India

Mother and Child Health, Water, sanitation and hygiene, Child trafficking, Disaster management

Active in India since 1971, Terre des hommes (Tdh) runs projects dealing with health, water and sanitation and fight against child trafficking. Disaster preparedness is a cross cutting issue in all activities. In 2011, over 56,500 people benefited from the services of Terre des hommes.

Context

India, the most populous democracy in the world is also a country of many contrasts. Despite rapid economic growth, nearly half of the children in the country are malnourished and remain disadvantaged due to poor access to safe drinking water and sanitation. Drop out rates from schools are high for girls with many of them marrying as children. India is a major source, destination and transit country for child trafficking (linked to debt bondage, forced labour, forced marriage, sexual exploitation, etc).

Our intervention

Health and nutrition – In the Andaman Islands, Tdh and its partners improve children’s access to health facilities in close collaboration with the Government. Tdh strengthens existing health structures, carries out medical examinations with referrals, and promotes healthy behaviour. In West Bengal a newly launched project in a remote and isolated area of the Sundarbans (Ganges Delta) aims at protecting 19’000 children from malnutrition and supporting recovery of severely malnourished children in a Special Nutrition Centre.

Water and sanitation – In the Andaman Islands and Andhra Pradesh Tdh improves water and sanitation infrastructure in communities and schools. Ecological Sanitation which is particularly suited for flood prone areas is promoted at the household level in Andhra Pradesh . Intensive hygiene awareness sessions with children in schools and their families help to decrease the risks of water borne diseases; this is of particular importance during emergencies.

Anti-child trafficking – Since 2006, Tdh has worked with shelter homes supporting survivors of trafficking and improving their standards of care and protection. A new programme focuses on repatriation and reintegration of trafficked children into society – both in Nepal and India.

Disaster management – All working areas are highly prone to natural disasters such as floods, cyclones and earth quakes. Tdh mainstreams disaster preparedness in its development projects, and responds if needs arises with emergency relief aid.

• 92.645874 12.010308

  Andaman Islands

• 87.844848 23.193892

  West Bengal

• 80.718841 16.668558

  Andhra Pradesh