Our Projects

TOLLYGUNGE WOMEN IN NEED

Tollygunge Project

There are numerous slums in Tollygunge under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Ward nos. 93 & 94. TWIN Projects cover 6 slums viz. Biswas Para, Hoglapara, Jhoro Basti, Masjid Para, Mothertala &Mollahati, under KMC Ward Nos 93 & 94, inhabited by 2500 families. The number of families actively accessed by TWIN is about 600. There are now 110 children in the project.

Diamond Harbour Project

There are Red-light areas in Diamond Harbour in the District of South 24- Parganas under Diamond Harbour Municipal Ward nos. 9& 10. In 1998, TWIN started a trial project in Kalibazar, the red-light area of Diamond Harbour in South 24- Parganas, with a group of 50 sex workers and 70 of their children, between the age of 5-11 years. On the request of the community, the project was later extended in 1999 to cover all the sex workers and their children. There are now 87 children in the project.

Dhobiatala Project

Dhobiatala is situated in New Tangra in KMC Ward No. 58. This area is a recycling ground of hazardous wastes where children and women are engaged in battery breaking, sorting metal, rubber and plastic wastes as well as reclaiming lubricants & oil from wastes. Apart from the child labour aspect, the environment of the locality is highly polluted and poses great health hazards. In 1999, TWIN, in association with a reputed NGO, already active in the area, started a child centre for the children engaged in hazardous recycling work in the locality. A group of 50 children in the age group of 5-11 years were taken in the programme. To compensate for the loss of earnings from the children, the mothers were paid Rs.100 per month as compensation-cum-incentive for them to agree to remove their children from child labour. However, the mothers have now realized the benefit of their children regaining their childhood and growing in tension tension-free environment. As a result, the incentive payment of Rs. 100 is now no longer needed. There are 53 children in the project now.