of 6 full fledged and two mini community empowerment centres called CARAVAN, operating from 5 cities of Gujarat.  SPRAT was started with the objective of empowering the impoverished people, specially those directly and indirectly affected due to the civic disturbances of Gujarat. Its other objectives include promoting rationality and scientific temper in everyday thought and action. It offers TALEEM basic literacy programme at slums and has taught over 5000 illiterate women and children. Through MUSKAAN Adventure Park , it connects people of different faiths via recreation and promotes appreciation of everyday science. Together this network serves over 1000 persons daily at Ahmedabad, Himmatnagar, Mehsana, Surat and Nadiad.

Medium category:

Deepalaya
Deepalaya is a non-government development organisation working on issues affecting the urban and rural poor in India, with a special focus on children.  It is because "Every child deserves a chance" that the organisation exists and works towards making that possible. For the past 28 years Deepalaya has been working in the urban slums of Delhi and has also made inroads into rural development in the states of Haryana and Uttarakhand. Deepalaya has been collaborating with other agencies, both governmental and non-governmental towards making meaningful intervention in the policy making process in the State. From the humble beginnings in 1979, Deepalaya has seen a continuous growth in staff, beneficiaries and fields of activities, working in more than 30 projects covering  education, people with disabilities, health, gender equity and institutional care. During the recent years, the organisation has also acted as a resource and training institute to other NGOs.

RAHA
Raigarh Ambikapur Health Association (RAHA) is a non-government organisation that    has been operational since 1969. Its primary objective is to provide health care services to the needy people living in the four districts of Raigarh, Jashpur, Suguja and Koriya. It provides technical and financial support to a network of 93 rural health centres which are managed by professional nurses and providing health care – promotive, preventive  and curative, to more than 10,00,000 people living in 1200 villages. RAHA trains village health workers (VHWs), Mitanins for ASHA programme,  Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs), School health guides, villagers in organic farming, herbal medicines and preventive health. RAHA also provides TB control programme, livelihood promotion, microsavings programme, rehabilitation for physically challenged people and nutrition support. One of the important innovations of RAHA has been the implementation of the Community Health Insurance (CHI) initiated in 1981, it provides health insurance coverage for 90,718 (2007) tribals and poor inhabitants of the above four districts.

Large category:

Centre for Environment Education (CEE) (West):
CEE's primary objective is to improve public awareness and understanding of the environment with a view to promoting the conservation and sustainable use of nature and natural resources, leading to a better environment and a better quality of life. To this end, CEE develops innovative programmes and educational material, and builds capacity in the field of education for sustainable development (ESD). To test the validity and effectiveness of its programmes and material, CEE undertakes demonstration projects in education, communication and development that endorse attitudes, strategies and technologies which are environmentally sustainable. CEE is committed to ensuring that due recognition is given to the role of education in the promotion of sustainable development.Since its inception, CEE’s activities and programmes have been rooted in, and guided by, certain strategies for maximisation of quality, effectiveness and impact.

BISWA (East):

BISWA started operations in 1994, focusing on integrated development services to the rural poor in Sambalpur district in Orissa. It is registered as a society and is one of the largest NGOs operating in Orissa. BISWA has undertaken various developmental programmes in segments like watershed development, sanitation, education, health, environment and social issues awareness creation among rural communities. All BISWA’s programmes are converged into each other to elicit maximum desirable outcomes and sustainability with the ultimate aim for a holistic development of society. The community is a direct stakeholder in all its project as their participation is in the decision making level. 

Aide-Et-Action (South): 

Aide et Action (AeA), an international development organisation established in 1981, has been working in the education sector focusing on creating access to children from disadvantaged communities for the past twenty five years in India. Support to families andchildren to participate in education process, enhancing quality ofeducation infrastructure and capacities ofteachers and other support functions have been some of major investments that AeA has made for many years through its work directly and with the partner NGOs in India. Creating child friendly education spaces outside school has also been one creative and innovative way of addressing holistic education and has been accomplished through innovative action research project titled ‘Liberate school’. Similarly linking education with livelihoods is another trajectory that fulfills the needs of the future generations. Inclusive education to meet the needs of children with disabilities is yet another strategy that addresses issues of education access of the excluded communities. AeA has had operations spread over 12 states and 3 Union Territories in India in partnership with Civil Society Organisations and through directly implemented projects.

SOS Children’s Villages (North): 

SOS Children's Villages of India is a non-profit, non-government, voluntary organisation, committed to the care of children in need. The aim and objective of SOS-India is to provide long term family based care to orphaned children and to strengthen disadvantaged families as a preventive measure against abandonment and social neglect of children. Since its inception in 1964, SOS-India has expanded its services for children at a rapid pace. Today it reaches out to many thousands of children & families every day, through 39 Children's Villages including facilities for Tibetan children and 122 allied & community projects like Family Strengthening Program, Kindergartens, Hermann Gmeiner Schools, Social, Medical, Vocational Training Centres & Nursing School which are spread across the country. We work in the spirit of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. SOS Children's Villages of India is a member of the world wide SOS family working in 132 countries with SOS-Kinderdorf International as the umbrella organisation.