Centre for Social Action

Aim CSA is a student’s movement in Christ College for a Humane and Just Society • To facilitate holistic development of students by involving them in social action • To facilitate college as a civil society organization to enable the underprivileged to access tangible results in their quality of life • To facilitate innovative practices in strengthening college - community relationships

	is listed under the category Child Development/Organisations
	was established in 1999
	focuses on Students, Children and Women
	functions at the National level
	works with Rajendranagar Slum, Hoskote (14 villages), Kengeri (9 villages), Adilabad (14 villages)- Andhra Pradesh
	has the resource of Christ College, KNH, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, FREDSKORPSET, BISHOPS CONFERENCE OF ITALY
	welcomes help in the form of In favour of PRINCIPAL , CHRIST COLLEGE, BANGALORE-29

Programmes and Projects of CSA: VIKAS: In this program the new volunteers of CSA are first given a class room orientation on the adverse socio economic situations that the marginalized people face. The programme then ensures that the new volunteers of CSA are taken out every Saturday for exposure programs. The designed exposure ensures that the students interact directly with Child Laborers, street children, urban poor, rural poor, children from poor families, children in crisis situations, commercial sex workers, persons with Disability, persons infected and affected by HIV/AIDS etc. The students get orientation from the NGOs on the issues and then they expose the students. The students also interact with the NGO personnel and know the intricacies of the issues with special focus on success cases of people in difficulties. They also learn the methods by which this is done. The students visualize their own role in being a part of the problem solving process. The students then present their learning’s through creative ways such as presentations, drams etc. Thus the volunteers get motivated to do something in action. Then they are integrated and involved concretely in the development projects that CSA implements. The seniors act as mentors and support new volunteers to organize the exposures and the presentations. RURAL EXPOSURE CAMPS: This is conducted as an attempt to make social responsibility a culture among all students, expose them to problems faced by rural children and their families, motivate students to join CSA and sponsor children for education. Here students stay in our project area villages from Saturday afternoon to Sunday afternoon. The students interact with the children, rural poor in their houses, village leaders, self help groups of women and youth. They get a feel of the problems and what methods are being adopted by CSA and the village people to ameliorate the problems. The important part of the camp is the reflection session where the students who are mostly the urban middle class perceive the problems and articulate the ways by which they can contribute to the poor now or in future. SAMVEDITHA: This programme is just like VIKAS. But here the CSA volunteers and the CSA Alumni conduct social sensitization programmes to school children and students of other colleges. PUBLICATIONS: The students articulate experiences, case studies, insights and opinions through articles, poems, essays, jokes, cartoons etc through the CSA Newsletter called “WE CARE”. They do the same on Child Rights through the CSA News bulletin called “NOT ME, BUT YOU MY CHILD”. STREET PLAYS: A trained street play team exists that performs in the campus, slums and villages of our project areas. They also collaborate with other NGOs and perform. They take part in competitions too. They perform on different themes based on the need of the project and the occasions. The broad themes are child rights, child labour, unity, community development, disability, HIV/AIDS, dowry, health and hygiene, women harassment, women empowerment, importance of skill training and self employment etc. INTERCOLLEGIATE PROGRAMMES: To spread the same concept of sensitizing students intercollegiate events are held by involving the managements of other colleges. The event is called CSA day. The inter-collegiate events based on social themes are debate, skit, collage, street plays, symposium workshops etc. Through these events attempts are on to build long term relationship with other colleges so that they too can take up development projects and will involve their students in social development. INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE PROGRAMMES: A regular developmental exchange programme exists between Sund Folk College Norway, and Christ College Bangalore. This is supported by Fredskorpset (Peace Corps) in Norway. Every year few students visit India from Norway and vice versa. It is to enable a comparative understanding of the socio, economic and political situation of the countries. CSA also has regular exchange programme with Sydskanka Gymnasiet a college in Sweden. In this programme CSA orients development studies students of Sydskanka Gymnasiet on third world realities. This is does through village exposure programme and getting involved in our projects. CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES: As already mentioned this programme grew from the small initiative of sponsorships from Christ College students in 1999. Today the child development programme consists of the following: · Sponsorship by Christ College students for education of 300 poor children and school dropouts in Rajendranagar slum · Supplementary Education and creativity centre for 300 school going children in Rajendranagar slum · Crèche for 25 children (2-6 yrs) in Gollahalli Panchayath area · Nutrition and early childhood education (preschools) for 1250 children in 14 villages in Hoskote Taluk and 15 villages in Adilabad in Andhra Pradesh · Educational support programme for 900 school going children in 14 villages · Supplementary education and creativity centres for 1500 school going children in 14 villages · 60 children’s clubs consisting of the same 1200 children in 24 villages in Hoskote Taluk and Malur Taluk, Rajendranagar Slum and villages in Gollahalli Panchayath. In order to ensure that the Child Development programmes continue even after CSA withdraws from these areas through the Parents, Community and institutions such as Government and Development Agencies we started implementing sustainable community development activities such as: SELF HELP GROUPS OF WOMEN: CSA has formed 100 self help groups (SHGs) of women in their project areas. At present the Self Help groups have saved Rs 15, 00,000, and accessed external loan of Rs. 20, 00,000. The repayment by the SHGs is regular. The economic activities in SHGs go a long way in building their self esteem and confidence. The SHGs are seen as the only community based institution which will sustain the community development activities. Few Cluster Level SHGs are already formed and plans exist to make federations of SHGs so that community activities can be taken by the SHGs. MARKETABLE SKILL TRAINING: This programme is aimed at ensuring that the poor women and youth involved in the informal, low paid and insecure economic activities are trained in trades which will enable them to earn income on regular basis through Jobs or self employment. Here CSA either sponsors their training in training institutes or set up training centres and train them. They have been trained in skills such as Driving, Computer Data entry, Secretarial course, Dress making, screen printing, handicrafts, electronics, plumbing etc CSA runs dress making centres in which 100 women have been trained. A Carpentry Training centre and a two wheeler mechanism training centre exist in which 60 youth have been trained. 30 women have been trained in catering and housekeeping. Apart from the centres 150 youth and women have been sponsored and trained in various reputed training institutes The youth and women trained have been placed in Jobs and helped with self employment. This program mainly builds skilled manpower within the communities. A garment production unit is also established which will eventually be run by the women. INCOME GENERATION: In this program the poor are given loans and taken back in small installments. It is for starting new businesses or improves existing businesses. The objective is to create self employment in youth, women and especially support the poor to earn regular income. Also for the poor timely credit is a must. It relieves of the high interest rates with which they borrow to run the businesses. The businesses are supported for individuals and to the self help groups of women. Income Generation projects like Cycle shops, sound system shop, petty shops, vegetable shop, provision shop, wood business, pappad making, energy food making etc HOUSING PROGRAM: In this project houses have been built for the poor. This is a unique model of cost effective housing. It is a plan where a house can be built for Rs 50,000 only, in which a family of 5-6 members can stay with basic minimum comforts. The beneficiaries have to repay the money in small installments within 4 years. Each time Rs 50,000 is collected back from the repayments, another house is immediately built. Thus the money fixed for housing is revolved and more houses for the poor are built. ESTABLISHING LINKAGES: This program is linking the trained women and youth, child development activities, small businesses and community institutions like self help groups to Banks, Micro Finance Agencies, Government Schemes and Development Agencies (NGOs and Funding Agencies). The program will ensure that the poor will have access to technical and financial resources for the child and community development. The art of getting information and accessing resources will be learnt by the people. About Students Involvement in Development Programmes: At Advocacy Level: F Campaigning and Motivating Students for CSA Membership and Child Sponsorship F Street Plays in College, Slums and Villages F Inter-class and Inter-collegiate competitions on social issues F Motivating Parents to educate children F Motivating youth and women for Vocational Skill Training and income generation F Interacting with Government Officials and Community Leaders F Interact with Foreign Delegates and Students who come to India for Social Conscientisation Programs F Publicize News letters and News bulletin F Advocating CSA concept through exhibitions and events In the Projects: · Conduct Baseline Study on the needs of children and community in slums and villages · Identify School going Children, School Dropouts and Child Laborers for inclusion in our Projects · Counseling Parents and Children to enroll in our Project activities · Conduct supplementary education and conduct programs on leadership, communication and creativity for School going Children · Conduct Health Camps and Excursion Programs for the Children · Train Slum and village Children for Street Play Performance · Conduct Sports and Cultural Programs for Children · Conduct Rural Exposure camps · Every Saturday, get involved in Vikas Exposure Programs · Present their experiences in creative ways in front of panel experts · Manage and Monitor Tuition everyday · Blood Donation Conclusion: Thus with the active support of Christ College management and faculty CSA is working with deep commitment to sensitize college students in Christ College and other institutions and develop them into socially responsible citizens of India. In its entire endeavor the development benefits will always reach Children, women and youth. For this innovative college-community relationships will be constantly built.

Johny Joseph, Coordinator
Available - 9 AM TO 6 PM
Christ College, Hosur Road, Dharmaram Post, Bangalore -560029, Dairy Circle, Bangalore - 560029.
Ph 40129117 , Fax 40129000 , Email csa@christcollege.edu , Website www.csablog.wordpress.com