The Children's Village Concept

Your "Second Phase" Successful Graduates & III & IVth Phase Residents
Objectives
The main objective of the Third Phase "CHILD" Rescue Centre is to provide a further secure and healthy environment for children who, otherwise, do not have a home or family situation. The reasons for their homelessness are many and varied, but mostly not at all their fault. A child needs love, affection and security much more than he/she has a need to find food, clothing or a place to sleep, but given a safe place in which he/she can feel wanted, 75% of the battle to set such children on the path back to normalcy is already over. As the children have been without guidance, some for many years, they have developed a mentality of survival that includes total freedom and variety. The most important feature of any centre that intends to help them should provide, within a single area, as many varied activities as possible, which are all educational in nature, without seeming so.

Where Are They Up To?

The children undergoing the "CHILD" Third Phase of strengthening will already have spent three months attending the "CHILD" Second Phase night shelter, or will have been found to have come from a working situation which is detrimental to their health or safety. In either case, the children will be somewhat settled in their daily activities, health and security. They will be more confident and well on the way to a better future. However, that does not mean that they will not leave the programme if mistreated or not treated with proper ongoing affectionate and loving attitude by the staff. By now the children are cleaner, healthier and happier.

How Many?

At this Phase, the children need psychological help more than anything else. For this reason it is most important that the numbers be kept to a minimum, to extend personal assistance to its maximum potential. The suggestion is about fifteen or twenty children at a time.

Employment Programmes

Those who are employed already can be re-situated if the need arises. Those children being relocated from the Second Phase can be found simple jobs in the local area. The period of time that the children will be under the care of the Third Phase will be two to three months depending on the child. The main reason for this Phase is to see the determination of the children. In performing well at a job, keeping to timed activities, keeping clean and getting a salary for all this, they will show their sincerity. The money they make can be kept in a bank account, and small amounts can be allowed as pocket money. It may be that the children find the work satisfying, but the main point to bear in mind is whether they are receiving proper and personal training in that field, whatever it may be. Many times in a working environment the children learn the skill, but extremely slowly. In a Vocational Training environment the. children tend to learn much more quickly. Analyze this carefully.

Research

The "CHILD" Third Phase Rescue Centre will cater to the needs of working and street children, study their activities in detail, and offer constant encouragement and advice to them about the difference between life on the street and that available at the centres... and beyond. Their reactions to certain aspects such as classes in literacy, care and attention, cleanliness and punctuality training etc. will be monitored and a report will be prepared to determine the feasibility of further projects in the immediate and other areas.

Location

The site of your "CHILD" strengthening Village should be outside the city, but not in the wilds. Try to choose some land that is next to a body of water. It will be expensive to set up, but will become a regular source of income for your organisation as time progresses. You can advertise it as a picnic spot, especially for schools and colleges, businesses etc., a place to hold meetings for organisations like Rotary, Lions etc. Try to obtain grants
for the initial planning. This amount will provide for the construction of the necessary buildings, land clearance and landscaping, plumbing, wiring, sanitation etc. including environmental development, and facility for agriculture/dairy training and various handicrafts, skills and trades.

Construction

This should be taken up by a reputable contractor based in your area at reduced prices, and will be on contract basis, providing employment for local poor and unemployed semiskilled labourers. The contractor will be expected to complete the initial constructions in good time. Market the unique concept as an advertising project for big companies. Try to convince them to donate the materials needed in return for advertising signs and photographs of the project. This definitely works.

Construction Material

The materials utilised in the construction will be natural materials taken from the local area. The environment should be clear of all the restrictive modern distractions, whilst taking into consideration some technological items that may be utilised in certain areas, if necessary.

Ecology

In the "CHILD" System, it is of prime importance, in this day and age, that the children be brought up in an atmosphere of ecological understanding. Practical good habits such as saving water, being self-sufficient, high standards of cleanliness and sanitation etc. will be imbibed by the children, as well as the values of growing and maintaining trees and foliage and utilising the benefits provided by Mother Nature as much as possible. This will include the wide usage of non-conventional machinery items such as:

a) Wind power pumps and turbines
b) Solar lighting and cooking
c) Bio gas lighting and cooking (Biogas)
d) Brick kiln
e) Water Power for milling and electricity sources
f) Other alternative natural power

Children's Dispensary/Infirmary Facility

As the village will be situated in a rural area, it is a good idea to run a well equipped, but small, clinic, that will be manner on a voluntary basis by local doctors, dentists and surgeons on a rota basis. This will ensure the ongoing good health of the children and staff, as well as providing facility for the local poor families. This will bring the local people in to help you.

"CHILD" Residential Children's Centre Or Village

Your Centre will cater to the entire needs of up to one hundred and seventy-five underprivileged street children, but admit only one or two children at a time to your residential centres, providing food, clothing, education, medical treatment and the chance to develop hobbies in all handicrafts and useful arts. The children will enjoy a happy and healthy environment that will create a secure and loving atmosphere for the m in their own quarters. It must be reiterated that this must never take on the mood of an institution. This will require dedicated staff, who know the needs of the children and have a good and loving heart. In our opinion, professional (B.SW, M.SW) staff are not necessarily good candidates for this work. They are sometimes trained as "desk operators" and not hands-on workers, and are also oriented in institutional work. Instead, persons with the right attitude towards these children and the ability to handle them carefully would be more appropriate, even if they are not academically proficient. Work with street children involves very little academic acumen.

Child Support/Education Programme

Naturally, maintenance which includes lodging, wholesome vegetarian diet, including ample cow's milk and milk products, vegetables, fresh fruits, grains and all essentials such as academic supplies, clothing, medicines and toiletries, must be provided for the children. {Our research has found that children who regularly eat meat, fish, eggs and consume more garlic and onions tend to be more difficult to train, fight violently amongst themselves more, and are less likely to want to enter a strengthening process for an extended period... we feel a pure vegetarian diet is best for any human being, but the diet is up to you to deal with}. This maintenance is provided through donations in kind and funds from income generation schemes set up by your organisation. "CHILD" Sponsorships can also be arranged.

Admission

Although your "CHILD" System strengthening Village has been planned specifically for providing education, love and security for those not otherwise in a position to receive it, any parent or guardian wishing to enroll their child can be invited to approach your Managing Staff, with a view to taking advantage of the high standards of character training and academic education available at the Village. However, as with sponsorship, a quarterly or annual fee will be required for the student's basic needs. The choice is up to you.

Staff Members

Your teaching staff should consist of highly qualified, experienced and sincere people who have given their lives for this project. They should have widely studied {either by experience or other organisational practice} the subjects they have chosen to teach, and have full confident experience in dealing with any type of psychological or physical problem that may arise. They should be freely available for discussion and assistance.