::..Social Welfare Association..::

1. Special Schools for Child Laborers :-

Identified Child laborers involved in hazardous and non hazardous labor sectors in slums and other locations are enrolled in our centers. They are extended with special education under “Balahitha” – a project of National Child Labor Project Society of Ministry of Labor (NCLP), New Delhi. Children in the age group of 7-14 are provided with special education, nutritious food items, vocational training and monthly stipends. These Children are mainstreamed in formal education centers established in local areas. These activities are implemented since September, 1998 and has been yielding good results.

2. Formation and strengthening Community Based Organization (CBOs) :-

Totally, 160 Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) are formed and most of them are strengthened. These groups are formed to promote savings, thrift and credit activities in the coastal villages of Nizampatnam, Nagaram and Repalle revenue sub-divisions. Women of these groups are facilitated to obtain loans for undertaking feasible and viable income generation activities. Most deserving women are provided with interest free loans and the repayment pattern is quite satisfactory. SFIRD is in the process of federating Women of its target Villages and to form and strengthen an apex body.

The ideology in working with traditional marine fisher folk is to safeguard their rights in lines of "Sea is our life" and "Coast is our right"

3. Women Empowerment :-

Sustainable Dalit Women Empowerment activities are implemented in Target Villages located in Coastal Districts of Andhra Pradesh.

The following activities are being implemented :

Conducting / organizing Capacity Building sessions for the comprehensive development of Dalit Women in the respective Villages.
Planning and undertaking income generation activities for the sustainable economic development of the Tribal & Dalit groups.
Information dissemination / providing referral services on accessing Government welfare measures under “Entitlements”.
Supporting and helping the Dalit Groups to access the existing educational and health facilities provided by the Government departments.
Helping in increasing the organizational strength and participation levels of the Women in Community Based Organizations (CBOs).
Providing services for self management and help in controlling / eradication of the domestic violence issues.
Sensitization of Women on Say NO to Child Labor, STOP – Early Forced Child Marriages & Prevent – Child Sexual Abuse at Schools and Communities.

4. Alternative livelihoods / Income Generation Activities :-

Target Villagers in the Coastal region are provided with ‘Interest Free’ financial assistance to undertake additional activities for generating additional income during the off season. These activities are implemented under the Women Empowerment sector and are implemented with the support of external agencies.

5. Community Based Disaster Preparedness activities (CBDP) :-

Community Based Disaster Preparedness Activities are implemented by the Community Organizers in the Villages located at a distance of 10 kms. from the Coast of the Bay of Bengal. With the previous association, our Community Organizers are able to form Village level committees to work in lines of Community Based Disaster Preparedness and Risk Reduction activities. Task Force Committees are formed and they are being strengthened at Village level in Coastal region. Members of the Women groups are being sensitized on Mangroves, Coastal ecology and environmental issues.

6. Eco development / Climate Change :-

Since the target area falls close to the coast of Bay of Bengal, the villages are prone to natural calamities. As such SFIRD implemented Eco development activities such as nursery raising, tree plantation, formation of school eco clubs (to sensitize the school going children on environmental issues) and awareness generation sessions to the members of local women self-help groups. These activities were implemented with the participation of the local youth and women. SFIRD mobilized and motivated the people of local communities to safe-guard, promote and re-generate the local Mangrove verities such as 'Accassia' and 'Ryzophera' which are protecting the coastal environment from the endemic natural calamities.

7. Skill Development Training Centers :-

Educated and unemployed Youth belonging to the poorest sections (Dalits, Tribes, Minorities, Fisher-folk and Backward Classes) are provided with Skill Development in Computer Education, Tailoring and Handicrafts, Type Writing and Spoken English. A few Youth secured employment in local departments and private Firms and a few trained female Youth established income generation units and are able to gain good income.

8. Individual Sanitary Toilets:-

Identified and deserving Dalit and Tribal families are supported towards construction of low cost individual sanitary latrine cum bathroom in the premises of their house sites. Women are motivated and mobilized to raise kitchen gardens in their back yards.

9. Interventions with HIV & AIDS infected cases :-

Care and support services are implemented to provide assistance to several infected cases in 05 (Five) Clusters. Targeted interventions for the Control of HIV & AIDS epidemics are undertaken in the target location. Nutritious food items, Community Based Rehabilitation for undertaking Income Generation Programs, Sensitization sessions on safe sex practices, ART, Counseling / Referral / Consultation services and Advocacy & Lobbying services are extended.

10. Work site schools for Children of Migrant Families:-

Work site schools are established in order to provide educational facilities to the children of Migrant families which arrive in our target locations in search of livelihoods. These Schools are organized for seasonal migrants in Kolluru Cluster (Brick Industries) and Guntur Cluster (Tobacco and Cotton Factories). Awareness Generation sessions on In-migration and Out-migration are conducted to sensitize people on the effects of migration.

11. Child Safe Guarding & Child Welfare:-

Children’s Groups are formed at Schools and at Villages in order to sensitize School going Children on Child Rights issues and the process of safe guarding Child Rights. Activities are undertaken pertaining to ensuring Access to Justice (A2J) for Children and Child Marriage Free India (CMFI) campaigns.

12. Relief & Rehabilitation activities:

As the target Villages are located in the Coastal region which are prone to natural calamities, they are prone to endemic natural calamities. Hence, Relief & Rehabilitation activities as well as Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) activities are undertaken. Similarly, several target locations are prone to drought situations which are also sensitized on preparedness and risk reduction activities.

Note: SFIRD is working with the ‘Cluster Approach’ and the following priorities are set for implementation under its goal “Better Villages for Better Future”.

Relevance to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of UN:

As an implementing organization at the grass-roots level, the following table indicates the relevance of SFIRD’s involvement in fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals formed by the United Nations (UN) for 2015 – 2030. SFIRD humbly submits that the activities are implemented at grassroots level which contributes to the regional development.

S.N.	SDGs	SFIRD’s Contribution / Involvement
1	Goal: I End Poverty in all its forms every where	Alternative Livelihoods Development – mobilizing and motivating target groups to take up additional livelihoods development activities during the particular seasons. Organizing Vocational and Skill Development training sessions for unemployed Youth. Sensitizing stakeholders to take up feasible and viable Income Generation activities Help accessing entitlements – Social Welfare Measures.
2	Goal: III Ensure healthy lives and promote well being for all ages	Proclaiming on low cost high nutritious locally available food items Sensitization on Seasonal water borne diseases and undertaking preventive measures Kitchen gardens promotion / Herbal & Home remedies Reproductive & Child Health Education Prenatal, natal & post natal services - Immunization Promotion of spacing methods and small Family norms Referral & consultation services
3	Goal: IV Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education	Conducting Child Care activities for Physical, Social and Intellectual development of under 5s Remedial educational sessions for slow learners Promoting special schools for child laborers Organizing Transit Schools for excluded communities Establishing worksite schools (for children of in-migrant families) and seasonal hostels (for children of out-migrant families).
4	Goal: V Achieve Gender Equality and empower all Women and Girls	Support in eradicating early and forced marriages Promoting Girl Child education Extending equal opportunities Women Leadership Development activities – ensuring equal participation at Village Development Committees Formation and strengthening Women Self-Help Groups Political Empowerment and participation of Women at local self government (three-tier system / Panchayat).
5	Gola: VI Ensure availability and sustainable management of Water and Sanitation for all	Help accessing potable safe drinking water Sensitization on water saving measures Construction of soakage pits for ensuring ground water levels Sensitization and training on evils of open defecation Sensitization / awareness on usage of individual sanitary latrines Partnering in construction / provision of Latrine cum bathroom units.
6	Goal: XIII Take urgent action to come back climate change	Capacity building of target communities on global warming, bio diversity and climate change issues Tree plantation and safe-guarding Coastal Environment Promotion of School Eco Clubs
7	Goal: XIV Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, Seas and Marine Resources for Sustainable development	Re-generation and rejuvenation of degrading Mangroves Forests Sensitization of fisher folk on Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) and Marine Fisheries Regulation Act (MFRA) Perishable Marine products – post harvest technology Shrimp industry on the Coast – advantages & disadvantages Value addition – cooperative marketing
8	Goal: XV Protection of Life on Land	Support for small and marginal farmers (leased lands) Awareness generation on deforestation and its impact Tree plantation and afforestation Appropriate land treatment - wet lands and dry lands Vermiculture and organic farming Combat desertification Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Preparedness