Mother Florence Centre
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Objective This Programme is targeted at empowering the girls with a few basic skills and making them self reliant by making then capable of earning their own living. The students comprise 18-30 year old girls and women including school dropouts, housemaids, both married and unmarried. The basic idea is to make these girls and women less vulnerable to the pressures of the mafia and drug addict husbands and fathers. Once they are financially self dependent they will have the the confidence to fight the drug menace and their husbands will also find it difficult to push their agenda. Over time as the initiative gains more steam and awareness, the mafia will find it very difficult to find new people to join the trade. It has been seen that people join this trade more out of financial compulsion (which in turn is due to illiteracy and lack of any others skill to find employment) than due to coercion by the mafia. This programme seeks to eliminate the root cause of the disease so as to loosen the mafia grip over time.
Project Period This project was started in September 2004 and since then has acquired 120 girls on its rolls. The numbers are expected to increase further if facilities permit.
Activities The girls are given one year training in stitching during which period they are provided the material, machines and guidance. After the completion of training they will be assisted to form a Self Help Group with assistance from the Government and finances from the bank.
The classes are held regularly on weekdays in three batches. Apart from the above classes are held on weekends for 52 sponsored girls to provide them with non-formal education.
Project Costs This project incurs expenditure mainly on teachers and on materials provided to students. Three teachers are paid Rs. 500 each a month (They also teach the sponsored children on weekends). Apart from this the students are provided with a metre of cloth, graph copy and other accessories every month.
Sources of funding A fee of Rs 10 a month is charged from the 120 girls on rolls. This amount pays for the material and teacher’s fees. As of now the project is self-reliant but we will need finances to grow further and to improve facilities and quality of instruction.
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