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ANNUAL REPORT - 2016 INTRODUCTIONTiny Miracles was founded by Laurien Meuter in Mumbai, India. The foundation has one goal: to lift a community of 700 people living in the red light area of Mumbai, India from ‘very poor’ to ‘middle class’ within 10 years. The community is located at the heart of where the Pardeshi’s settled three to four generations ago. The community consists of 120 families who traditionally generate income by weaving cane baskets on the pavement. When the foundation first started here in 2010, the average monthly income amounted to just 25 euro per family per month, with an average family size of 6. Tiny Miracles believes giving just money will not really help in the long run. Giving these people a purpose in life and the tools to become self supporting however, will help immensely. That is why providing jobs are so incredibly important. Laurien teamed up with cousin and designer Pepe Heykoop who invented a range of high quality designer products that could be easily manufactured by the (mostly illiterate and uneducated) community itself. It is a mechanism that works both ways. On the one hand beautiful products which are being sold in museums and high end stores around the world. On the other hand a growing work force within the community is created. Making miracles happen can only be achieved if you transform all areas of life simultaneously. You can build a health clinic or enroll children in school, but if there is no access to or awareness for healthy practices, you won’t make progress. Tackling the fundamentals and building awareness and knowledge from a solid basis, has proven to create a profound and lasting impact. That is why Tiny Miracles focuses on 5 important pillars:

Education, Healthcare, Social Awareness,

Skill Training/Income Generation and Fun.

How does Alternatives 4 Children help?A4C has been sponsoring Tiny Miracles for the last 3 years. It finances the English Education - school fees and stationeries for all the children and the after school home work and English classes. A4C also helps to support the higher education of the girls in difficult situations and their tuition expenses. And the computer classes for the children from the community. 136 children in total are enrolled in school.

Tiny Miracles, Mumbai, India www.tinymiracles.nl

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Child Education Education for all children; No children outside the school; this was the initial motto of the educational activities. Once when all the children are enrolled in English medium Schools or in vernacular medium schools, we focused on improving the scholastic performance of the children. We run two full day English support study classes for English medium children. The classes are organized standard wise, to enhance the concentrated studies. In one study class children do the completion of home work and in other class children learn what is taught in the school. Fifty four children attend the classes in different batches. It is very important as the parents cannot support them in English classes as most of the parents are illiterates. Also the atmospheres at the houses are not conducive to learning. These children are first time learners in English medium schools. Support study classes for the vernacular medium children are also conducted.

Few years back, the area was known for its involvement in crime activities, continuous fights, domestic violence etc, though the people are very creative due to social evils like alcoholism, illiteracy, substance abuse, exploitation by the political leaders financial problems etc.

Now over a period of time the face of the community has changed. Children are going to English medium school regularly. Women are occupied with income generation programs. Their skills improved. They have attended many sessions and hence improved the knowledge, more over they too start planning for the future. They feel dignity. Before no women / girls used to go for service either due to illiteracy or it was not in their culture. Now one girl completed post graduation, two girls completed degree B Com (15), three are studying in degree level. Of them three girls are working full time, two girls are working part time. Community is changed ... showing women empowerment.

Three girls are working as beauticians in salons of them one girl is with Lakme and she is the assistant manager and skin specialist in her salon. They were given initial training by us by net working with other vocational training institutes.

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Babita Vikas Prdeshi was given support in studying para medical course and she was working as assistance nurse in a hospital. She got married to her friend of more than 9 years. She stopped working when she got a baby girl. Started working with igp. As the girl is little grown up now she again started working with hospital. First married woman who is employed from the community. Yes community is changed …

As per her recommendations Vanita Sunil Pardeshi is now attending medical course.

Community Social EducationWe organize many sessions for the parents and children to improve the knowledge level and therefore the positive changes in attitude and practice in day to day life. Also organized an exposure visit to Before few years in the community women never used to mingle with others as it is a isolated community. They get marry within the community itself. Outsiders never used to mix with them. Therefore many problems arises and each one used to lead a secluded life though the houses are adjacent to each other. Due to the sessions, group formation at work place, and the many fun programs they started mingling with each other. They were involved with various activities we organize and now a team of 22 women and many young girls are groomed to become volunteers for the activities. They take the leadership and give full involvement. They stand by their view point and work for it.

Case studiesCase study -1Rohini Pardeshi is 24 years old now and we could take her as a model girl to look at. She has two sisters and two brothers. When she was in college her father died, leaving the family in to the financial problems and debt. Her mother became mentally ill after her father’s death. Younger brother became irresponsible and got in to illegal activities. She had to face many issues – emotional, financial and social. Amidst all these problems she wanted to complete her studies – degree. Through A4C helped her studies - college education and tuition fees. She was employed as part time study class teacher to teach the young children from vernacular medium. With this income she could meet the other needs. Also we helped her in attending the MSCIT computer class and she scored high. She was appointed as computer teacher for six months in our project. Then after her completion of the degree she worked under CA Arvind S. Jain and Company for one and a half year. She has taken her mother to the counselor when a counselor was with the project. Her mental status was improved. She continuously followed it up with her younger brother and gave her support and now he had left the illegal activities and is employed full time. Two sisters were married off with her initiation and dialogue with the relatives.

Always her dream was to work with Bank.

She pursued her dream and now she is employed at HDFC Bank in the loan department. She underwent the training period and started working. She gets Rs.10,000/- pm as it is initial period. Still she dreams of getting a position higher than this post.

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Case Study 2 Tisha Sarju Pardeshi is one of the sponsored child and studies in 9th std. in Fellowship High School. She studies well and actively involved in other school activities. We also sponsor her for attending Karatte class where she got white, yellow, gold and orange belts.

She also participate National Cadet Corps (NCC). It refers to the cadet corps of Indian Military. Students participate on a voluntary basis. The cadets are given the basics of military training which normally involves in parades or small arms. These cadets get preference over other candidates in future to join military. NCC helps in grooming the youngsters to be patriotic and disciplined citizens.

Tisha attended NCC camps in different places like Khandwel, Nasik, Valsad, Ghatkoper, Panvel, collaba, Aurangabad, etc. She was selected for Republic Day camp. She got best Pared Commander award in Aurangabad Camp. She also won many prizes for the competitions in school like rangoli, dancing, drawing etc.

It is unbelievable a girl from Pareshi community attending various programs and win many prizes. Few years back children from Pardeshi community never went to English medium school. They were looked down always. Now schools feel proud of them. Tisha’s photo is printed on the school magazine.

Conclusion We have seen as a very positive changes and overall development in the community. The women themselves say that the community is changed a lot. Now they are confident. They don’t get in to fights often. They mingle with each other. Widows started getting remarried, which was not possible before. Parents get their girls married off to boys from outside caste which was not possible before. If any girl get marry to a person from outside caste they were out casted before. The women work at igp. With the money they save and meet the daily expenses. They enrolled the children in better schools and tuitions. Six men in the community purchased car on loan as their wives are strong and bring in money from igp. The community is now moving forward due to the comprehensive developmental activities.