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Child Labour Rehabilitation Centers |
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Title of the project: “Child Labour Rehabilitation Centres (CLRC), Re-insertion of working children through informal education and skills training in Punjab-Pakistan” Duration of the project (in month): original duration 36 months-total allowed duration: 56 months Target beneficiaries &/or target groups (if different) (including numbers of men, women and children): total: 301 children 1. CLRC Charar: 105 children (male 66, female 39), 2.CLRC Satiana: 101 children (male 65, female 36), 3. CLRC Pattoki: 95 children (male 52, female 43) Overall Objective To raise awareness to fight child labour The kinds of educational and psycho-social activities as well as skills training for child labourers proposed under this project are tailored to promote reduction of poverty among one of the most disadvantaged population groups, i.e. children. Imparting marketable skills is designed to help the young trainees, by preparing them for (self-)employment once they leave the CLRC, to meet their own basic needs and contribute to meeting those of their family and close relatives. In addition to material satisfactions accruing from subsequent (self-) employment, their quality of life will be enhanced by greatly improved individual and group self-confidence, autonomy and thus capacity for further development. Involvement of the community and its sensitisation to the problem of child labour, demonstrating the need of a healthy development of children, including their education and training, should help bring about a change of attitude for not taking child labour as a “fatal incident” without possibility of remedy. Specific Purpose Reinsertion of working children through Skills training and informal education in three districts of the Punjab province in Pakistan. Achieving this specific purpose has enabled children to have access to a healthy, child-adequate development and to educational and training facilities adjusted to their specific needs. Since its establishment the CLRC project developed a steady pace of improvement. It is an exciting prospect to consider that the first graduates have completed their primary education. It is envisioned that the centres will serve a more extensive role in the future, places that can develop into high schools, skills and vocational training centres. Following activities were under taken to achieve the required goals.
The commitment evidenced on the part of PCYO / HOPE’87 promises a brighter future for the children attending the CLRCs. The target goals of the project are being met. The project has highlighted the important issue of child labour and assisted through practical measures to alleviate this problem. The three CLRCs established at Charar, Satiana and Pattoki offer a model that could be replicated in other parts of Pakistan. The advice and monitoring efforts given to this EC-co financed project by the Secretary General of HOPE’87, the HOPE’87-Pakistan/Islamabad Representative and the Austrian Ambassador to Islamabad, H.E.Dr. Günter Gallowitsch, as well as Senior Officers of the European Union Delegation in Islamabad were much appreciated and taken into account in adapting the project. The project, despite constraints and concerns, is running on the whole satisfactorily. The children who are initially admitted were in shabby dress, had pale and fearful faces and looked confused and mentally disturbed. This project has provided a smile on the faces of the children. This project has given them “HOPE” and now they are looking forward to do well in life. The mind set of these children and of their families is changing. It could be said with confidence that not only 301 students of CLRC, but also their families and the neighbourhoods are changing thus creating a multiplier effect. The three CLRCs offer a model that could be replicate in other parts of Pakistan with confidence and to the satisfaction of the supporter of this humanitarian cause, giving a smile and hope to the underprivileged children. |
