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News Release
48 Anganwadi centres dedicated to the children of Andaman and Nicobar Islands
New Delhi, 16th November, 2007
Save the Children in collaboration with the Andaman and Nicobar Administration has constructed 48 child friendly and disaster resistant Integrated Child Development centres (ICDS centres) locally known as Anganwadi centres across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The 48 centres which were built over a two year period, were dedicated to the children of the islands by the Mrs. SKP Sodhi, Special Secretary, Department of Social Welfare on Children's Day, the 14th of November 2007, at Jeyanthi village (Big Lapathy) in Car Nicobar.
Save the Children organized an evening of sharing, "Beyond Construction", on the 15th. In the event held at Megapode Nest, Port Blair, and presided over by Barry Clarke, Chair of the Save the Children Alliance, various stakeholders in the project shared their rich experiences and the lessons learnt in the process. In his Keynote address, Barry Clark congratulated the various agencies on setting up a successful Public- Private partnership and urged that such unique and successful projects could be replicated in the rest of the world. He also reminded the various agencies involved in the project that together they needed work towards responding better during and after any future disasters and ensure immediate and lasting relief to children. Thomas Chandy, CEO of Save the Children, Bal Raksha Bharat, indicated that his organization would like to continue working for the children of the islands.
The Chief Secretary of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Shri Cherring Targay who was a special invitee at the function, released the film, "Beyond Construction", capturing the entire construction process on the islands and produced by Save the Children. The organization had also put up a photo exhibition consisting of visuals covering the various aspects of the construction process at the venue.
Background
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands suffered unprecedented loss after the earthquake and the subsequent Tsunami in 2004. With homes washed away, parents missing or dead, schools and early childhood care centers damaged beyond repair, children were the worst affected by the disaster. Save the Children being an organization committed to the welfare of children, decided to make a lasting difference in the lives of young children by re-building the ICDS centres.
Save the Children worked in conjunction with the Directorate of Social Welfare and its implementing arm, ANIIDCO, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation, the private construction agency, Murali Architects, and UNICEF which assisted in establishing rain water harvesting systems in the buildings, tribal councils, children and the local community to construct 48 disaster resistant child friendly ICDS centres, locally known as Anganwadis, across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The MoU for the project was signed on 14th of November 2005 between Department of Social Welfare, ANIIDCO and Save the Children. The total outlay of the project which would directly benefit about 2400 children in the age group of 0-6, on the islands, was 153 crores INR, with Save the Children contributing 80 % of the outlay and the Department of Social welfare contributing the remaining 20%.
Notes to the Editor
· Save the Children is an leading international child rights agency and a member of International Save the Children Alliance. Save the children fights for children's rights, deliver immediate and lasting improvements to children's lives worldwide.
· Save the Children is the world's largest independent organisation for children, making a difference to children's lives in over 120 countries. Save the Children secures and protects children's rights - to food, shelter, health care, education and freedom from violence, abuse and exploitation.
· In India, we have been working for over three decades, addressing children's issues through child centred - rights based approach, and facilitating the call for recognizing children as citizen and for realizing their rights
· Save the children has been working in the tsunami affected areas in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
For further information please contact:
Mrs. Latha Caleb Director, Save the Children, Tsunami Response Programme Phone: 044- 28150757
Malarvizhi Hirudayaraj Media and Communications Manager Save the Children, Tsunami Response Programme Phone: 91 94449 24018
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