Regions: Africa   Asia   Latin America


Name of Organization: Center for Studies & Applied Sciences in Gender, Family, Women & Adolescents (CSAGA)

Country: Vietnam

Project Title: "Increasing non-formal educational forms for children laborers"

Project Timeframe: May 2005 - February 2006

Location of Project: Slum area of Hanoi

Budget Amount: $ 9,680

NGO contact and website:
R*01 - B3- Thang Long International Village - Tran Dang Ninh Road
Hanoi, Vietnam
Phone: 844 754 0421, 844 756 9547
E-mail: tinhamlintam@fpt.vn

Project's Primary Objective: Strengthen formal and transitional education systems that encourage working children and those at risk of working to attend school.

Description of Organization: Center for Studies and Applied Sciences in Gender-Family-Women and Adolescent (CSAGA) is a Vietnamese non-governmental organization affiliated with Hanoi Hotline, the first agency in North Vietnam to work in the field of psycho-emotional counselling.

CSAGA specializes in research, communication, training and organizing, and counselling interventions. Various communication channels are used for reaching target sectors, including the children. Lately, communication messages have included child labor and education. Training programs include counselling skills, gender equality, life skills, children's rights, communication, and children's participation. In 2003, CSAGA received an award for its many good achievements in Hanoi. During the same year, the UN also recognized CSAGA as one of six organizations with the best experience in promoting gender equality at the local level.

Description of Project funded by CIRCLE: The project targets the improvement of educational opportunities for 40 children living and working in the slum area of Hanoi who do not go to formal schools. Through the continuing support of trained youth volunteers who currently provide informal learning sessions in the evenings for the children, the project aims to improve and systematize such classes and develop potential values and life skills of child laborers. It also hopes to increase community awareness of child labor and the importance of education in preventing it. Four components as follows will be implemented to achieve its objectives: (1) Radio communication and use of other channels to deliver key messages on child labor and education resulting in increased awareness and helpful action on behalf of child laborers; (2) Training and follow-up support activities on effective teaching skills, child participation and life skills development for youth volunteers; (3) Training and practice of relevant life skills for children; and (4) Additional educational and food support such as books, rice or clothes.

At the end of the project, 40 children will continue to participate in more effective evening classes with youth volunteers and to practice life skills, and those who express interest to go to formal schools will enrol. It is also expected that children will no longer continue with their hazardous work and opt to be in more protected work environment.

Project Targets (Common Indicators):
Enrollment: 40 children
Persistence: 30; 20% move from informal education to formal school program
Transition: Those who are able and wish to go to formal school can go.
Completion: 30 children