Ms. Sara Lizia D'Mello - Director, Committed Communities Development Trust (CCDT)

What kind of a Life Skills Education (LSE) programme do you
conduct ?
At CCDT, we help families cope with the traumas and problems associated with HIV/AIDS. All the children are encouraged to go to school and to live as normal a life as possible. One very important factor that we ensure is that the children's education is not terminated abruptly. However, merely attending school and receiving formal education is not enough. Some of our children may be orphaned; others live on the streets or even in high-risk areas like the red light areas. These children are at risk of abuse and HIV/AIDS and thus need to have better coping skills. CCDT's LSE program addresses these problems.

While imparting LSE, CCDT focuses on psychosocial life skills for the children. These include skills such as decision making, communication and dealing with issues around HIV/AIDS. In general, we try to improve the skills of the children so that they can deal with real life situations. These situations may be varied. For instance, there may be issues of abuse, sex and sexuality, child marriage and other community issues. All the activities conducted are very creative and child friendly, with the liberal use of colours, clay, drawings, music, song, games etc. The activities are also geared to be very participatory.

Through our "Dancing Feat" programme, we promote the psychosocial development of vulnerable children through the creative medium of dance, followed by life skill and group counseling sessions. The dance classes are conducted by teachers from the Shiamak Davar Institute of the Performing Arts. The classes are often followed by therapeutic and LSE sessions. Programmes such as "Dancing Feat" are made possible when we work towards a common goal in partnership with the corporate sector.

Do these children attend school regularly ?
Yes. There is a great emphasis on education. We try to enroll the children in municipal schools and we provide educational support to them in several ways. We often have to motivate their parent(s) or extended family members so that they understand the importance of a good education for the children. In case the children are unable to go to school, we have non-formal education programmes for them.

Do these children drop out of school ? If so, then why ?
The drop-out rate is low 3.14%. Drop-outs may occur because the family shifts to another area of residence or when some traumatic incident happens in the child's life. The social workers try to explore the reasons for the drop out. Sometimes, the reasons are petty e.g. when the child is angry and does not want to be with the group. We respect this need and give him/her the space required. At the same time, we have to ensure that the child does not feel isolated. We try to understand that children too require space to ventilate their feelings and emotions. Patience and understanding are vital while working with children, especially those living in difficult situations.

What is the number of children participating in your programme ?
Through our child-centered programmes we are reaching out to 3301 children. We have an effective networking system with some agencies which provide us instructors and technical support. Children who are orphans, runaways from home, juvenile first offenders, pavement dwellers and those in red light areas, are all included in the programme. Through "Dancing Feat" alone we reach out to over 800 children.

Are you able to work with all the children in your area of work ?
If yes, what kind of partnership is required ?
CCDT's project CHILD (Children of HIV Positive Individuals Living in Dignity) is a comprehensive HIV/AIDS programme addressing issues of care, support and prevention by using a family based approach. Our area of work covers almost the entire Mumbai region, New Mumbai and the outskirts of Mumbai. We collaborate, as far as possible, with other NGOs in order to avoid duplication of services. Instead, we try to fill the existing gaps in service.

For instance, in Kamathipura, there was an urgent need to have a night shelter for adolescent daughters of women in prostitution. This need was fulfilled by CCDT. Another NGO prevents such girls from entering prostitution. However, until these girls can find long-term rehabilitation options, they too can stay in CCDT's night shelter and avail facilities provided by us. Thus, we try and make an optimum use of knowledge and resources and work at long term partnerships and networking with other NGOs.

How can a corporate manager volunteer in programmes related to HIV positive children ?
Recently, junior managers from Hindustan Lever spent an entire day in our HIV/AIDS related projects. We believe that before they actually start helping us, they should first be sensitised to HIV/AIDS related issues.

For any project to be successful, efficient and deliver quality services; good management skills are required that keep in mind both clients' and providers' needs. Management professionals can help NGOs devise simple changes in processes and procedures which could facilitate and improve services and save time and money as well. Most NGOs would also appreciate assistance with minimizing paper work and maximizing information.

Moreover, many companies have a personnel department. This department can help us with personality development, public speaking, presentations and communication. Corporate houses that are being refurbished can donate to NGOs furniture and computers that are no longer required.

Over 70% of the women in prostitution in Kamathipura are HIV positive, what are the various programmes you have for them ?
We have a programme called Roshni, which functions as a drop in center. It provides an enabling environment with psychosocial, medical and nutritional support to women living with HIV/AIDS in Kamathipura. It gives them information on HIV and enables them to cope with related problems. The centre is also encouraging these women to help each other in creating self-help groups.

We are in the process of training peer educators and Animators from the community to make the project sustainable. However, this is very challenging. These women have always competed with each other. It is therefore difficult for them to change over to taking care of one another. Apart from this, we have programs for children of women in prostitution, with active involvement of their mothers.

What is the response to Samvad - brothel based care systems ?
The Samvad project is now over. It has taken a new shape in the form of Roshni.

Through the two Health Posts managed by CCDT, basic health services were providing to over 15,000 people living in slums.
What are the basic health issues related to these citizens? Is TB still a major problem ?
Now we no longer run the Health Posts, but through out community health project reach out to nearly 45,000 people living in slums and along the railway lines in Dahisar.

TB is going to be the biggest problem that Mumbai is going to face. There are still misconceptions regarding TB, such as the myth that it is incurable. Easy access to information ands services should be provided in the community.

What is the status of the Leprosy project with which you started ?
There are no active cases in the area where we started. Mumbai is a success story in Leprosy control largely because of the active collaboration between the Government Health Department (Leprosy), the Municipal Corporation and NGOs. They have been working together on a common platform successfully on leprosy control.

Today, children infected/affected by HIV/AIDS, TB and malnutrition are of greater concern. When support systems break down there is every likelihood of them being exploited and/or pulled into prostitution.

Do you have special programmes for children of women who are in project Aasman ?
Aasman is a community-based programme. In these families children work as rag pickers. We have a special programme called Titliyan, a day care programme supported by Rallis India Ltd. through which we can provide care and support for 30 rag picker girls.

How many children do you have in Ashray and the Crisis Intervention Center (CIC) ?
Both Ashray and CIC are temporary residential shelters for children affected/infected by HIV/AIDS. Although the numbers vary, the two groups combined comprise approximately 62 children. CCDT has tie ups with adoption agencies for children who are not seropositive. 15 cases of adoption have taken place so far. We have been promoting adoptions within Indian homes themselves. We are also trying to explore foster care. This means, we are looking for families who would like to keep children until they are 18 or independent. CCDT strongly believes there is no substitute for a family environment; unless the environment is not conducive to their growth and development e.g. the red-light area.

Most of your funding partners are international funding agencies, with one Indian Company, Rallis. There would be many corporate houses interested in supporting the cause of children who are HIV positive.
Are you interested in working with some of them ?
Can you share the nature of partnerships ?
We see a growing need for this. Considering the extent of our work, we need all the help we can muster. There is a need for us to look at local funding. We are receiving good support from the NRI community in the UK for our Urban Poor Health project. They have agreed to support us for the next five years. We also have local volunteers who give us a few hours of their time. Sometimes we receive donation in cash or kind from individuals, but this is limited to our residential crisis center.

Can you work with greater support from corporate houses ?
We would like to involve more corporate houses in our projects. They can provide us valuable management and administrative skills. Pharmaceutical companies can even provide us with medicines at low cost. Corporates often have large spaces and NGOs who have scarce resources would welcome help in finding spaces to operate from, especially spaces used for godowns, garages etc.

Many individual managers would like to contribute towards your cause. How can they work with you ?
Individual corporate volunteerism poses a problem for both parties. Time is a constraint as they can volunteer only in the evenings. To have sessions with the children after an entire day at school work is very difficult, as they will not be very receptive. Else, these volunteers can only come on a holiday when most of our staff are on leave. At these times, it is not possible to give them the support they will require.

However, we are starting a Resource Mobilisation Unit shortly, where we'll be looking at how we can draw help from corporates and make the programme meaningful and productive. Senior citizens groups ALMs, Women's Groups and others can do much to enrich our programmes.

What are your views on the credibility of NGOs ?
Any group, whether it is governmental or non-governmental, will always have some merit and some demerits. I always advise volunteers and corporates to know more about the causes, management, principles and values that the NGOs follow before committing themselves. Most NGOs are doing worthwhile work. However, like any other agency, NGOs too must be held accountable. Money given to us is given in trust for specific purposes. Total transparency in finances and operations are naturally expected.

What are your views on Governance ?
I believe that a Board of Trustees has to be fairly young and vibrant. Although there should be experienced people on the Board, they need not comprise of high profile individuals. The Board should constitute people with good business administrative abilities and a firm commitment to the cause. Although in recent times there is a need for NGOs to look at management more professionally, there has to be a humane approach, beyond the mundane.

In the NGO sector, we also need to work with the heart to make a difference. Often, the heart can see what the eyes cannot. Good governance and inspired leadership can help organisations to achieve their goals without loosing the vision of their founders.