

Activities :
Swabhimaan
started a local clinic in the heart of the slum in 2011. Swabhimaan clinic
offers consultation and basic medication free of cost. Emphasis is placed on
preventative care and good lifestyle choices. Resident doctor at the Swabhimaan
clinic is paid from the trust’s budget.
- Lending (Zero Interest Microfinance)
In
collaboration with another trust called Lifeline, Swabhimaan extends small
loans at zero interest to women (and very few young men) to be repaid over
several months. Even though there is no collateral required, repayment rates
are over 90%. The women use these funds to start a new venture, for home
improvement or to pay the kids’ tuition.
- Education
Swabhimaan helps parents financial
aid to the students. To best utilize their limited resources, they conduct
diagnostic tests in English, science, math and civics just before the start of
each school year. Close to 1000 students turned up for these tests in 2013.
Their funds allowed them to extend support the top 90 kids amongst them in the
form of tuition reimbursement. These beneficiaries are further engaged on
Sundays in after school activities at the local Urdu School premises.
Activities are undertaken in science, English and humanities. Children are
involved in constructive competitions and encouraged to pursue their unique
talents. In addition to this, Swabhimaan pay for two full-time English teachers
who supplement the classes at the area public schools. Quite often, the ones
taken by our teachers are the only classes conducted in these schools all day.
- Food and Clothes Distribution
Swabhimaan in association with
mPower Foundation conducts monthly food drives. Each month a set quantity of rice, wheat, lintels, and sugar are
handed out to about 200 households based on size and need. Swabhimaan has
partnered with Clothe-a-Child Programme to conduct regular drives to handout
clothing (including footwear) to the neediest families. Used clothing is
collected from donors in housing societies and offices. During their drive
conducted in December 2014, more than 1200 grateful men, women and children
collected clothes, footwear and toys.
If you want to know more,
Contact
Venkatraman.iyer@gmail.com
+91 9945436757
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