Dr. A. V. Baliga Memorial Trust founded by Bharat Ratna Aruna Asaf Ali is a non-profit organization operating its diversified activities in slums and resettlement colonies of National Capital Territory of Delhi and performing various developmental activities comprising education, women’s empowerment livelihood promotion, child rights and protection, health and sanitation for over five decades. Since 1968, the Trust has emerged as a multi-disciplinary organization and focuses on marginalized and disadvantaged people belonging to socio-economically weaker sections of the society especially children, youth and women for their socio-economic rehabilitation. After relentless effort for over four decades towards the betterment of the less privileged community, the Trust has now accelerated its developmental drive to reach more and more unreached untouched people, but with a commitment to adhere to the values and standard set by the organization. Accountability, Transparency and Commitment is an integral part of our development process. Baliga Trust in its indomitable style performed, achieved and contributed to a peaceful, just and friendly society through its pursuits in the sphere of development and liberation.

Vision

To endeavor to bring about a secular nationally integrated egalitarian society empowering the disadvantaged through education, awareness and employment opportunities.

Mission

To break down barriers of negativity in religion, caste and gender.  Education for all, Universalization of elementary education, ensuring the child rights. A secular society in learning and living environment, more employment through focused awareness programs and empowered women.

Goal

To create a democratic, non violent, classless society without any discrimination of caste, gender, age, religion, class and race through involving Government, Non Government and Other developmental agencies.

Core values: The values of secularism, national integration and peace pervade all activities of the Trust. Accountability, Transparency and Commitment is an integral part of our development process.

Our Major Thrusts:

• Education: The education program consists of five types of interventions – Learning Centers (Bridge course) and Balwadies for preparing out of school children to mainstream them into regular schools, Remedial Classes for retention of children, particularly the girl child in schools, Continuing education Centers (including adult literacy) and Condensed Course Centers for young drop-out girls who yearn to get a formal certification for secondary and higher secondary education. Cluster Resource Center supplements the effort of above mentioned education centers.
• Child Rights: Child Centered Community Development Program – with right based approach towards ensuring the major rights –survival, protection, participation and development of children. Campaigns included Chuppi Todo – Campaign Against Child Sexual Abuse, Campaign Against Child Labour, Because I am a Girl Campaign/Safer Cities for Girls, Right to Education Campaign.
• Health, Water, Environment and Sanitation: Advocacy, awareness, capacity building, linkages, networking and service delivery as integral part of the intervention. Emphasis on preventive, promotive & curative measures and population education. Bringing Health Care to Doorsteps and Young Health Program apart from Child Centered Community Development program are the major projects in action to bridge the gaps of Health services in under privileged unreached areas. Community and Children Groups such as Cohesive Community Action Groups, Slum Health and Sanitation Team WES monitoring Committee of School children are major stakeholders, while a new band of Community Health Volunteers proved to be backbone of health intervention program.
• Women’s Empowerment, Financial Inclusion, Mahila Panchayat, and Skill development – Activities and Projects like Banking on Change, Federation of 18000 women named as Sakhi Sangam, Gender Resource Center, Women solidarity Groups, Self Help Groups, Vocational and Job Oriented Training programs, Income Generation Activities, Financial Inclusion, Finance Literacy, Cooperative Society is done with the aim of empowering women by providing skill enhancement as part of an overall holistic development program as well as adult and continuing education. Mahila Panchayat in association with Delhi Commission for women reaching thousands of women in 12 Blocks of Mangolpuri in North West District of Delhi.
• Family counseling and legal literacy: Providing counseling and legal support to needy women of the disadvantaged communities backed by awareness camps.
• Art and Craft: providing training and promoting conventional arts.

The values of secularism, national integration and peace pervade all activities of the Trust.

The blending of right based and need based approaches is visible in our intervention. These reflect a resolute focus on our commitment to make a difference in the society.

Our major strategies have been advocacy, awareness, capacity building, networking, linkages and service delivery.

Geographical Area:  Baliga Trust works in Resettlement, slums and Kachchi colonies of Mangolpuri, Sultanpuri in North west District while Bheem Nagar, Nangloi, Nihal Vihar, Prem Nagar Kiradi, Jwalapuri, Udyog Nagar and  Khyala and  Meerabag in West District, Narela and Holambikalan in North District, Okhla in South East District and in New Zafrabad in East District of Delhi.

Some achievements at a glance

Adult Literacy and Continuing Education: Over 20,000 women made literate over the years.

Mainstreaming and retention of out of school children: Over 18,000 out of school children enrolled into regular schools.

Ensured retention of over 10,000 at risk school going children.

Financial Inclusion/Banking on Change, Skill enhancement and income generation for under privileged women and youth: Over 18000 under privileged women organized in Self Help group out of which over 7000 women engaged in income generation program over the years. Also, over 2500 youth were placed in regular jobs.

 Chuppi Todo – Campaign against Child Sexual Abuse: The innovative advocacy program’s aim was to address the issue of child protection especially against Child sexual abuse. It Reached over ten million people through live media, TV spots, 95.0 FM Radio, screening of film – Chuppi Todo.

Sensitization of Police Personnel for child protection: Over 5000 Police personnel at Police Station level were sensitized on Juvenile Justice Act and POCSO Act in a period of three years. The Trust also serves as a resource agency for Outer District to train and sensitize Police Personnel.

Reaching unreached through Mobile health Unit: Over 1, 00,000 under privileged patients especially women and children were benefitted in a period of three years through static Health Clinics and Mobile Health Van.

Campaigns and Networks: Dr. A.V. Baliga Memorial Trust is part of many campaigns focusing on the protection and promotion of child rights, health, gender sensitiveness and education. Some of important campaigns are as follows:

• Campaign against Child Labour (CACL) – At present Baliga Trust is the Convener of National Advocacy Unit of the campaign. The campaign has the objective to eradicate child labour completely from India.
• NEENV – It is the Delhi chapter of network Delhi Forces. Baliga Trust is the member of the Steering Committee of the network. The network is focus on the issues related to the children of 0 to 6 years of age group.
• Chuppi Todo – This is the campaign against the child sexual abuse. Baliga Trust along with Plan India and Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights implemented this campaign. Over 24 NGOs participated in this campaign. It reached over ten million people through radio, television and direct interaction.
• RTE Forum – The forum is working on the implementation and gaps of the RTE act. Baliga Trust is a member of the forum.

The Trust has the privilege of partnership with the following organizations:

• Plan India/Plan International
• Terre Des Homes, Germany India Program
• HPS Social Welfare Foundation.
• ESSEL Social Welfare Foundation
• Xerox India Ltd.
• Tech Mahindra Foundation
• D S Puri Foundation
• United Way of Delhi
• Save the Children – Bal Raksha Bharat
• Bani Jagtiani Trust
• Raja Ram Mohan Roy Memorial Trust
• Integrated Village Development Trust, U.K.
• Directorate of Education, Delhi.
• Delhi Social Welfare Advisory Board. – Govt. of NCT, Delhi
• Central Social Welfare Board – Govt. Of India
• NULM, Directorate of Social Welfare
• State Resource Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia
• National Institute of Urban Affairs.
• Rajiv Gandhi Foundation.
• Concern India Foundation.
• Delhi Commission for Women.
• Reach India (USAID) through Deepalaya.
• TEACH India, Times of India