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Childcare Service |
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Children learn to explore their world through Phulki's Programes |
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In today's Bangladeshi society many poor working mothers are raising their children as single parents. All of them have to work to survive. With Phulki’s help, for the first time ever, these women are realizing that they can play an active role in ensuring their own health and well-being, as well as, that of their families. In this changing society, Phulki has worked relentlessly, to fulfil the rights of the disadvantaged through its projects. Phulki provides complete childcare program from children aged 6 weeks to 5 years prior to their enrolment in primary schools. |
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Workplace based Childcare Centres |
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The export-orientated garments industry is the first modern industry to employ primarily women and provide thousands with access to the organized job market. Yet it is a struggle for women with young children to combine work with caring for their young children. One of the many problems women face is the difficulty in breast-feeding their children when they are working long hours and full weeks. Childcare for working mothers is a need that was not being addressed by the industries or other development partners.
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| A healthy and safety environment helps children to develop properly |
Mother's meeting |
Meeting with caregivers |
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In response to this need, Phulki has created a series of factory-based childcare centers or crèche facilities for children between the ages of 6 weeks and 2 years. Each unit can accommodate up to 20 children and has certified caregivers. Mothers typically drop off their children after arriving at the workplace and collect them at the end of the day work. These centres give lactating mothers access to their infants during working hours. These centers are created in consultation with factory owners and working mother. In almost all cases, this idea has been received with great enthusiasm by both mothers and factory owners, and given many advantages of on-site child care centers, including increased productivity from happier workers, factory owners have been in compliance with the Factory Act of 1965.
Phulki’s role in the establishment and support for these centres is one which takes into account their long term sustainability. Typically, Phulki establishes these centers, provides start-up support, and operates them for one month. The employer/factory owners bear all expenses for running these centers. The mothers bring food and pay a fee according to the number of children they are bringing to these centers (no less than Tk. 50). This requirement ensures that the mothers develop a sense of ownership and have a legitimate voice in the decision making processes. The factory owners have the option of appointing Phulki as a consultant for one year or operating the centers independently with occasional input from Phulki. For more information please refer to the section titled “ Other Support Services”. |
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Community Based Childcare and Development Centres |
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Traditionally in Bangladesh child care responsibilities fall on the extended family. These family structures are slowly changing and with new social mobility women are increasingly moving away from their families. This is resulting in increased burdens for women, in terms of childcare.
Phulki has established childcare centres in the locality where many such low income working mothers reside. Women's growing entry into the job market is increasing the suffering faced by their children due to neglect and separation anxiety. This vulnerable leaves drive them to a higher risk of accident. Phulki is running 31 childcare centers in different place of Dhaka City, such as- Bauniabadh, Bhashantek, Shaymoli, kollyanpur, Citypolli, Mohammadpur, Shekhertake, Beribadh with the help of Plan Bangladesh and Action Aid. |
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Phulki's innovative programmes receive a visit from princes Anne |
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Children from two years to five years are eligible for care in the childcare centers where one caregiver taking cares at least 20 children from 8.00am to 5.00 pm 6 days in a week and we recruit caregivers from the community.
In the centers the children are given the opportunity to engage in developmental activities and play, regular health cheek up, growth monitoring and immunization of the children will be monitored bimonthly. Phulki's monitoring officers arrange monthly meeting with parents/Community Development Forum.
A basic promise of this project is to bring a fundamental change in running of childcare centre where parents can also take the leading role. From the beginning Phulki is trying to make committee with parents to ensure the quality of the centers and now we are near about to our target; for instance last year parent's contribution increased 62% where our target was maximum 50% of the total cost of day care centre.
Phulki expect that w omen's participation will increase in job market due to childcare service. Women's status in family as well as in society will be improved due to economic independence. Besides this condition of child rearing, children's education, family health, environment, etc will be improved and a sustainable mechanism will be developed in transitioning the children from their early age to primary school.
Shishu Bikash Kendra
With the hope to make the children ready for school in a child friendly environment Phulki is operating Shishu Bikash Kendra (SBK) for the community children who are in between 3-5 years. Phulki has jointly worked with Plan Bangladesh and gathered experience on SBK. On the basis of this experience Phulki make plane to operate 77 SBKs in 2009 to face the continuous increasing demand in the community for SBK.
41 particular community teachers are responsible to teach the children in each center. The teachers have knowledge on early child hood care and development and we select teachers from the community people. Every child cans continuous SBK's class for two years. 10 to 20 children are enrolled in per center. Phulki hope that t he condition of children's education, health, environment will be improved of this area by this service. |
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Children are at a secured place |
Pre-school
Children between the ages of 2 and 5 years can stay at these centers. Parents provide food for their children and make monthly contributions to cover part of the operational cost of the centers. Other expenses, such as educational material, are provided free of cost. Each centre accommodates 20 children and has 1 caretaker. Children are often engaged in recreational activities, such as trips to local amusement parks. The childcare centers run from 7-5 pm. Parents are required to participate in regular meetings and engage in discussions concerning the management of the centers. |
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Advocacy on Workplace Based Childcare Centre and Outreach Program |
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Phulki, a rights based organization, has been working relentlessly for the rights of women and children for the past 18 years. Phulki realizes that its goal of ensuring workplace based childcare cannot be achieved without the participation of the community, businesses and the government. The advocacy and outreach program ensures that early childhood development is an internationally recognized child rights. It is important for the continuity and success of Phulki's work that international buying companies, establishing factories in Bangladesh, understand the importance of on-site childcare facilities and bring their vendors under compliance. Phulki has been in constant consultation with multi-national buying companies. These companies are made aware of the factory law requiring childcare and urged to set a precondition that goods bought from Bangladeshi vendors have on-site childcare facilities. As a result several prominent international buyers have brought their overseas vendors under compliance of the Bangladesh Labor Law 2006 (amendment). This is a significant achievement as this will benefit not only Bangladeshi workers but also women working in similar sectors in other countries.
Phulki’s hands on approach and focus on sustainability has drawn praises from factory owners and policy makers alike. Due to these activities, there is increased awareness from middle and higher income women employed in other sectors, such as banks and hospitals, as well as increased interest from these institutions to highlight on-site childcare services under their social corporate responsibility related activities. Currently, Phulki is working with financial institutions, hospitals, NGOs and government organizations to expand the reach of childcare centres beyond the garments sector. |
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