Project CINI

Midwife practice De Lekbrug, supports the project CINI

India is one of the fastest growing developing countries. Although the economy there is developing at lightning speed, poverty is still incredibly high. Young children are the most vulnerable group both physically and mentally. The main cause of child mortality is malnutrition. If they do survive, malnutrition will leave them behind both physically and mentally and the chance of these children escaping poverty is small. Their children will also face the same problems again. In India, the aid organization “Child In Need Institute” has been active for more than 30 years to give (pregnant) mothers and their children a promising start.
Good guidance of parents and street children in their communities provides a basis for better development of child, parents and community and ensures that the child can go to school. It supports adolescents to take responsibility towards themselves and the community by acquiring knowledge about venereal diseases and family planning, among other things.
CINI India has thus developed a concept for a medical infrastructure for mother and child that can best be compared to our structure of midwife’s office, consultation bureau, GGD and family doctor. Many children live with their parents on the streets, where they are exposed to child labor, prostitution and addiction.CINI has several projects in which these children are protected and with education, attention, nutrition and protection can regain hope for a better future. The projects range from a shelter (including meals for the night), a hotline in case of child abuse, after-school care and a temporary children’s home.CINI visits families living in a garbage dump, provides vaccinations, education on nutrition and hygiene and makes sure they receive schooling. CINI employs 400 people and cares for 1.5 million Indians , knowledge and skills are there but money is needed. 30% is financed by the state the rest has to be acquired from funds etc.
Some time ago I visited CINI India and was struck by the enormous commitment of the employees such as gynecologists, social work, teaching staff, nurses and pediatricians. Their salary is low, they work from their vocation, if they were working in a private hospital their salary would be quadrupled, but they choose to work among people who belong to the lowest caste and without help from CINI would be hopeless.
We here in the Netherlands are in direct contact with CINI-India which means that our money is directly used for the project at hand.
Brief description of the Diaconal project The project which the Evangelical Lutheran Church will support in the coming year focuses on 270 girls of 13 or 14 years of age who are in danger of dropping out of the education system. These girls come from the poorest slums of Calcutta. There is great pressure in their social environment not to pursue further education after elementary school. They are then expected to help in the household and with raising younger siblings or to do simple manual work for extremely meager pay. They risk being married off at a very young age and then moving in with their in-laws.

The danger of trafficking and prostitution also lurks. By following the selected 270 girls over a period of 5 years, the aim is to ensure that they continue their education so that they can thus gain a better place in society. Their education will not only consist of traditional curricula, but will also aim to help them on their way to personal awareness and important decisions in their lives (“life skills” and “gender issues”). Family members and the local community also benefit from this support.
Stichting CINI Holland has now been in existence for 10 years. The all-volunteer board and supporters strive to promote the work and ideas of CINI India through fundraising and awareness raising.