Hyderabad: Protecting children from bad touches

Hyderabad: In order to protect a child from sexual abuse, a city-based NGO, Learning Space Foundation, is working towards spreading awareness and arming girls with self-defence techniques and at the same time sensitising boys on respecting girls. The initiative is being conducted in government schools.

The NGO also trains teachers and conducts community programmes. Started in 2014, as a charitable organization, the NGO works as a training cum implementation partner for a two-year Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) project for 20 Rainbow Homes in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

Kaumudi Nagaraju, Founder of Learning Space Foundation, says, "We came to know about unfortunate incidents during the training programme aimed at improving learning abilities of 1,300 children taking shelter in these orphanages using technology aided teaching and learning and later the of another STEM project for about 12,000 less privileged students studying at 88 government primary, upper-primary and high schools of Nampally and Khairatabad in Hyderabad."

"I am with children, adolescents and youth to empower them through skill development workshops and awareness programmes on gender, life skills, sexual and reproductive health, personal safety, self-defence and self-leadership," she adds further.

During the lockdown, they conducted webinars with prominent personalities including child rights activists, psychologists and counsellors who shared their knowledge on what, why and how of child sexual abuse and its prevention from a parents' point of view and there was a very good response for these webinars.

Flagships projects for children

Suraksha aur Sammaan, Academic Support and Health, Hygiene & Nutrition are the three main projects they have been working on.

Under the Suraksha aur Sammaan project the NGO has helped around 2,700 children from 12 Schools (10 government schools and 2 budget private schools), 325 teachers, parents and social workers from tribal welfare schools, government schools, Anganwadis and other NGOs and 120 under-privileged young women.

Similarly, under Academic Support project they have sponsored two vidya volunteers at two government primary schools, conducted capacity building programmes to 490 teachers, helped 1,500 students by providing notebooks, dictionaries, breakfast during extra classes for 10th grade students, extra-curricular activities etc, 335 kids with menstrual hygiene sessions and kits and provided white boards, teacher tables, chairs, notice boards, printers and audio system to government schools we are work with.

Under Health, Hygiene & Nutrition project they supported 180 children from two orphanages by distributing one-month worth groceries, conducted menstrual hygiene sessions, dental camps, sessions on basics of nutrition and balanced diet to 207 teachers and 1,600 children and arranged wash basins in six anganwadis.

"We work with other NGOs and create collaborative synergy by providing our services in a programme management, training the students, teachers and facilitating leadership workshops for organizational effectiveness. Family, friends, community and relatives contribute. We also have some volunteers who raise funds from their circle to help the cause," concludes Kaumudi.

Under Suraksha and Samaan projects

♥ Helped 2,700 children from 12 schools (10 govt schools and 2 budget private schools)

♥ Provided aid 325 teachers, parents and social workers from tribal welfare schools, govt schools, Anganwadis and other NGOs

♥ Supported 120 under-privileged young women