overty lurks just behind the glass facades of Bengaluru (Bangalore)

Urban poverty in Bengaluru (Bangalore), the Context

Bengaluru is undoubtedly one of the most advanced districts of Karnataka, if not India. It is the showpiece of Indias Information Technology industry with hi-tech office complexes, exclusive shopping malls and entertainment facilities that rival the best in the country.

In the city's densely populated squatter settlements which house the urban poor, even basic civic facilities such as housing, water, roads, etc are very poor or not available. The district also has one of the lowest sex ratios in the state, at just 908 women per 1,000 men Our efforts
Bridge Network comprises 13 NGOs APSA, BOSCO, CURDS, DJT, GILGAL, GRACE, IPDP, JPT, MSSS, OSS, SVKT, TRUST, VNK and was formed in July 2006 with the support of ActionAid India. The Networks focus is on creating and empowering leaders of the urban poor and homeless who will voice injustice and work to ensure their rights and dignity. To this end, several issue-based local groups have been formed such as the Land Rights Groups, Samanvaya Womens Groups, Sneha Milana (adolescent girls collective) and Kanasu Childrens Group. It is these groups that decide on initiatives to be taken up by the Network. In 2011, the issues taken up for focus were eviction in the name of development, water crisis, failure to utilise the 22.75% of all project funds reserved by the Bangalore municipal corporation for welfare schemes for schedule castes/tribes and other backward classes, difficulties in accessing Public Distribution System and primary healthcare, problems faced by women and children in relocated slums, lack of quality education and infrastructure in government schools, violence against women and so on. As a result of the Networks initiatives, some hitherto unrecognized areas have been designated as slums, which has helped their residents avail of benefits of housing schemes under Rajiv Awas Yojana and Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. Proposed next is a computer database of the urban homeless in Bangalore. Bridge Network will also work to modify the proposed Below Poverty Line criteria under which most poor families stand to lose their BPL cards. The Network also works with city vendors to help them assert their rights; and will help them create a union of city vendors. Group discussions with sections of the urban poor and field visits to the rural hinterlands will be conducted to build awareness of the provisions and

utilities of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. A study was conducted in 31 government schools to ascertain the quality of education, infrastructure, student-teacher ratio, etc which was leading to high dropout rates. This year, 13 of these schools will be upgraded to model schools by improving their infrastructure, and ensuring community participation in monitoring committee meetings. Also, monitoring committees have been set up in five primary health centres. ****************************

REGIONAL OFFICE: Bangalore Regional Office, ActionAid India LOCATION: 36 slums in Bangalore city PROJECT NAME: BRIDGE Network PROJECT TIMELINE : 2006-2011 PEOPLE IN FOCUS: The urban poor and homeless

Our goal is to empower the urban poor, especially women, to assert their rights within the context of urban development

Our Mission
Rights of Indias most marginalized communities like Dalits, rural & urban poor and children living with chronic hunger, HIV, AIDS, disability, migrant and bonded workers, school drop-out children etc.

Work and Achivements

ActionAid India has been working with poor and marginalized people in India since 1972. We work in 25 states and one Union Territory reaching out to 6 million poor in India and also close to 13 million of the worlds poorest through 40 countries where we have our offices. We partner with local NGOs, community based organizations and people's movements to collectively address poverty, inequality and injustice.

Our focus is on the rights of Indias most margi nalised communities: Dalit and indigenous people, rural and urban poor, women, children and minorities. These groups face an acute lack of access to and control over resources, services, and institutions. We pay special attention to those in vulnerable situations such as people living with chronic hunger, HIV/AIDS or disability, migrant and bonded workers, children who are out of school, city-dwellers without a home, and people whose land or livelihood is under threat. We also work with women, men, girls and boys who have been trafficked, displaced, or hit by natural and humanmade disasters. Throughout the country ActionAid India works with local and community-based organizations who have essential knowledge and experience and enjoy the confidence of the poor and marginalized communities we work with. ActionAid India support 129 long-term projects including network partners (working closely with particular communities for between one and ten years) and 341 short-term projects (upto one year). The long term initiatives are implemented by 122 partner NGOs. Out of 341 short-term initiatives, 222 are handled by 130 partner organisations. ActionAid staff teams with relevant expertise lead 119 short-term projects.

Fund Utilisation Statement

Donations will support our direct work with children through child sponsorship, their parents livelihoods and community in their demand for education in an effective way to change the whole community - See more at: http://www.bangalorecares.in/ngo-detail/?ng_id=79&ref=refer&slug=tcs-world-10k-bangalore2013#sthash.Lre2vy8x.dpuf