India

Our actions in India

In India, Terre des Hommes Suisse is working in collaboration with 7 local ogranisations across 4 states in India. TdH Suisse operates through the National Coordination office based in Kolkata and has been functioning since 1990s. Here, TdH Suisse is dedicated to improving the quality of life of children and young people, with a particular focus on access to quality education and protection from violence and exploitation. Its actions also aim to support the empowerment of girls and women, while building capacity of local communities to become actors of change. Thus, TdH Suisse is working to create an environment that is safe and conducive to the development of every child.

Our presence in India in a few figures

projects are underway in different regions of the country

partners are working alongside us in different parts of the country

37’000

children and young people benefit from our daily assistance in India

18’500

adults receive direct aid from Terre des Hommes Suisse

Terre des Hommes Suisse in India

Improve life of marginalized tribal children through quality education

RDA has been working over the past few years to bring changes in the life of the marginalised tribal children and young people in 20 villages of East Singhbhum district of Jharkhand. Children are provided with opportunities to continue and complete inclusive quality education and digital learning. Young people are supported with knowledge and skill in computer education. The project is also empowering children, youth and other stake holders to promote education for sustainable development and to create a safe and protective environment for the children and youth to live in.

Our partner:

Rural Development Association (RDA), Ghatsila, Jharkhand

Ensure protection of children of tea gardens through access to quality education

Lack of infrastructure and poor economic condition of the families living in closed/ semi closed tea gardens of West Bengal force them to withdraw their children from schools which increases the rate of school dropout and number of child labours in these areas. It also calls for unsafe child migration and child trafficking. Rural Aid is providing education support, through support education centres in 5 tea gardens of Alipurduar district to ensure education and protection of the most vulnerable children of the tea gardens. Capacity building of children and young people on child rights, its violation and protection mechanism are also part of the project to ensure their active participation in the community level child protection mechanism.

Our partner:

Rural Aid, Alipurduar, West Bengal

Reduce Unsafe Migration through access to quality education

Uttar Dinajpur district witnesses large scale migration of children and youth due to the extreme poor economic conditions and lack of alternative livelihood opportunities for the families. In the intervention area, children are dropping out of schools and joining as child labour in unorganised sectors such as plywood factories, restaurants, motor repair garages etc. That increases the risk of violence, exploitation and trafficking of children. Shripur Mahila – O – Khadi Unnayan Samity works closely on children education, promotion of their rights and children participation. SMOKUS also focuses on the improvement of socio-economic condition of women through Self-Help Groups in 11 villages. Their main objective is to empower children youth and women to become actors of change in their communities.

Our partner: Shripur Mahila – O – Khadi Unnayan Samity (SMOKUS), Uttar Dinajpur, West Bengal

Ensure Access to Quality Education for Children of Migrant Families

Murshidabad is one of the most backward districts in the state of West Bengal due to the absence of any major industries. It has a large concentration of the minority population with lack of employment opportunities, poor literacy rates, (especially among girls) and so on. All these factors make it a migration and child labour prone area. Murshidabad is also India’s popular centre for Beedi (country cigarette) making in which 90% workforce constituted by children and women. The major objective of the project is to ensure compulsory basic education of children from 10 villages. SMOKUS’s commitment towards child protection and participation has been reinforced through child clubs and youth groups where capacity building initiative is one of the key approaches.

Our partner:

Shripur Mahila – O – Khadi Unnayan Samity (SMOKUS), Murshidabad, West Bengal

Towards improvement of quality education, protection of child rights and promotion of participation of children from tribal communities

Nayagarh and Khurda districts have a large number of Tribal populations who faces challenges in terms of quality education, employment opportunities etc. These areas are also prone to natural disasters like cyclones and floods. In consequence, children experience situations like child labour, child marriage, limited access to food and education, and unsafe migration. CARD runs child centres to support vulnerable children to ensure school retention and quality education. These centres provide a platform for child members to advocate for their rights by ensuring their participation in the issues concerns them.

Our partner: Centre for Action Research & Documentation (CARD), Nayagarh and Khurda, Odisha

Ensure access to quality education for Child Labour in Urban Slum

Impoverished living conditions of the slum dwellers, who are mostly working as daily wage earners in rag picking, waste segregation and other unorganized sectors. Many a time they are compelled to engage their children in hazardous work from an early age. These children are not able to continue their education. Dropping out of education makes these children vulnerable to various forms of exploitation like abuse, violence and trafficking. DRCSC has been implementing an integrated programme to address the needs of the most marginalized and vulnerable children and youth from 5 slums in Kolkata with an aim to provide these first-generation learners with access to quality education, protect themselves from violence and exploitation and promote their rights in the community.

Our partner:

Development Research Communication and Services Centre (DRCSC), Kolkata, West Bengal

Une jeune fille lit un texte à voix haute en Inde

Un prof donne un cours en Inde face à une salle d'enfants

Multi Sectorial Approach to Eradicate Children engaged in Labour Force

Gwalior is centrally located in India where thousands of children constitute the labour force that works in hazardous sectors like carpet making, stone crushing units, rag picking etc. Through this project, CID aims at improving the quality of life for children engaged in labour situation across Gwalior through their gradual integration into the formal school system. Children are provided with education support through education centres that ensures their retention and continuation in public schools. Dissemination of information about child rights, its violation, gender equality etc. have been done through child clubs. Capacity building of children and youth groups in the form of Bal Panchayat (children forum) and youth groups is a way to ensure formation and strengthening of community level child protection mechanisms.

Our partner:

Centre for Integrated Development (CID), Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh

Promote the importance of education, child marriage prevention and raise voice against child labour

Jamshedpur is one of the most advanced and developed industrial cities in India. Slums in Jamshedpur are situated on the periphery of this planned city. ASES started its operation for the development of slum children in order to educate them through Non-Formal Education system. ASES’s aim is to ensure child rights through a strengthened community. ASES’s initiatives address issues related to Child Rights, Women’s Empowerment, Environment, Education, and Livelihood. The main approach of ASES is to promote the importance of education, child marriage prevention and raise voice against child labour.

ASES will work closely with 4 urban slum communities in Jamshedpur. The project will aim to reach 800 children by providing them with value-based education to promote right based education to transform them as “Actors of Change”.

Our partner:

Adarsh Seva Sansthan (ASES), Jamshedpur, Jharkhand

Jeunes filles écoutent quelqu'un en Inde

Des enfants dans une salle de classe en Inde

Ensure youth participation and promote child rights and a healthy environment

The Indian Youth Council (IYC) is a non-political group formed for and by youth group members from local organisations working in collaboration with TdH Suisse in India. It performs the role of central guiding force to grassroot level youth groups in 4 different Indian states (West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh) to ensure youth participation. It also plans and monitors initiatives to protect and promote child rights and a healthy environment. It is a subsidiary of TdH Suisse Global Youth Council – Geneva. Currently there are 60 youth groups with approximately 1100 members. For overall coordination of IYC activities, there are 27 elected members from different youth groups that form Core Committee. Out of these 27, 6 has been elected as members of 3 sub-committees, responsible to manage functions like Communication, Action & Capacity Building and Regional Coordination – M & E. IYC plan and execute its campaign and initiatives by following the mode that includes awareness generation, direct actions and appeals to authorities.

Our partner:

Indian youth Council (IYC)

More information about our presence

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