Mahila Vikas and Shishu Sanskar Kendra

Their activities include:

• Pre-School Education: The organization believes that early childhood is the stage when the foundation for physical, emotional, social, and cognitive growth of the child is set. Providing quality education at an early age to children living in slums helps in laying a sound foundation for their overall development. MVSSK runs Balwadis (pre-primary education centres) in English, Hindi, and Marathi languages. They provide Balwadi teachers with regular training and also training in teaching students in English-medium. Parent Teacher Association meetings are organised. In FY15, 37 children were enrolled in the Balwadis.
• Non-Formal Education (NFE): The objective is to eliminate child labour and include child labourers in the mainstream education system. MVSSK gives children of brick-workers lessons in human and cultural values, national integration, and conducts functional literacy classes. 139 children have attended the NFE classes over the past three years, of which 113 possess reading/writing skills.
• HIV/AIDS Prevention Project for Truckers: MVSSK is presently working with 5,000 truckers in the Masjid Bunder area. Their services include check-ups for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) and HIV/AIDS, referral services to Government hospitals or private clinics, and promotion of condom usage for high-risk groups. So far, their activities have covered nearly 36,000 people. Their Peer Educator Campaign has resulted in increased referral services from Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) patients.
• Health Check-up Camps: For creating awareness about various diseases and hygiene & sanitation practices, especially among women. Free health check-ups are done for women.
• Women Empowerment: Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) were initially started in five villages to support women in financial need and increase their participation in decision-making in their families. MVSSK is helping women to set up small businesses with the intent of making rural women economically secure.