This project, called the Phoolwari (meaning "Garden of flowers") project was started in the year 2002 under the guidance and leadership of The Full Gospel Trust of India, New Delhi and its founder, Rev. Dr. Abraham Sahu. The aim of the project has been to serve the children deprived of their right to education, health and other rights. The focus had been on the children and their families living in the slum called Suraj Park (Sun Garden). Once the largest of all slums in Delhi, this slum is located in the North-west side of Delhi and has an estimated population of 40,000 people, out of which 15,000 are children. These children had been living in the most challenging situations and with a dark future. These children came to Delhi along with their parents from the various neighboring states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. These people came to Delhi in search of job and due to high living cost and house rents, started living in the encroached government lands. Lack of basic amenities, sewer and drainage facilities gave rise to unhygienic living situations leading to various diseases. Like any other slums, this slum too had problems such as absence of school, medical care, etc. along with an escalating crime rate, unemployment and other social ills such as drugs, drinking, gambling and crime against women.
TFG Trust has taken upon itself the task of reaching this community through its lovely children who are the future of India. In 2002 the TFG Trust initiated an active dialogue with Compassion, India for partnership and entered into the same. With this partnership TFG Trust has been working towards transforming the lives of children and their families through the Phoolwari CDC, which is committed to walk with the children, especially those in poverty. The TFG Trust works with and for them without any prejudice to Religion, caste, color, creed or sex. Through its four stage holistic development programme, the Phoolwari CDC enables and equips the children to stand in the society and become responsible adult citizens of India. A full holistic development! In the beginning, the project started with 75 children but now is serving over 300 children and their families. In this short span of time the project has been able to impact the lives of thousands of people and many hundreds of children.
Baal Panchayat and Child Parliament
Phoolwari Project was started on 2nd August 2002 and at that time all the children were very small but in the last years most of the children have entered their teen ages and that brings in many temptations and problems for children. Many are tempted to escape school and get into various forms of drug use such as sniffing, alcohol, pornography, engaging in sexual adventures and activities, stealing, crimes etc., To eradicate or help the children to overcome these problems, the project planned to start "Bal Panchayat" in the community. This also will develop in them the leadership ability, that is required so much. On January, 2009, the "Bal Panchayat" was formally formed. It elected five "Panchs", one "Sarpanch" and twenty five "Karyakarta" from five blocks of the Surajpark Slum in Delhi. Soon enough the "Bal Panchayat" decided to take up cleanliness issue in their slum and carried a cleanliness drive and cleaned the lanes and drains in the slum. Afterwards, many other activities like awareness rallies on health issues, legal issues and right issues were carried out with the help of handbills, bills, banners and posters.
On 11th April, the Baal Panchayat initiated the Child Parliament. On 14th April, 2009 the child parliament election was organised and five ministers were elected. These were the Prime-minister, Home minister, Education minister, Health Minister and Child Welfare Minister. These two programmes are being carried out since then and children are getting involved in managing the affairs of the community and even carrying out Baseline Survey. It is encouraging to see the leadership talents emerging in them and getting stronger with the passage of time.
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