Glossary

Ankur CWC’s urban programme
Anganwadi A pre school or day care centre for children below the age of 6 years.
Appropriate Education Programme (AEP)   A comprehensive education programme designed and developed by CWC based on learning material that enables children to learn at their own pace and interest and covering the formal, rights and developmental syllabus.
Beedi A kind of local Indian cigarettes
Bhima Chakra A tool developed by CWC with Bhima Sangha that used for strategic planning
Bhima Patrike A wall magazine for working children edited by Bhima Sangha and published by CWC
Bhima Sangha A union of, by and for working children in Karnataka facilitated by the Concerned for Working Children, with a membership of over 13,000, striving for the realisation of child rights
Child labour free

CWC works towards child labour free Panchayats and areas. The criteria for declaring Panchayats and areas child labour free are:

  • No children have to do work that is detrimental to their normal growth and development
  • No children migrate from the Panchayat for employment
  • All children in the Panchayat get an education that is appropriate to them and compatible to the formal system

 

The Concerned for Working Children (CWC) The Concerned for Working Children (CWC) is a secular and democratic development agency committed to the empowerment of children, especially working and other marginalised children and their communities through their participation in decision making and governance on all matters that concern them. CWC has been actively involved in this cause since 1980. Presently CWC has field programmes in 5 districts of Karnataka, India.
Extension Anganwadi An extension of the formal Anganwadi that is designed to suit the timings, location and needs of the local community.
Extension School An Extension School is an extension of the formal school, where all the children are registered at with the formal system, but are able to study at their convenience with regard to timings, location and scholastic needs.
Gramashrama

CWC’s rural programme

Gram Panchayat or Panchayat The Gram Panchayat is the lowest level of administration in the system of local government. The term Panchayat refers to both the geographical and administrative units, as well as the elected body, which acts as the local council. A Panchayat is composed of a cluster of villages and several  Panchayats constitute a Taluk.
Makkala Gram Sabha A meeting of all the children of the Panchayat to discuss issues of their concern and negotiate with concerned officials and elected bodies
Makkala Mitra A children’s friend or ombudsman, an adult chosen by children to provide support and assistance to children in crisis or difficulties
Makkala Panchayat A children’s Village Council or parallel government of children, set up in Karnataka jointly by Bhima Sangha and the Concerned for Working Children. It is a forum for all children to participate in decision-making and governance at the Panchayat level.
Makkala Sahaya Vani (MSV) MSV is a help line for children in crisis and difficult circumstances. This intervention is facilitated by various participants including police, NGOs, community, local government, Makkala Mitra. CWC is a founder member of MSV Bangalore and has facilitated the starting of such intervention in Udupi, Kundapur and other towns.
Nammangadi       

A marketing and resource network for communities engaged in various entrepreneurial activities in Toofan Panchayats, managed and coordinated by Namma Sabha.

Namma Bhoomi CWC’s Regional Resource Centre situated in Kundapur, where about 100 children equip themselves with livelihood skills and education every year
Namma Kadu ‘Our Forest’ - An afforestation programme facilitated by Bhima Sangha and the Makkala Panchayats with community participation in order to preserve and develop the environment that would also meet the community needs of firewood and green manure. Through this programme saplings are planted in vacant public and private land, which becomes community property managed and maintained by Bhima Sangha and the Makkala Panchayats
Namma Sabha An association of youth, composed of artisans, crafts persons and others engaged in various occupations, founded by ex-Bhima Sangha members.
Panchayat Toofan This is a programme of comprehensive development implemented by CWC with primary focus on the empowerment of children. It aims at enabling children to play a proactive role in decision-making and governance. Bhima Sangha, Makkala Panchayat, Namma Sabha and the respective Gram Panchayats are partners in this programme.
Taluk An administrative unit of the Indian local government system. Several Panchayats constitute a Taluk.
Task force A tripartite body, devised by CWC, comprising of children’s representatives; government officials and elected representatives; and community based organisations. This body was set up link the Makkala Panchayat with the Gram Panchayat and focuses primarily on issues related to children that are raised by the Makkala Panchayat.
Toofan Panchayat/Area Toofan Panchayat is a Panchayat. CWC has implemented the Toofan programme in this Panchayat. This is a programme of comprehensive development with primary focus on the empowerment of children. It aims at enabling children to play a proactive role in decision-making and governance.

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