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Alwar Area Program

Sponsor a child

Program Type

Community Development

Planned Life Cycle

2009 - 2024

Location

India

Areas of Focus

Health | Livelihoods 

Program Timeline

Status: Active

Progress

4,199children and youth participated in groups and clubs, gathering with peers to develop new skills and positive values

Progress

3,999people participated in activities aimed at supporting child protection and ending violence against children

Progress

2,035people participated in trainings, counseling or activities on preventing and responding to infectious diseases, such as COVID-19

A white jeep driving through a muddy path, featuring a rainbow and trees in the background.

Program Details

Context

The Alwar community is located in northeast India in Rjasthan, the largest state. While most of the state is covered by the Thar Desert, this community lives in the Sariska forest. The area has severe water problems, as the water level is very low and the land is rocky. Chronic water shortage dominates every aspect of life in this rural community.

Most families earn their living from subsistence agriculture, but they face drought every year. No rainfall means no food or income to buy it elsewhere. There are small areas being mined for gravel and stone, and few community members work as wage labourers.

There are five major ethnic groups living in the community: the Meena, Bairwa, Gurjar, Koli, and Balha. They speak Mewathi, Hindi, and Rajasthani as the three main languages. Most houses have mud floors and walls with thatch roofs, while some are made entirely of mud. Illiteracy is high in the community, and most areas do not have medical facilities.

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Challenges
Education
An estimated 75% of women in the Alwar community are illiterate. There is a pronounced gender imbalance here, and therefore less focus on educating girls and women. Additionally, families struggling with day-to-day survival often do not see the value of educating their children. As a result, many children are not currently attending school.

For those who are in school, the quality of education they receive in inadequate. Schools are not child-friendly and teachers are overworked and underpaid. Many educators have to work secondary jobs as well, so the quality of their teaching is often poor.

Most children do not continue beyond a primary education. There are no middle or high schools close by to the community, and as children grow older, they begin to help their families with work instead of studying.

Health Care
For children living in a community that routinely faces drought, a lack of food is a way of life. As a result, malnutrition in children and women is very common. The stone and gravel mining operations in the area pollute the air and cause many children to suffer from asthma. Malaria also occurs regularly in Alwar.

Most areas of the community do not have health facilities, and existing centres lack adequate supplies. Poverty, traditional beliefs, and illiteracy cause families to rely on superstitions and traditional community healers. Families sometimes accept ill health as a matter of fate instead of something that can be changed.

Water and Sanitation
Over the past five or six years, rainfall has been lower than usual, and families have lived in a continuous drought. Their meagre water resources have been over-exploited and the water table has dropped. Many wells area dry or have been contaminated by the concentration of dissolved salts in the rock table.

Not only is there little water for agriculture, but also there is now less and less safe water for drinking. Drinking contaminated water leaves children susceptible to recurring diarrhea and waterborne diseases. This is made worse by the lack of sanitation and knowledge of good hygiene practices.

Economic Development
Families in Alwar depend on agriculture to survive, and their agriculture in turn depends on rainfall during the short monsoon season. Farmers are not currently harvesting enough to make this a sustainable livelihood, however. There are also few opportunities to find alternative work or establish other income-generating activities....
Plans
Education
To ensure children can access and benefit from quality education, World Vision will assist the community to:
  • Train parents in early childhood care practices that will help children develop the skills they need for success in primary school.
  • Improve school infrastructure by providing clean water, sanitary toilets, fences, and playground equipment.
  • Establish bridge schools to help out-of-school youth between the ages of eight and 14 return to the classroom.
  • Support community-based organizations that provide students with additional education opportunities, like life skills training, summer camps, and trips outside of their rural community.
  • Teach parents about holistic child development and the value of education, especially for girls.

Health Care
With the partnership of Canadian sponsors and the community, World Vision will work to:
  • Train parents and caregivers, in preventative health care practices, like breastfeeding, infant and child nutrition, pre and postnatal care, and immunization.
  • Promote education campaigns to change the way people think about their health and encourage the development of healthier behaviours.
  • Train parents in the use of Oral Rehydration Solution, and provide supplies during peak times for diarrheal disease. Improve the quality of health care services, especially with immunization and vitamin A supplements.

Water and Sanitation
In partnership with families and sponsors, World Vision will work with the community to:
  • Conduct surveys to determine the best sites for water infrastructure development.
  • Construct and rehabilitate dams, ponds, and storage tanks near the community to raise ground water levels.

Economic Development
​To ensure parents in Alwar can provide for their families, World Vision will partner with the community to:
  • Train farmers in new agricultural techniques and establish demonstration plots so they can see the benefits of new practices.
  • Provide agricultural supplies like seeds and fertilizers.
  • Establish self help groups to bring together families and provide them with training to start small businesses, pool their resources, and access microcredit loans.
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An image of children sitting on the ground in a classroom, writing in workbooks.

Results

Unless otherwise stated, data presented on this page reflects the most up-to-date results of World Vision Canada programs reported between October 2022 and September 2023, and any previous fiscal years available. Previously reported data may not match the current presentation as we continuously receive and refine data from our programs. If you have any questions, kindly reach out to us.