Recognised for its continued commitment towards keeping at-risk adolescents from urban slums in school
Mumbai: Salaam Bombay Foundation, one of India’s leading NGOs with a legacy spanning 20 years, has been awarded the prestigious title of “TOP 20 BEST NGO’S OF THE YEAR 2022” at the Indian CSR Awards 2022. Indian CSR Awards has made its mark as the only independent social welfare Awards judged each year by prominent corporates, social activists and other dignitaries selected from the development sector.
Working with at-risk youth from the urban slums of India, Salaam Bombay Foundation’s programmes has benefitted almost 6 lakh disadvantaged adolescents. The Foundation has introduced several specially designed programmes to help underprivileged adolescents not only stay in school but get on employable tracks in areas of their interest and passion. Be it acting, dance, painting, mobile repair, robotics, retail, photography, journalism, beauty, and wellness. Through these programmes, the Foundation trains vulnerable youth in essential vocational skills while teaching them life and leadership skills.
Speaking about the win, Nandina Ramchandran, CEO – Salaam Bombay Foundation, said, “This award means a lot to us as it really shows that all of our hard work and dedication, over the last two decades, is paying off. Though our work has been applauded over the years through other awards and by several industry experts, to have it recognized by an eminent independent jury feels extremely special. It is a testament to our continuing program implementation and impact on the social sector in India.
We owe our success to our people and initiatives that helped us not only gain industry awareness and establish Salaam Bombay Foundation as a programmatic leader in the social sector but also by continually sharing our knowledge with both professionals and beginners through diverse channels.
We understand the critical role each member of the Salaam Bombay family plays, including our donors, in keeping at-risk adolescents from urban slums in school by empowering them to make the right choices about their health, education and livelihood thereby ensuring that they can thrive with a bright future.
None of this would have been possible without the support of our exceptional team – one of the best in the industry. It is indeed a great honour for us to celebrate our 20th year with such a wonderful award, recognizing our capabilities and tireless efforts.”
A CHILD IN SCHOOL HAS A FUTURE : Salaam Bombay Foundation started in 2002 to work with 12- to 17-year-old adolescent children growing up in Mumbai’s slums. These children live in extreme poverty and in “at risk” environments. The municipal schools they go to do not have the resources to give them individual attention, career guidance or access to activities that stimulate the mind. Many are undernourished and face the risk of substance abuse. They come from financially challenged homes and are pressured to drop out of secondary school and seek jobs to support their families. Given these ground realities, Salaam Bombay Foundation has harnessed the ability of child-friendly, innovative education tools to develop life skills and coping skills necessary to ensure that these adolescents develop into well rounded personalities, able to meet the challenges they face and take on leadership roles within their communities.
The Foundation keeps children in school by empowering them to make the right choices about their health, education and livelihood thereby ensuring that they can thrive with a bright future. In-school leadership programmes equip “at-risk” adolescents with the life skills they need to lead change. The Sports, Arts and Media academies encourage them to express themselves and provide performance opportunities that build self-esteem. The skills@school programme broadens their career horizons and empowers them with vocational skills for sustainable careers. Through its DreamLab initiative, SBF, has provided for a continuum of skills training and market-based internships to youngsters in the age group of 14 and 18 years. Launched in July 2019, DreamLab, has been able to furnish stipend-based internships to 163 skills@school alumni across nine job sectors. DreamLab also creates a talent pool of grassroot entrepreneurial adolescents. Salaam Bombay initiatives increase confidence, give vulnerable adolescents the means to earn part-time and stay in school, and provide the tools to explore their full potential.
For more information, please visit www.salaambombay.org
