J.

M Patel Institute Of
Social Work - Anand

Agency Profile

Name :- Pratiksha H Solanki

Class :- MSW (Jr)
Roll No :- 35
Field work Supervisor : - Ms. Sneha Madam.
INTRODUCTION:-

Baroda citizen’s council is reputable non-political, secular community

development organization working for the upliftment of urban poor. The
council is also engaged in macro level city and urban issues.
The Council's span of activities covers Education, Health and Sanitation,
Economic, Environment Improvement and Development of local leadership. The
council also works with disadvantageous population groups e.g. Disabled, Street
and Working Children, Senior Citizens etc. The Council has given birth to a
number of other development organizations in the city. It is being managed by
rotational imminent board with proven record of public service.

Baroda Citizens Council has been involved in grass root development work since
the last 40 years in the city of Baroda. It has been serving Baroda through
various innovative projects in the slum population and now has extended its
coverage to the rural areas of Baroda district also.

Over the years, initiatives towards improving Community health; water,

sanitation and shelter; women's health and empowerment; sexual health
interventions in the slums and rickshaw drivers in particular have changed
people's lives in many ways. Apart from their increased awareness level, people
are able to take informed and independent decisions regarding health,
prevention against HIV, treatment for sexually transmitted diseases (STD); and
are also able to avail services from the government.
ABOUT BCC AND ITS ORIGIN

Forty years ago, Baroda Citizens Council was formed as a joint venture of the
American Friends Service Committee (Quakers Group from USA ), the
Federation of Gujarat Industries, Vadodara Municipal Corporation and the
Maharaja Sayajirao University of Vadodara. These expert and professional
bodies had envisioned that due to the rapid industrialization of the nation in
general and Vadodara city in particular there would be a sea change in the life
style of the population. With increase in the migration of rural poor to urban
areas in search of jobs, there would be an increase in population staying in
slums. These slum communities staying in poor conditions without the basic
amenities and proper infrastructure needed help to overcome these problems.
To address these very problems, the Council started working in these
communities with programmes that were tailor-made for each area and
addressed the local needs. Gradually, over the years, the programmes were
streamlined so that they led to sustainable development and empowerment of
communities. The uniqueness of the Council lies in the fact that it is a
professionally managed development organization piloted by committed
corporate leaders.

At present it is a leading professionally managed development organization

piloted by committed corporate leadership.

MISSION
To develop leadership, competence & faith of people in them through self help
approach.

VISION
To emerge as an Effective Service Provider, Change Agent & Community
Development Organization integrating voluntary spirit with professional
competence.
AIMS & OBJECTIVE:

• To develop leadership, competence & faith of people in themselves.

• To activate social organization & enthuse members to work together.
• To disseminate correct information & make effective use to available
resources.
• To provide a forum through which Voluntary & Government agencies can
tackle city level problems especially of the economically & social
deprived section of the society.
• To co-operate with the local body, voluntary and government agencies
and public in working for the further development and improvement of
the District of Vadodara/Gujarat.

To encourage the development of responsible citizenship so that people may

participate more effectively in today's society.

LEGAL STATUS:

• The Council is registered under Societies Registration Act, 1860 No.

Gujarat/330/ Vadodara, dated 25.05.1966
• Bombay Public Trust Act, 1950 NO. F/86/ Vadodara, dated 25.05.1966
• Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 1976 No. 041960042, dated
19.03.1983
• Under Section 52 of the Person With Disability Act, 1995 No. 112 dated
16.04.02
COUNCIL MEMBERS [December - 2007]

Mr. Amit Goradia – Chairman

Mr. Ram Devidayal –Vice Chairman

Mr. K M Swadia – Hon. Treasurer

Ms. Tinu Chawala

Ms. Charulata Shah

Ms. Shruti Shroff

Managing Trustee Shroffs Foundation Trust.

Dr. Arunaben Khasgiwala

Dean and Head, Faculty of Social Work, M.S. University of Baroda.

Dr. Leena Mehta

Prof. (Dr.) Parul Shah

Prof. (Dr.) Shagufa Kapadia

Professor and Head Department of Human Development and Family Studies

Faculty of Home Science The Maharaja Sayajirao university of Baroda

Ms. Aruna Choksi

Mr. Sharad Shah

Mr. Yogendra Gangwal

Mr. Jal Patel

Dr. Mrugank G. Merchant

Ms. Priya Jagdale

Member Secretary Baroda Citizens Council

AREA OF PROGRAMMES AND SERVICES

Education

• Pre-Schooling (Balwadis)
• Assistance in School Admissions
• Coaching Classes for school going children
• Non-Formal Educational and Recreation Centres
• Special School for Mentally Challenged Children

Health

• Community Health
• Vaccination For Children
• Adolescent Girls

HIV

• Interventions with Community

• Interventions with Rickshaw Drivers
• Vatsayan Counseling Centre, at SSG
• School AIDS Education Programme
• Care and Support

Economic Empowerment

• Assistance in Employment

Programmes for Children in Need

• Street and Working Children

• Childline
Environment
Family Counseling Centre

Mental Health Support Programme

Shree Mahrshi Astvakra Community –savli

Special school for Child Labourers (National Child Labour
Program)

Project Incharge – Sandhyaben

This Project concentrates on the education of children involved in hazardous

occupation including working Tea Stall and as domestic helpers. 3 Schools are
in working conditions which provides basic education to the children through
Non formal education system by which they can read or write, and than they
are being main streamed to regular schools of govt. At present 165 children
have been enrolled in such schools.

They attend non-formal classes and learn Vocational Skills like mahendi, kite
making, making utility items like pen stands, letter boxes and Bangle boxes.

Regular meetings with parents made them eagerly send their wards to this
special school and discourage children from accompanying them to work.

Street Children

Project Incharge – Dr. Sapana Vishwas

A Street Child is a product of poverty, abuse, homelessness or violent and a

broken home. These children are a neglected lot who are forced to work at a
very young age and fight a daily battle to survive. They suffer from ill-health,
low educational level and an insecure future.
Through an integrated approach, BCC has been providing education. Health
services and vocational training to these children for nearly a decade.
Around 2500 children have benefited with visible changes like better health,
mainstream education and well honed skills. To ensure they do not lose the
joys of childhood, these children are encouraged to play sports like cricket,
badminton and Indoor games like carom. Exposure visits to study their natural
environment and celebration of festivals add a delightful flavor to an otherwise
dull and a dismal life.

At present 6 such centers are working in Baroda and around 116 regular
children involved in it.

Child help line

Project Incharge – Sandhyaben

Child line is a 24hours emergency free phone service for children in distress,
funded by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. Although, this service
is functional since the last five years in Baroda from 17th Feb 2001, It also
provide Rehabilitation of child.

Since the last 5 years 3 lakh plus calls have been attended through
a) TelePhonic Counseling and
b) Case interventions

Outreach and Awareness Sessions in various parts of the city help in attracting
more calls indicating awareness is being conducted for providing better
services.

There is also an array of programs geared towards children like Balwadi,

Special school for mentally challenged, a Child help line, and an integrated
project for street children.

Special school for the mentally challenged and Balwadis for under privileged
children in 14 slum areas run entirely on donation.
Special School for the Mentally Challenged (3-I6 Wars group)

The main objective of this school is to integrate mentally challenged children

into normal schools. As majority of the children are from poor families, it is
difficult for parents to spend on their basic care and education. Looking into
the needs of these parents, BCC planed to start a day care centre so that such
children are able to develop further. The students are from deprived families
who are not even able to look after their normal children. Nearly half of the
children have progressed from moderate to mild level of retardation. The
School has 30 children at present.

Balwadis

Project Incharge – Sandhyaben

At present BCC is running 7 Balwadis for children between 0-6 years in various
slum pockets of Baroda. This Balwadies provides nutritious meal and learning in
a joyful environment to 3-6 yrs old children from poor @ Rs50/ month charges.
The total no of student is approx. 210 in 7 balwadies.

Family Counseling Center

Project Incharge – Anamika Mathur

LENDING A KIND EAR TO THE PROBLEMS OF WOMEN PRISONERS

The Family Counseling Center at the Central Prison in Vadodara has been
instrumental in civilizing (he hostile and harsh environment prevailing in the
prisons).
For the past three years, the counselors have been able to solve multifarious
problems of women inmates through counseling and advocating with the
authorities about the basic human rights that should be given to prisoners.
Till date, about 1000 women have been counseled and a perceptible change
has occurred in their behavior.

a) Improvement In their mental and physical health and for problems

related to care and education of their children.
b) Improvement in self esteem and faith In themselves through
development of skills.
c) Health awareness, checkups & availability of better quality sanitary
pads for ensuring menstrual hygiene.

HIV/AIDS Awareness Program among Young & Adolescent People.

(Establishing Youth Information Centers)

Project Incharge – Mr. Jagdish Limbachiya.

HIV/AIDS is one of the major issues for which B.C.C is working with the
collaboration of UNICEF. In past two years B.C.C had worked under the
awareness project of HIV/AIDS in Waghodiya Taluka in which they had
organized various workshops and formation of group of peer educators and
providing them the relevant knowledge and mobilizing them to spread
awareness in the various villages.
Extending to the same Project now, B.C.C is working on to set up the Youth
Counseling Centers with fully equipped furnishing and study material for the
HIV/AIDS along with career counseling recreational sports activities and
discussion plate forms for youth.

Luna Project – Rural Development.

Project Incharge – Manishbhai

B.C.C has started their initiatives for first time in Rural Development field in
the form of Luna Project.(April 2008)

Luna is a village of Padra Taluka. This Project is funded Marjory by a nearby

Industry Jewel Brush and Dr. M.P Goradiya Charitable Trust.

The Major Focus of this Project is to make Luna a Model village of Baroda
District having all the facilities of Infrastructure, education, health, electricity,
water, sanitation etc in rural settings. The working area is distributed as
follows:-
Education
Health
Sanitation
Women & Youth empowerment (Income Generation)

Definition: -
Non Government Organization (NGO)

A non-governmental organization (NGO) is a legally constituted organization

created by private organizations or people with no participation or
representation of any government. In the cases in which NGOs are funded
totally or partially by governments, the NGO maintains its non-governmental
status insofar as it excludes government representatives from membership in
the organization.

Types of NGOs:

NGO types by orientation:

Charitable Orientation often involves a top-down paternalistic effort with

little participation by the "beneficiaries". It includes NGOs with activities
directed toward meeting the needs of the poor -distribution of food, clothing
or medicine; provision of housing, transport, schools etc. Such NGOs may also
undertake relief activities during a natural or man-made disaster.

Service Orientation includes NGOs with activities such as the provision of

health, family planning or education services in which the programme is
designed by the NGO and people are expected to participate in its
implementation and in receiving the service.

Participatory Orientation is characterized by self-help projects where local

people are involved particularly in the implementation of a project by
contributing cash, tools, land, materials, labour etc. In the classical community
development project, participation begins with the need definition and
continues into the planning and implementation stages. Cooperatives often
have a participatory orientation.

Empowering Orientation is where the aim is to help poor people develop a

clearer understanding of the social, political and economic factors affecting
their lives, and to strengthen their awareness of their own potential power to
control their lives. Sometimes, these groups develop spontaneously around a
problem or an issue, at other times outside workers from NGOs plays a
facilitating role in their development.

NGO Types by level of operation:

Community-based Organizations (CBOs) arise out of people's own initiatives.

These can include sports clubs, women's organizations, and neighborhood
organizations, religious or educational organizations. There are a large variety
of these, some supported by NGOs, national or international NGOs, or bilateral
or international agencies, and others independent of outside help. Some are
devoted to raising the consciousness of the urban poor or helping them to
understand their rights in gaining access to needed services while others are
involved in providing such services.

Citywide Organizations include organizations such as the Rotary or lion's Club,

chambers of commerce and industry, coalitions of business, ethnic or
educational groups and associations of community organizations. Some exist for
other purposes, and become involved in helping the poor as one of many
activities.

National NGOs include organizations such as the Red Cross, YMCAs/YWCAs,

professional organizations etc. Some of these have state and city branches and
assist local NGOs.

International NGOs range from secular agencies such as Redda Barna and Save
the Children organizations, OXFAM, CARE, Ford. Their activities vary from
mainly funding local NGOs, institutions and projects, to implementing the
projects themselves.