Introduction:

Loksiksha Parishad, the development unit of RKM Narendrapur, has been engaged to carry welfare and development work following the ideas of Swami Vivekananda from its very inception.

It has embarked upon a task of integrated rural development in about 4,000 remote villages of 12 districts of west Bengal, especially the child development because it believes in holistic approach of development in which child plays the central role.

Child development activities consist of education for the pre-school children through 600 early childhood education centres, non-formal education for the children in the age group of 6-14 years and 350 mobile physical fitness units covering about 50,000 children within its area of operation.

Facts:

• Out of total 1,000 million population, 400 million are below the age of 14 years.


• A QUARTER of total school age children (6-14 years) does not go to school.


• That of 67 infants per 1,000 die before their first birth anniversary because of malnutrition, diarrhoea, pneumonia, tetanus, and measles etc.


• An estimates 90% of the pregnant mothers in rural areas are deprived of Antenatal care.


• 60% of the birth takes place in rural areas without assistance from trained persons.


• 51.55 of the children in rural areas are deprived of immunization.


• 7.5 million children are born each year with low birth weight.

Interventions:

RKM Loksiksha parishad has been working for ameleoration of the state of rural children by undertaking following programmes:


• Pre-natal and Post-natal care in 1,850 villages.


• Preventive, curative and promotional health care services


• Awareness generation of the parents in 4,000+ villages.


• ECCD - Early childhood care and development for 15,000 people.


• Building capabilities of the community people for proper child care.


• Education for children - Formal, non-Formal and Vocational.


• Formation of self-help group and Income Generations Programme for mothers.


• Protection for exploitation of child labour.


• Better Housing facilities


• Tuberculosis eradication programme.


• Environmental Sanitation including construction of low cost latrine and fuel efficient oven.


• Supplementary nutrition and special nutrition for malnourished children.


• Safe Drinking Water Facilities


• Clothing


• Awareness generation on Health, hygiene, nutrition, breast feeding, child rearing practices, sanitation, immunization, family planning etc.

An Appeal:

• All these efforts need sufficient financial provision which we do not have.


• We therefore appeal to the generous public for donation in cash or in kind to our "Vivekananda Child Development Fund"


• Besides physical support, a child needs moral and psychological support promoted through SPONSORSHIP of a child by the benevolent foster parents.


• Such Sponsorship is welcome; the sponsorship cost is modes Rs 20,000/ (USD 500) or yearly Rs. 2000/ (USD 50).


• Sponsors shall remain anonymous to the child and vice versa.


• Project would be known to be implemented by RKMLSP alone.


• Donations / Sponsorships Fund payable to Ramakishna Mission Ashram, Narendrapur.


• Sponsors will be regularly appraised of the state of the child sponsored along with a current photograph.


• Donations attract Income Tax Relief under 80 G of I.T. Act


• For online donations, click here [RKM website]