Our Vision
“Every Right for Every Child”
Empowering Children through a Rights-Based Approach
Our Core Belief
“We believe children are not just the future, but the present—and essential to building a peaceful and just society.”
Our Four-Fold Intervention Strategy
- Street Interventions
(Focus: Protecting the Rights of Street Connected Children and Children in Vulnerable Situations) - Shelter Home Interventions
(Focus: Rehabilitation of Children through Legal Measures) - Community Interventions
(Focus: Preventing Child Rights Violations and Social Exclusion) - Societal Interventions
(Focus: Promoting a Culture of Child Rights among Stakeholders and Defending Child Rights)
1. Street Interventions
(Protecting the Rights of Street Connected Children and Children in Vulnerable Situations)
This intervention involves taking Vidiyal to the streets. Children recognize our staff as caring adults and freely share their concerns. Emotional and psychological needs are identified and addressed promptly.
Key components:
- Regular street visits and establishing contact points
- Rapport building
- Provision of basic needs
- Health care
- Protection through street educators (caring adults)
2. Shelter Home Interventions
(Rehabilitation of Children through Legal Measures)
Since March 2004, Sakthi – Vidiyal has been recognized by the Department of Child Welfare and Special Services, Government of Tamil Nadu, to operate the Reception
Home for Madurai District under the Child Welfare Committee. The Home is established under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act to provide care, protection, rehabilitation, and restoration for children in need.
Key components:
- Legal aid
- Provision of basic needs
- Health care and sexual health intervention programme
- Counselling and guidance
- Trauma care and psychosocial support
- Personality development
- Skill development
- Individual care planning
- Home placement
- School readmission and educational continuity
- Pre-vocational training and referral services
3. Community Interventions
(Preventing Child Rights Violations and Social Exclusion)
Several studies have shown that street children are a consequence of rapid urbanization. Children from poor socio-economic backgrounds are more vulnerable to school dropout and street life. Our experience affirms this reality.
We view child rights through the lens of social inclusion, primarily working with Dalit, nomadic, and semi-nomadic communities.
Key components:
- Child Education Centres within or near slums
- Facilitating children’s base groups
- Federating children’s forums into Vidiyal Child Rights Movement (VCRM)—a child-led movement
- 7 O’ Clock Programme at Children’s Forums
- Fun and fellowship programmes (pleasure trips (36)– Places of Natures Bounty, Trade Houses and Historical Places
- Camps – Jolly Camp, Residential Camps, Boys Standing for Gender Equality, Work Camp at Tribal Hamlets
- Celebrations (Diwali, Christmas, Ramzan and Pongal), Child Rights Festival and Anniversary of Sakthi – Vidiyal
- Self-development activities (skill development forums such as Science Forum, Tamil Forum, Drawing Forum, quarterly trainings and workshops (48))
- Service projects by children for community betterment
- Child rights advocacy by VCRM—from local to global platforms, including engagement with government structures
- Children’s Theatre Troupe
- Observance of special days (International Child Rights Day, International Day of the Girl Child)
- Networking with children’s collectives across India and globally
- Health care and sexual health education
- Counselling and guidance
- Family outreach programmes
- Mothers’ and Fathers’ Forums
- Support for livelihood, legal aid, and referrals
- Capacity Building trainings and workshops for Staff and Volunteers
- Volunteers’ Forum (Muhangal – Faces): College-going youth serve as mentors in Child Education Centres
- Alumni Forum (Olirum Muhangal – Radiant Faces): Alumni act as child rights defenders and catalysts for social change, especially in ending caste-based occupations like manual scavenging. Empowered girls are encouraged to access opportunities and realize their full potential.
4. Societal Interventions
(Promoting a Culture of Child Rights among Stakeholders and Defending Child Rights)
Key components:
- Building linkages with schools and conducting regular awareness programmes on child rights and protection
- Intervening in reported child rights violations and ensuring justice through child protection mechanisms
- Conducting trainings and workshops on child rights and related issues for various stakeholders, including government departments
- Sensitizing police and allied departments through legal awareness training on child-related laws
- Networking and alliance-building with like-minded organizations for policy reform and improved child protection mechanisms
- Disseminating key messages on child rights through Vidiyal’s children’s theatre troupe
- Organizing campaigns and mass awareness programmes on specific themes
- Media and digital media advocacy
