Butterflies: South Asia

Lead Partner: Butterflies

Description

Founded in 1988, Butterflies addresses the challenge of making the Convention on the Rights of the Child a reality, particularly of those children who are most vulnerable, neglected, abused and exploited. Butterflies is committed within its mandate, to work toward solidarity among NGOs, government and all civil society organisations for addressing the concerns of all children. Butterflies ensures that children actively participate in the decision- making process of all its programs. This forms the central principle of all the activities of Butterflies.

Areas of activity

Advocacy: Bal Sabha forms the core of Butterflies program. It is a forum where the children can speak, share their ideas as well as critique the programs and orientation of the organisation. Further, the also learn the principles of democracy i.e. every person has a right to an opinion and freedom of expression, a consensus must be reached to take a final decision and that sometimes a compromise is needed.

On average, the children Butterflies helps, earn between 30-100 rupees a day, most of which the police will steal because they don’t believe these children can legally make this much money. In response, Butterflies has set up sensitization and training workshops for police officers.

In September of 2001, Butterflies established a bank for street children. Those who saved money for six months without withdrawing any funds will earn 50 percent interest on their investment and are eligible to loan money to start small businesses such as a tea stall or shoe shine stand.

Butterflies works to make education more accessible and of a better quality for children. The organisation also provides vocational and skills training for children including its community kitchen and computer education initiatives. Butterflies Alternate Media gives children the space to create their very own media that gives expression to the unheard voices of children. Furthermore, the media project provides opportunities for children to train and to participate in the production
of their own newspaper, radio programmes and theatre.

Butterflies provides emergency services for children including Crisis Centers, a hotline named Childline, night shelters, as well as a progra named Night Reach. Butterflies addresses the child health problems by training children to be Child Health Workers, providing medical attention through a mobile health cooperative, and providing health education. The organisation has helped form a child worker union named Bal Mazdoor Union in order to help them fight for their rights.