Mukti
Ashram
How We Began
In 1991, Mukti Ashram
was begun in the outskirts of Delhi
as the first of a transitory residential
centre for the rehabilitation and education
of rescued bonded child labourers. Mukti
Ashram has not only physically and mentally
rehabilitated individual children who
have been rescued by BBA but also given
a unique archetype to restoration and
empowerment of the most vulnerable and
neglected children.
Social Education
The most
important training that children receive
at the ashram is not their literacy class
or vocational training. Being able to
write and read and having a job skill
is all part of the empowerment process
to transform children from objects of
exploitation to agents of change.
Social Education Classes are held daily
to give the children an opportunity
to express their experiences in child
labour. By retelling their stories and
discussing their challenges openly,
they strengthen their confidence. This
is an important step, especially for
children coming from the low caste,
who have been brought up deprived of
their basic rights.
Children also learn about society and
the political system in order to understand
how child labour is being perpetuated
and how they can play a role in society
to tackle the causes of child labour.
This gives them the chance to reflect
on the many social issues (such as poverty,
caste, gender and equality) relevant
to their lives and to think rationally
about poverty and child labour. Various
expressive tools are used for children
to learn and express their rights through
street theatres, drawing and interactive
workshops.
Mukti
Ashram is a 6 month transitory
rehabilitation centre for children
released from bonded/child labour
by BBA. |
Goal 1: Restoration of Childhood
Children must be given a chance to live
as children. Confined to working many
hours a day for months or even for years,
bonded child labourers never see a happy
day in childhood to play and laugh. Upon
arrival at the Mukti Ashram, the children
are free to play and interact with other
children. Special physical and psychological
care is given by the experienced staff,
but the best care is from the children
of the Ashram who also come from similar
backgrounds.
Goal 2: Orientation
to Education
Children
must be given basic training on literacy
and schooling. Most of the children
arriving at the Mukti Ashram have never
attended school. In many cases, they
are the first ones in the family to
be given opportunities to hold pens
and books. It is our first challenge
to make them understand the importance
of being educated. Through literacy
training, children will not only be
able to read, write and do simple calculations
but they will be trained so that they
can be easily absorbed in the mainstream
schools once they leave the ashram.
Goal 3: Empowerment
and Leadership Skills
Children
will be trained to speak for other children
and act as leaders of today and of the
future. Almost 90% of the bonded child
labouers we rescue are from the lowest
castes (dalits), who have been deprived
of basic social and human rights. These
children are conditioned to think that
they are worthless and have no rights.
Mukti Ashram aims to empower these children
through interactive discussions among
the children themselves and social workers
on social issues and teaching them their
basic rights. The children also participate
in campaigning activities to share their
experiences and express their views.
Goal 4: Prevention
of Child Labour
Children
will change the mind-set of law-makers
and enforcers and break the myths of
child labour, illiteracy and poverty.
Uniquely set near the political centre
of India, Mukti Ashram receives many
guests from within India and around
the world. Many politicians and international
leaders visiting us had not previously
believed in the power of children's
voices until they met our children.
Mukti Ashram acts as a source for many
policy and political changes affecting
the lives of millions of children in
India and abroad.
 |
An
Appeal
Here
is a chance to help the
children. You can send
your remittances either
by cheque or bank draft
in favour of Association
for Voluntary Action (AVA),
L-6, Kalkaji, New Delhi-110019
INDIA |
|
Interaction with these
leaders also gives the children confidence
to become leaders themselves. Upon their
return to their villages, many become
the advocates for others in their communities.
Such changes upwards, beginning from
the grassroots level, are the only way
to break the myths, that the poor are
only born to work and are not worthy
of the basic rights, to which every
human being is entitled.
