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Programs — Section @ GCI World

The Schooling Project

The Schooling Project is the flagship program of GCI.

We believe that education is the most important requirement to build positively contributing citizens, upholding equality of all people and learning to live in harmony with the environment.

The Schooling Project was initiated in 2002 with support from friends of GCI, led by Suresh Venkat, Abhay Toshniwal, Sneha and Tushad Talati, Chatura Padaki, Shabari Padaki and Nitya Rao.

Our belief is that every child must have access to formal school and holistic learning to enhance their potential and inspire them to discover and follow their dreams.

The Schooling Project was initiated in 2002 with support from friends of GCI, led by Suresh Venkat, Abhay Toshniwal and Nitya Rao, Tushad and Sneha Talati, Chatura Padaki, and Shabari. Their belief: that every child must have access to formal school and holistic learning to enhance their potential and inspire them to discover and follow their dreams.

In 2002 five friends pooled money to keep 10 children from vulnerable and poor families in school. Over the years the number of children steadily increased, as did the number of friends supportingthis initiative. This group supports 300 students with part school fees, uniform and books.

What Guides Our Work

The children supported by The Schooling Project come from challenging social and economic circumstances and most often difficult family backgrounds. Many are rescued from child labour, some are rescued from trafficking, and a majority are at risk of being trafficked. Many who are forced to drop out of school, are counseled along with their families, to re-join and complete school education.

A five pronged approach continues to guide our work:

an integral general education,
a means of preparing for occupational fields and for effective participation in the world of work
an aspect of lifelong learning and a preparation for responsible citizenship with values and ethics
an instrument for promoting environmentally sound sustainable development,
a method of self enhancement to facilitating poverty alleviation,

Scholastic Impact

Since 2003, The Schooling project has succeeded in supporting:

8975 students complete formal schooling till class 10
2995 complete graduation
2120 complete II PUC with 2 rank holders
1085 join community college, vocational training
3660 girls and 2410 boys participate in education and
1600 children from impoverished communities continue their scholastic education in twenty schools in Bangalore, Nelamangala, and Srinivaspura thanks to Sansera Foundation.

Assisted and Lifelong Learning Program

Assisted and Lifelong Learning

The Assisted and Lifelong Learning Program focuses on addressing the formal school syllabus while encouraging lifelong learning. This initiative provides essential guidance and support to children enrolled in formal schools, offering them resources and opportunities to expand their knowledge.

The program creates a rich, literate environment by providing access to newspapers, newsletters, and information materials, thereby promoting multilingualism and equipping children to thrive in a globalized world.

Key Features

Distribution of reading, writing, and learning materials.
Engaging children through interactive activities such as games and art.
Encouraging school attendance by providing snacks and eatables.
Organizing regular meetings with parents, particularly mothers, to foster involvement.
Promoting extracurricular activities to enhance overall development.

Quality Care

To ensure quality care for children from within their families and communities. The best possible way to protect children from abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence is to keep them with their families and to help caregivers take care of them. Many of the families are under high stress from a variety of reasons such as disability or illness, poverty, which often means children do not receive the love and care they deserve. This needs to be made possible by supporting families and working with the local government towards providing for them within the stipulations of provisions being made by the government.

Elevate Competencies

We endorse and elevate competencies amongst the children and young people - such as critical thinking, creativity, ability to organize, social and communication skills, adaptability, problem solving, ability to cooperate on a democratic basis needed for actively promoting a peaceful present and shaping a just future.

GCI continues to utilize community-level base and knowledge to develop innovative interventions to ensure that women and children can access basic services such as clean water, health visitors and educational facilities, and that these services are of the quality envisaged by law and its various stipulations. At the same time, GCI also reaches out directly to women to help them to understand what they must do to ensure their children are encouraged to attend and remain in school by extending support for their fees, books and uniforms.
GCI further intervenes on issues of domestic violence and other forms of violence meted out to women and girls, in the community. Besides this, leadership programs are held for women to assist them to become confident women able to resist violence in its myriad forms both at home and at their workplaces.
50% of the children's school fees is supported by Global Concerns India through funds raised by friends of GCI, Sansera Foundation of Sansera Engineering Pvt., Ltd., for individual students. GCI insists that parents should pay 50% of the school fees for their children. GCI does not believe that charity should be doled out to anyone, as this will only reduce the responsibility towards the issue at hand.
Keeping children in Schools is a primary activity that ensures, children are safe from being pushed into labour or sexual exploitation.
We operate from classrooms in schools where 80 children or more are being supported with partial school fees, on all working days with support educators and guest educators on a routine basis.

Overall Outcomes

GCI believes there is an urgent need to reinforce and recognize the need for life-skills learning.

Effective training sessions/workshops in communication skills, critical thinking, analytical skills, self confidence
Specific andgeneralskills that address emerging market opportunities - enhanced literacy, numeracy, languages, vocational training along with values and importance of focusing on saving, changing consumption patterns, using new technologies, social networking, civic responsibilities, time management, leadership with values, team-building,
Develop reading and writing skills, knowledge to overcome contextual constraints youth from marginalized sections face
Information and educationon gender equality to break down some of the gender barriers and disadvantages that hinder development of key life skills to girls while the education becomes beneficial when they have greater access to services, control over their mobility, access resources, opportunities and have a voice in decisions -making.
Promote and focus on extending competencies that assist young people in functioning well in environments that they live.
To empower children, adolescents and youth who are marginalized, so as to develop adequate skills and competencies in learning a skill for employment, choosing an area for further studies, developing their communication skills, advocate against abuse of drugs and alcohol

Our Activities

GCI has identified 750 children who have been re-admitted / enrolled into different formal schools. These are children who are vulnerable to being trafficked and pushed into the labour market, to earn a little extra income for their families.
All these children belong to very poor families, whose parents are coolies, daily wage earners, domestic workers, house-painters, sell fruits-vegetables, lorry cleaners and some who work as cleaners/cooks/helpers in small hotels. Most of the children's fathers are alcoholics, who may or may not be living with the family; often absenting themselves from any form of regular work and so no regular income to the family.
Several of the children's only incentive to go to school is to have the mid-day meal provided by the government. The schools have their own system of extending mid-day meals to 1 or 2 children from a family. If a family has 3-4 children, 1 or 2 children must starve or wait till the other siblings bring back some of the food given in the schools. This is one of the reasons for providing a snack and some milk for children attending the 'ALP' classes.
GCI further strives to make learning a joyful and enriching experience - encompassing all the above-mentioned issues / topics / subjects and focus areas, including vocational training, outdoor leadership camps, select adolescents to pursue artistic potentials - art, drama, music etc., at the ALP - assisted learning center
Through volunteers and special program activities, training workshops are periodically facilitated for children, youth and women and parents to understand the needs and challenges of adolescents in formal schooling and the effects of domestic abuse and violence
Mainstream children who are differently-abled - into formal schools and vocational training
Endorse and elevate competencies amongst the children and young people - such as critical thinking, creativity, ability to organize, social and communication skills, adaptability, problem solving, ability to cooperate on a democratic basis needed for actively promoting a peaceful present and shaping a just future.
Children rescued from brothels / workplaces are also admitted to registered homes and enrolled into formal schools for continuing their education.
Parents of the students supported for school fees attend monthly meetings to discuss their children's progress, their own concerns, issues at workplaces or even to collectivize to demand entitlements from the government like, health service, minimum wages, better roads, clean drinking water and safety of children and women.

Global Concerns India is happy to partner with you on programs concentrating on children, women, elders and the environment.

Children's Creativity Centre

Ananya Children's Creativity Centre

Our Children's Creativity Centre opened in L.R. Nagar in March of 2020.

Global Concern India (GCI) through its flagship program The Schooling Project, works to promote and encourage scholastic education among children from especially marginalized and vulnerable communities in our society, including children rescued and those-at-risk of being trafficked, children forced to labour, beg and school dropouts.

Global Concerns India (GCI) facilitates an 'after-school-sessions' called 'Assisted Learning Program', that augments scholastic education. The sessions are conducted inside the govt. aided schools premises and at the Centre in a slum (L.R.Nagar). This involves endorsing and elevating competencies of children and young people on creativity, critical thinking, ability to organize, social and communication skills, adaptability, problem-solving, ability to cooperate on a democratic basis, and actively promote interactions that are respectful and dignified. A team of volunteer Mentors conduct scholastic and life-long learning sessions for children.

Children's Creativity Centre-The land for the was purchased with funds raised in 2011 by friends of GCI who organized a Golf Tournament, at the Banglore Golf Club. In 2018 the Southern Lodge of Freemasons stepped up with the funds needed for constructing the building itself.

The Global Concerns Trust and Basis Education Foundation (Basis) funded doors, windows, electrical wiring, and sanitary fittings, tiles for the first floor.

GCI is runs the Basis Digital Ethical Literacy Unit at CCC. The goal is to facilitate children and youth between the ages of 8-18 digital skills and the wisdom needed to integrate the technology of our times into their thinking and decision-making.

Combatting Human Trafficking

GCI's emphasis remains in addressing violence against women and children, living in vulnerable situations of violence, conflict or allied challenges.

Human trafficking technically is labelled within the realms of organised crimes. Crimes of sexual exploitation, organ trade, pornography and forced/bonded labour through the trafficking of people. GCI works with a network of CSOs & the Govt. to combat Human Trafficking and supporting survivors of trafficking in the restoration of their lives.

GCI is passionately committed to the prevention, rescue, protection, prosecution, home placement, and rehabilitation of children and individuals, prosecuting those perpetrators who exploit them through human trafficking. By partnering with various government departments, we ensure effective intervention in trafficking cases at all levels.

As a vital member of the State High Power Committee and the State District (Bengaluru Urban) Legal Services Authority Against Human Trafficking, GCI plays a crucial role in shaping policies. Our involvement in discussions with policymakers, civil society organizations (CSOs), international bodies, and corporations serves to raise awareness and drive action against exploitation and slavery. Together, we strive to create spaces that will ensure a future where everyone is free from the horrors of trafficking, exploitation, and all forms of slavery.

Our program involves rescue, prevention, protection, prosecution, rehabilitation and restoration, in cooperation with civil society organizations working on various aspects that challenge and address human trafficking.

GCI and it's volunteers are challenging the myths, perceptions, practices, and attitudes that force children and women to be sold as commodities, forced to endure gender absed violence and face challenges of accessing systemic justice.

GCI is the Convenor of Mukti - An Alliance Against Human Trafficking and Bonded Labour in Karnataka. This is a collective of over 200 registered organizations in Karnataka, working aganist human trafficking and it's various facets of exploitation, servitude and oppression.

Adaikalam for Women

GCI is fundraising to add an additional two floors to the

Ananya Children's Creativity Centre;
the top floor will be a dedicated space for women.
It is to be named "Adaikalam"
which means "place of solace"
(the third floor will be for the Sanmathi Ethical Digital Literacy program)

The Story

A few weeks ago one of the many strong, powerful, beautiful women that GCI works with lamented that every member of her family expected her to be doing household chores all the time, even when there was nothing else to be done at that moment (85% of these women work outside their homes as domestic help, street vendors, street sweepers, work in shops or small hotels cleaning and cutting vegetables, etc.).

She dreamily joked how happy she would be to go to a place where, for a little while, she would not be expected to do anything, a place where she could just be.

Such a simple idea, really, but all the other women sitting in the meeting retorted: "such a place is non-existent for women like us."

We asked the women what they would expect in such a place, if such a place could exist. Almost all of them said, "Nothing. We could just go, sit around and do nothing, maybe talk to someone, watch a film, sing songs, play some games." They mentioned several indoor games that they used to play when they were girls.

Adaikalam will be a place where women can feel a sense of belonging, regain their inner strength, join a yoga session, calm their minds, laugh, play games they have almost forgotten and be themselves without anyone expecting them to do anything for anyone else, even if just for a little while!