Regular readers of our newsletter will know we have been diligently working to open the new TARA Outreach Centre in Sanjay Colony. Activities had already begun before the official opening on 25th January 2025, and we are excited to see the centre come to life.

Photo of the inauguration, from top to bottom and left to right: families from Sanjay Colony, members of the TARA team with the guest, some mothers along with their children and girls who attends the center. 

Building on proven success:

The TARA Outreach Centre in Saidulajab, launched in 2019, exemplifies our model of enabling children to grow up with their families while receiving adequate support. Building on five successful years of community outreach, the next step in broadening our approach was to replicate these best practices in different communities. In 2024, TARA identified Sanjay Colony as the site for a second TARA Outreach Centre.

Why Sanjay Colony?

Located in Okhla Phase-II, South Delhi, Sanjay Colony is a notified slum that was established as a resettlement colony in 1969. Its stable, mostly non-migrant population is mainly engaged in the garment industry. The daily wage is Rs. 250. Despite the presence of facilities such as Anganwadi Centres, ASHA workers, primary schools and health centres, the needs of the community far exceed the resources available.

Recognising these gaps, TARA conducted a baseline study in May-June 2024 to identify programme beneficiaries and better understand the needs of the community. The study included:

• Interviews with 332 adults to gather information on household resources, income, education and security.
• Analysis of secondary data to provide a broader context.

The new centre currently serves 80 registered children, including 37 who are out of school and 43 who are enrolled in school. Of these, 55 chrildren attend regularly in two sessions - morning and afternoon, while the remaining are on the waiting list. We aim to serve over 100 children by the end of 2025.

TARA is also directly engaged with 44 families, working closely to create  a positive impact in their lives.

The dedicated team at the centre includes :

•  Ms Komuha Jajuo: Head of Family-Based Program
•  Ms Celesty: Senior Outreach Social Worker
•  Ms Sunita: Full-time intern and community mobiliser
•  Ms Bati: Nanny and Teaching Assistant
•  Ms Preeti: Tutor

Here are some key milestones that have already been achieved:

• 5th December: Our first Parent Teacher Meeting (PTM) welcomed 40 adults (38 mothers and 2 fathers) and 14 children
• 11th December: The first classes started with 25 children in the morning group and 24 in the afternoon group.
• 18th January: The children who regularly attended classes were rewarded with an outing to the National Bal Bhavan as a token of appreciation and motivation. During the visit, they explored the Aquarium, Museum, Astronomy, Cultural, and Wood Park. 

A safe haven for Children:

The TARA Outreach Centre in Sanjay Colony aims to be a safe, nurturing space for children from underprivileged backgrounds. By focusing on education and strengthening family relationships, we seek to reduce instances of child abuse and exploitation, ultimately preventing family separations.

After years of acclaim at festivals and cultural venues, The Undefeated, our original series of 15 animated films, is now officially available for you to experience!

The Undefeated is a compelling series of 15 animated films inspired by the true stories of TARA’s children.These personal accounts not only shaped the scripts but also feature the children themselves as voice actors, lending authenticity and emotion to their stories.  

Produced in partnership with filmmaker Dorothée Adam and the students of GOBELINS, the School of Images in Paris, the series highlights the importance of education and child protection in India.

Since its preview at UNESCO Paris on December 2, 2021, the films have been screened at festivals, cinemas, and cultural venues in India and France, earning widespread acclaim. Two of them, Back to School and My Hands Like a Bird,  won the Best Literacy Awareness Animation Film (2022) and Best Social Awareness Film on Children (2023) respectively at India's largest CSR Film Festival organized by Socio Corpo India Pvt. Ltd.

Told through intimate, first-person narratives, these films offer a glimpse into the lives of children and the social workers, medical professionals and judges who support them. Each story addresses crucial issues such as trafficking, child labor, abuse and other forms of exploitation. Viewer discretion is advised. 

Take a look at one of the episodes now and join us in sharing these powerful voices with the world. 

To learn more and explore the other episodes, we invite you to follow us on our social media platforms.

We would greatly appreciate, if you could share these powerful stories on your own social media and with your friends, as we believe they have the potential to inspire and change lives.

Your generous support is the backbone of TARA's mission, enabling us to nurture and empower the children in our care. With nearly half of our funding coming from compassionate individuals like you, your contributions are vital to sustaining and growing our programs.

Spread the word about our child sponsorship programme and inspire others to create lasting change!