SEWA Sangini Child Care Workers’ Cooperative (SCCWC) was developed as a response to SEWA workers’ requests for quality childcare provision. SCCWC child care centers are owned jointly by the care providers and the mothers of the children.
Mission and Purpose
SEWA Sangini Child Care Workers’ Cooperative (SCCWC) was developed as a response to SEWA workers’ requests for quality childcare provision. SCCWC child care centers are owned jointly by the care providers and the mothers of the children.
The SCCWCs are unique in the fact that they offer an integrated care approach so that children receive basic education and social skills, adequate nutrition, and health services.
Origins and Development
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Organizational Structure, Membership, and Funding
The Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA) is a trade union in India representing women working primarily in the informal economy. It operates over 100 cooperatives in different sectors, including agriculture, savings and loans, and labor, of which the childcare cooperative is one [1].
The board of SCCWC is comprised of cooperative members and is elected every 3-5 years. The board manages activities and any issues that arise during the parent-teacher meetings or care provider meetings; ensures that financial regulations are observed; and sets nominal fees which parents pay each month, but operation costs are subsidized by SEWA, donors and local government.
Specializations, Methods and Tools
Major Projects and Events
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Analysis and Lessons Learned
Enrolling their children at one of the SEWA centers enables women to work and has a positive impact on their income. In addition, enrollment results in reduced stress for mother and potential improvements in nutrition, education and overall health for their children [2].
The following excerpt is taken from a report by the International Labor Organization on childcare in the informal economy:
Sangini Child Care Workers’ Cooperative plays a larger role in the community in addition to providing child care. Child care workers are selected from the community and receive training before taking up their responsibilities. Training and skills upgrading take place every three months, and there is an in-house capacity building team that focuses on enhancing the skills of the balsevikas. As a result, the child care workers are seen as leaders within their communities given their knowledge on children’s health, nutrition, social development and early education. The centers also serve as a public service access point for vaccinations, primary health care, and nutritional advice for parents. When women workers in the informal economy see that their children are well cared for this builds up trust and solidarity among SEWA members and commitment to the trade union and the associated cooperative model. Cooperative members also mobilize the community to demand improvements to the public ICDS and offers training to ICDS child care workers. The cooperative is a pivotal part of the social fabric of these dense urban communities and opens avenues for engaging with the local and national governments [2].
Publications
See Also
References
[1] Lok Swasthya SEWA Trust (n.d.) SEWA's Sangini Child Care Centres. Available at: https://lokswasthyasewatrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Pitch-presentation_V8_Final-1.pdf
[2] International Labour Organization and Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (2018). Cooperatives meeting informal economy workers’ child care needs. Available at: https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_emp/---emp_ent/---coop/documents/publication/wcms_626682.pdf
External Links
https://www.eldis.org/keyissues/mapping-participation-economic-advancement
Notes
The first submission of this Participedia entry was adapted from a research project by the Institute of Development Studies, 'Linking Participation and Economic Advancement’ licensed and reproduced under Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0).
Original source: https://www.eldis.org/keyissues/mapping-participation-economic-advancement