Xebia sponsors Net4Kids to help former child labourers in India.
The Tirupur region in southern India is known for its garment industry. As a result of this industry, the region also struggles with the problems associated with child labour. Net4Kids works with the local organisation SAVE and runs programmes in India to eradicate child labour practices and is committed to children's rights by operating educational centres, which are known as bridge schools.
Former child labourers and street children cannot enter the formal education system without a transitional period in which they are prepared for this. Bridge Schools are the answer. Here, during one academic year, these children can be prepared for the regular educational system and receive counselling, in which they are trained in leadership and youth empowerment. SAVE operates 10 centres at which they serve 300 children between the ages of 8 to 14. The children are provided with a lunch and education materials, and their personal development receives a great deal of attention. Teaching methods are specifically geared to make the learning process enjoyable so that these former street children will not return to their old way of life.
The goal of the Bridge Schools is to rescue these former child labourers from the garment industry by placing them in an educational environment where they can both learn and receive counselling. The underlying objective is to motivate them to continue their education so that they will not revert to their old way of life as child labourer.
With an office in India and sharing knowledge as one of Xebia's most important core values, contributing to this specific project seems only natural.
Net4kids wants to provide sustainable aid to underprivileged children in order to offer them a better future. There are too many children in this world without choices. Without chances. Without opportunities. No hope to change their situation. These are the children we want to help. With structural and concrete projects in the areas of housing, schooling and healthcare. For more information about Net4Kids, click here.