BRIEF PROFILE OF HEARDS
HEARDS was initiated and registered in the year 1999 under the Societies Registration Act., 1860, reg. No. 363/99. Eminent persons in the field of education, social work and developmental interventions initiated it. Concerned about the marginalization and poverty of a large section of our people especially in rural areas the society initiated its work in Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh. Eradication of illiteracy is the sole aim of the society to eradicate poverty and to have a better future. It caters to the socio-economic, educational, cultural, health and medical needs of the poor and the most backward people of the District. It extends different developmental programmes to all the age groups of the target population, both common and specific developmental oriented, in nature.

With all the above mentioned programs being under successful and positive implementation, the Society is exploring into new areas of development, thereby widening its ‘helping hands’ to the easy reachability and accessibility of the most poor and the downtrodden people of the District. With the ‘learning and practical’ experience in the field, the Society has begun to concentrate on specific developmental programs for various target groups, based on their ‘need of the hour’, in addition to this, the developmental programs extended for the benefit of the entire target population.

The Society works through a well-knit central network of a dedicated staff and with a sound-based organisation. It has ‘strong and supportive’ rapport with the local Government functionaries, the various voluntary efforts working for the cause of the poor of the District and other reputed public concerns/personalities, who encourage, with active cooperation for the developmental programmes taken up by the Society. Above all, within the 17 years of its ‘service in the field’, the Society has gained highly encouraging and positive, reputation and welcome among the rural poor population of the District, who are in full-enthusiasm to co-operate with the same, in all the developmental activities, which are to be initiated in future, as at present. Thus is the ‘participatory and promotory’ development initiated by the Society among the target population, within its short span of developmental work in the District.

Project Title : Integrated Programme for Elimination of Child Labour through Educational, Vocational and Recreational Programme for Child Labourers.

Name of Beneficiary :
V. Rahul

Before Intervention :
V. Rahul is a young boy aged 10 years living in a small house given freely by the Government. His father by named Vijay is a tiles laying worker. His mother is a housemaid. Rahul went to school only for six months totally throughout his life. Due to Rahul father’s addiction to liquor Rahul was forced to work at his tender age accompanies his father to assist him in his tiles work. The machines used in tiles laying are not meant to be operated by children. Children who works with these machines are at high risk of accidents because they are not mature enough to understand the safe operation of this equipment. Rahul has got lot of injuries in his body by operating these machines. The inability of the children to operate the machines is also a significant cause of accidents. Even there is risk of electrocution if proper safeguards are not adopted. There is little concern for the safety of the children who have to work barefooted on wet floors. That was the situation where our Animator Ms.Pavithra met Rahul during her door to door survey. Rahul’s father Mr. Vijay was the only person who was against in sending Rahul to our rehabilitation centre. After a repeated intervention finally Rahul’s mother Mrs. Bhuvana sent him to our rehabilitation center at Y. S. Nagar.

After Intervention :
Rahul’s health and grades improved during the period he spent in the rehabilitation centre. He has spent a valuable and enjoyable time at HEARDS rehabilitation centre and he improved a lot in his education and finally got mainstreamed into III Grade in Kothapalli Government School, Kothapalli, Chittoor. Right now he is studying in V Grade at the same school. HEARDS will make it a point to track his progress, as we do with our other children. HEARDS urges poor families to send their children to school instead of work. This is the age to play and learn, not work!

Project Title : Integrated Programme for Elimination of Child Labour through Educational, Vocational and Recreational Programme for Child Labourers.

Name of Beneficiary :
Tanjusri

Before Intervention :
Tanjusri, a 10 year old girl child from Y. S. Nagar of Chittoor Block, Andhra Pradesh, INDIA worked as a housemaid to support her mother Mrs. Bhuvana and fulfill the basic needs of the family. Since her father Mr. Vijay has been addicted to alcohol which left her mother to shoulder family’s responsibility to fulfill the basic needs of the family. Since her mother cannot able to completely shoulder families responsibility the poor child was forced to work as a housemaid along with her mother and comprised her studies in order to shoulder the responsibility of her family. She woke up at 5 a.m. and was forced to work for 10-11 hours in the houses where her mother works.

Ms. Pavithra (Animator) during her door to door survey, met the child, the incidence came into light. During her interaction with the child she came to know that she was abandoned from her studies. Post the interaction with the child she met the owner of the house where Tanjusri was working and acknowledged them with the issues of child right and punishment under the child labor. The owner promised not to engage any child in work and if come across such child, will also connect them with HEARDS. Ms. Pavithra also met Ms. Bhuvana (mother of the child) and counseled her on the consequences of child labour. She decided to send Tanjusri to HEARDS rehabilitation centre for her studies. The child is enrolled in HEARDS rehabilitation centre at Y. S. Nagar for her studies.

After Intervention :
That was the advent of Tanjusri’s new dawn, the first path towards freedom, never having to look back. Initially, it was difficult for Tanjusri to crawl out of gloom cast by the torment of child labour. But today, after more than two years of studies at the HEARDS Rehabilitation Centre, the young girl is shining bright. She has become active and takes part in all the activities organised in the rehabilitation center. After a successful completion of formal and non-formation education at HEARDS rehabilitation centre she has been mainstreamed in VI at Kothapalli Government school. Now, Thanjusri is a student of class VIII. She secured 64% marks in her last half yearly exams. Right now she is so happy.