Salaam Bombay A Program Evaluation Study

Salaam Bombay A Program Evaluation Study
February 2010

Phase 1 Qualitative Research

Objectives To explore the extent to which participation in SBF activities contributes to the development of life skills beyond tobacco control (e.g., motivation, discipline, goal setting, etc)

Methodology – Target Audience
SBF participants 1. Participating in the academy 2. Participating in the 10 sessions Control Group - Non-SBF participants Gender: Male : Female Grade : 8th std : 9th std

Methodology - Technique
Three techniques were used for this study: Interactive group discussions Amongst SBF Amongst Control i.e. Non- SBF Interactive Search Interviews with children who have won an award or entered the final competition or written a song that was selected. Understand their journey and how they achieved success Family interviews to understand the family’s perspective on how the child has benefited

Interactive Group Discussions
We conducted two sets of group discussions Set 1 – SBF participants Set 2 – Non-SBF participants Set 1 comprised of six discussions Set 2 comprised of four discussions Hence a total of ten group discussions across Mumbai

Interactive groups – Set 1
Group I Group II Males Females 9th grade 9th Grade 10 sessions Group III Group IV Academy Group V Group VI 8th Grade

Interactive groups – Set 2 - Control
Group I Group II Males Females 9th grade 9th Grade Group III Group IV 8th Grade

Search Interviews A total of 10 Interactive search interviews
A total of 10 family interviews Segmented uniformly across gender and class

Research Findings Recruitment process Process SBF groups
Gender differences Changing Environment Academy vs. Sessions SBF – recall and imagery Impact of anti-tobacco awareness

Research Findings SBF groups Cricket academy Hockey academy
Theatre academy Super Army Opportunities Dreams and Goals Stories Life skills After effects of success Halla Bol Other NGOs Impact on recruiters

Research Findings Control groups Key difference Boy vs. girls
SBF vs. Control groups Tobacco awareness Tobacco perceptions Sources Did they try? Alcohol vs. tobacco

Research Findings Control groups Cigarettes Chemical vs. non-chemical
Escape Why study? Fears Dreams

Research Findings Family interviews Research Observations

RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Recruitment The schools chosen were from a list of municipal & Government aided schools provided by SBF Including a list of children from the various academies The research was conducted in different clusters Making sure there was geographical representation The schools selected were a mix of Marathi and Hindi schools

Process The school was approached by the Ormax team and the principal was met The story was: Ormax is conducting a research study on Municipal schools for an NGO in Mumbai A formal Ormax letter was provided to the recruiters, requesting the school to grant them permission to send their students i.e. 8th & 9th std for the group discussion

Process The principal then assigned a class to us and introduced us to the class teacher The teacher was asked for the muster And random roll numbers were chosen These students were then invited for the group discussion Teachers were not asked to chose or give their suggestions about which student to take for the discussion This was done to avoid favouritism

SBF Group

Gender differences Interestingly, when it came to the academy, girls and boys appeared to be on par with each other The level of confidence displayed by the girls was higher “We girls are bindaas!” They spoke openly about the various activities i.e. cricket, hockey, super army or theatre that they were involved in Also they strongly verbalised that they were not willing to give up their dreams and goals No matter what their family circumstances were “Now with Salaam Bombay in my life, I can become a hockey player”

Gender differences The boys were usually part of the cricket academy
Also some of them were part of the Super Army and Bal Parishad programs Overall, the SBF children in the academy were talented and were confident of achieving their dreams This high level of confidence was absent in the sessions participants

Changing Environment Significantly, the environment in municipal schools appears to have changed Normally, municipal schools evoke thoughts of: Un-cleanliness, low hygiene levels, poverty However, not all schools were like this Further, there appeared to be a mix of children from different economic strata A child whose father worked as a cleaner for Godrej Studied with a child whose parents were dabbawallas and doing chores in other people’s homes And they were all good friends

Changing Environment An important catalyst for change in these schools was the presence of NGOs working at developing these children Salaam Bombay, Young Buzz and other organisations not only provided food But were helping the school and children with different facilities As a result, the children today were talking about: Discipline Happiness Needs Ill effects of tobacco Dreams etc., These were spoken about far more openly

Academy vs. Sessions Academy students were those who were part of cricket, creative and hockey academy Sessions participants were of two types: Attended 10 sessions in school and were now inactive/ passive Active students were those involved in activities like rally, poster making or poster sticking Active students had the same level of involvement as the academy students

Academy vs. Sessions The comparison therefore is between Academy and Passive students Interestingly, both had the same level of knowledge about tobacco But the advocacy of tobacco was higher amongst academy The sessions children had the knowledge and kept it to themselves Very few acted upon it and told others

Academy vs. Sessions Academy students on their own spoke about how they should change things with the help of Salaam Bombay They wanted to spread awareness and stop others from chewing tobacco While the sessions students were not interested in applying their knowledge They felt that it would be of no use “Others will not listen to us anyways, why do it?”

Academy vs. sessions They all had sat through the Salaam Bombay presentation After which, they were given forms to fill up For names of shops selling tobacco And people whom they would spread tobacco awareness They went and told their parents and friends But they were not successful and got a feeling of being rejected Hence they stopped trying “We cannot change others” “They tell us to mind our own business and ask what goes of your father” We may want to think about this

Academy vs. Sessions On the brighter side, they said that this knowledge was extremely useful for them “After seeing all the pictures, at least we will not use it” They were appreciative that Salaam Bombay was doing this activity They felt it was for the future and it will help others “Today if nothing happens, at least the future generation it will help”

Academy vs. Sessions Significantly, another barrier towards being involved with Salaam Bombay was the selection process Some said they wanted to participate But the selection process was through teachers and monitors There was partiality of selecting their favourite students “We were not even asked, they just made their own group”

Academy vs. Sessions When they asked the teacher for a chance, the teachers told them that Salaam Bombay had selected “those” children This only led to the feeling that this was not important “If Salaam Bombay does not care, why should I?” “They will only select the toppers, that is not proper” We would need to induce and create the feeling that process of selection is democratic SBF should have the final say, not teachers

SBF – recall and Image perceptions
Salaam Bombay and Young Buzz were the only organisations recalled When asked how they got all the information they had The students didn’t have to think before mentioning Salaam Bombay and Young Buzz This directly indicates that these organisations are doing something tangible for them The children said that they work for us “manapasun” (with all their heart)

SBF – recall and imagery
The children valued that they listened to them “Listen to our problems peacefully” “Tell us about all the different aspects of our life” “SBF is like my father and mother to me” “Young Buzz has taught us to discover our talents within us” “They also teach us discipline in Young Buzz”

Importantly, there appeared to be a difference in SBF and Young Buzz’s approach SBF was perceived to be “systematic” And they felt that SBF had purpose and focus “to make the country Tobacco free” Besides this, they also teach us “discipline”, “how to move ahead in life” , “teach us everything in a proper way” “What would happen if SBF was not there for us” (Said often in different situations) The rigueur and the systematic process was the reason for SBF’s success And, we need to be proud of our processes and effort!

SBF’s key positives were: High involvement “They want India to be Tobacco free” “Cover many schools at India level” “Not only talk about tambaku, but also give us opportunities to fulfil our dreams” “They come every 15 days and teach us something important” Clearly Young Buzz was effective, but was limited to a few schools While SBF tried to touch most Municipal schools all over the country And this was mentioned by the children

Significantly, SBF has become like a family member to these children “SBF ke tai aur sir, are like guru; and elder brother and sister to us” They also easily recalled the names of SBF team : Raju, Suraj, Deepak, Sachin, Seema, Bhushan, Pallavi, Vancy This was not only mentioned by Academy children, but even by the sessions participants Significantly, they believed that later on they would join SBF, work with SBF They wanted to do this And wanted to make the world a better place

Overall SBF’s rigueur and processes appear to be working The fact that SBF is systematic in its approach was mentioned and singled out This is a great positive for us

Significantly today, SBF was no longer seen as an organisation only focussing on Tobacco The children directly verbalised that they were being taught things like discipline, their future life etc. “SBF sirf tambaku ke khilaf hi nahin ladta, yeh hum jaise bacchon ki zindagi bhi banata hai”

The most important thing is that We are no longer an organisation or external body doing something in their school We had now become an important aspect of their lives “Salaam Bombay is like my father and mother” “What will happen if Salaam Bombay is not there” A powerful statement for SBF It was not a functional relationship between SBF and the children The emotional connect was far deeper With parents appreciating the work we are doing for their children, as we see later in the family interviews

Impact of Anti-tobacco awareness
Everybody appreciated that SBF was spreading tobacco awareness And SBF for all meant: “Tambaku mukt desh” (Free tobacco country) “Tambaku cha virodh” (Fight tobacco) “Tambaku nasth karo andolan” (Destroy tobacco fight) “Bacchon mein tambaku ke virudh ladne ki jagruta” (Instill in children to fight against tobacco) “Tell others about the ill effects of tobacco”

They all had seen videos and pictures of ill effects of tobacco They were convinced that they had to fight tobacco And they were very sure that they would not consume tobacco Very importantly, both Academy and sessions children were aware of active vs. passive smoking

They all spontaneously mentioned: “Tobacco free desh/ country” “Active and passive smoking” “4000 hanikarak tatva in tambaku” “Causes mouth cancer” “Those who eat tobacco have a short life” “Tambaku is poison”

The two important learnings they had taken from SBF were: 1. Saying No to tobacco 2. Thinking of how their home/surrounding should become tobacco free “We should make sure the coming generation becomes tobacco free” Wanting to change and make their “desh” tobacco free was strongly verbalised Our advocacy sessions appear to be working

They had also tried stopping their parents from eating tobacco There was a girl who was part of the hockey team who recounted how she made her mother stop using masheri tambaku Even though her mother told her that all these activities would not help her in life But she has decided to take a serious stand against tobacco and was willing to face the consequences

In fact, most suggested that SBF should work with colleges As smoking cigarettes and eating gutka was more prevalent there

Impact of cricket academy
Clearly, the cricket academy had a positive impact on the academy students This was true for both boys and girls Most dreamt of becoming a cricketer Cricket was a sport that all boys played either in school or near their house The interesting thing was that even girls wanted to play cricket today

Girls and cricket Their first thought was “we never thought we can play cricket” “Cricket is a game only boys play” They now felt that they were equal to boys This thought is important because the girls were usually not encouraged to study or go out “I used to play cricket with the boys in my area, and they used to laugh at me” “Today I am the captain of my team” “Now we can also play like boys with season balls” “We have the best coach” “We play at Shivaji Park”

Girls and cricket By playing cricket, they received adulation and respect From their parents and neighbours “Everyone around my area respects me” Overall, the two effects of the program on girls were: 1. Feeling of equality. I don’t have to feel inferior 2. Respect and praise

Boys and cricket Boys felt that with SBF introducing the cricket academy They could now fulfil their dreams “I feel I am chasing my dreams to become a well known cricketer” “We feel like we are like Sehwag, Sachin, Gambhir, Irfan and Dhoni” “We feel confident that we can also make it big” “Cricket mera sapna hai, abh lagta hai ki pura hoga” (Cricket is my dream, now I feel that it will be accomplished) Clearly, they said this was possible because of SBF “Hamari toh life banaadi Salaam Bombay ne” (SBF has made my life) “Itna bada platform humne sapne mein bhi nahin socha tha” (I never thought in my dreams that I would get such a big platform to play)

Boys and cricket The effect of being in cricket was:
“Gulli cricket se Stadium cricket” “Mein pehle batsman tha, lekin abh allrounder” “I am more disciplined now, less rowdy” “I talk nicely with respect, don’t use badwords” “I have become a top batsman” “I don’t have any fear now, I can do anything I want” “I am confident now”

Boys and cricket “I won the best fielder award”
“I made my team win by hitting 3 sixes” “Learnt how to win and lose” “Learnt that we need to keep trying” “Not to lose hope when we don’t win”

Proud moments There was great enthusiasm to talk about their cricket achievements “I won the best fielder award” “Our team won the semi-finals “I hit 2 sixers and 2 fours in one over” “My photo came in Mid-day” “My photo came in Halla Bol” They were also a source of inspiration to their neighbour's children “Learn from this boy and become like him”

Benefits When asked about the benefits of playing cricket, they said:
Discipline The coach was also an inspiration “Our coach S.P. Bhatia is an ex-Ranji player, he is 85 and still so fit” “He travels by train to Dahisar” “He gives us confidence” “He not only teaches us cricket, but also says we should be good human beings first”

Benefits Playing cricket in different states like Latur and Surat
“We learn how to travel and behave” “Get to meet other players” “Learn to compete with the best teams” “We can play with confidence with big people also”

Overall Significantly, playing cricket for the academy was a transition from: Playing cricket for “time pass” To now playing real cricket Cricket was now a serious sport for them With them having their team names like Daredevils, Dynamite, Racing bulls, Killer Khiladi etc. Playing at Brabourne stadium Competition and matches Presence of senior cricketers People cheering during the match Dreams that have now become real!

Overall SBF was directly seen as contributing to their dream
And making it happen for them “SBF is like God has sent to us” “SBF has made my life” “Our parents are so proud of us” The important thought is that they could now make their seemingly impossible dream Into a reality

Story of a girl :Jhadu shot!
When I go for cricket practise, the boys who play gulli cricket tease me “Cricket mulancha khel aahe, mulina shobha det nahin” (Cricket is a game for boys, it does not suit girls) I used to just smile and move on Then one day they said “look, look Jhadu shot aali” (jhadu = broom) I then challenged them to play cricket with me I hit a four and they were surprised I turned round and asked “Jhadu shot kasa vatla” Only because of SBF I was able to learn cricket and challenge the boys

Impact of Hockey academy
The hockey team comprised of only girls They were proud they were playing hockey “It is our national game” “Negi Sir is our coach” “We want to be like the Chake De girls” “We want to be part of the National Hockey team”

Significantly, they felt they have changed Both mentally and physically “We have become tough” “Now we are looking good also” “We are no longer “haallwaya” i.e. simple, sharmili girls” “We are proud of ourselves” “We are bindaas and go to town for practise also” “Learnt how to travel by train alone” “Learnt discipline” “Weekly three times, we do training” “We also get punishment if we don’t perform. Make us run three or four rounds”

They said they also learnt how to tackle difficult situations Especially being teased by boys By playing hockey, they had made a transition from their normal routine life and household chores It was now going for practise every morning, then school Something to look forward to And most importantly, they said they now had a “maksad” There was a larger purpose to their life A very powerful thought for us And significantly, the most important support was from their parents “My neighbours say why are you sending your girl out to play, but my parents are happy that I am playing”

Overall there was a sense of achievement and pride The coach, the hockey kit, the training, playing at the stadium Were things that they could have never imagined By playing hockey, these girls felt that they could also have a goal in life, a larger purpose in life As opposed to doing only housework, getting married This was so important to them that they wanted to take their hockey sticks home with them

Impact of Theatre academy
Theatre academy was an activity limited to only a few students Others were shy of acting and hence not part of it However, those in theatre academy were proud of their achievements And it had helped them become: “An outgoing person” “confidence level has increased” “Stage fear has gone” “I can talk to anybody and everybody” The greatest benefit was they felt they were confident to perform on stage without any fear

They liked the theatre academy because it taught them Acting, making songs and techniques of acting Also they got an opportunity to perform in front of a large audience in halls like Bhaidas and Shanmukhananda “Two days back, the 8th std gave a program at Sion” “We perform street plays in front of public”

One important skill they learnt was the power of communication And change that can be brought through their plays and songs “We make plays with anti-tobacco message” “Jan Jagruti natak to stop tobacco” “Anti-tambaku songs and natak” “Tambaku tambaku khana nahin” “Acted in a play Adarsh Gaon -The theme was tambaktu mukt gaon, taich adarsh gaon”

A success story Rahul having performed well, got selected for an ad
He played a role in Adarsh Gaon and was then offered a role by a foreigner He got paid Rs. 1500 “This gave me the courage to perform better” He now wants to work in Bollywood movies

Lastly, families earlier were not supportive because this involved long hours and they felt it was a distraction from studies Once the children participated in the dances The parents turned positive and also felt they could apply this skill and earn money

Impact of Super Army All the students had heard of Super Army
And their first reaction was “We have ID cards of Super army” Super Army was described as: “Army people on the border” “Fighting tambaku ka sevan” “Super Army means tambaku cha prati andolan”

Impact Of Super Army They also spoke of a process of election within the Super Army “We select adyaksha” “We select upaa adyaksha” “We select mantri” These students were then seen as responsible for taking anti- tobacco activities forward “Every month we have a meeting of adyaksha from different classes” “Who are then given a task and responsibility to perform sticking posters, street plays, poster making, song making etc.”

Impact Of Super Army They regularly had meeting amongst all members
Where they could discuss the actions taken by students in their respective schools After the meeting, they would present the findings to the members of the Super army Also it was their job to keep an internal meeting in the school with super army members To keep a track of what progress SBF had in the school Also they made efforts to get other students to join the super army “We try and do what SBF has done for us” “New students become members because of this”

Impact Of Super Army In this, they said they taught them about the laws and new legal ways of stopping tobacco They also felt that they had the power & authority to stop people who ate tobacco “Can stop panwalla within 100 metres of school” “Even in public places we can stop” “We give speeches to BEST and Police” However, most believed that it was not possible for them to stop tobacco Unless the government banned gutka and smoking

Impact Of Super Army And they felt that they were not capable of stopping this activity “We are too small, nobody listens to us” “Elders shout at us” “Say we are talking rubbish” “Police are also not supportive” “No panwalla will shut down because we will tell them, they start selling again”

Impact Of Super Army Importantly, they felt that the fact they had the ID card Gave them confidence to stop and speak up against tobacco This they used only with people whom they knew Not outside at public places and panwallas

Opportunities Most children from these academies had never imagined that they would get these opportunities “We met big people like Shaan and Gaurav” “Celebrities come to watch our match” “We had a rally in the Oberoi hotel” “Because of these things, people now know me by name” “They give us respect and take us seriously

Dreams Goals An important change was that in the earlier Salaam Bombay studies Children had dreams of becoming engineers, doctors, teachers But they were not sure how to achieve these dreams In this study, clearly the students verbalised that Salaam Bombay has shown them a way, given them a direction “Salaam Bombay has given us their helping hand, now it is for us to work hard and realise our dream, accomplish our dream” The key words are accomplish, make it happen They now no longer were just dreams

Dreams Goals They realised that they could become:
A cricketer An actor A dancer A singer And importantly, set goals to achieve their dreams “Winning and hitting a six at Brabourne stadium is a big thing for me” “Seeing the audience in the stadium it gives me a feeling of a real match” They were now seriously pursuing their dreams And there was a hunger and passion in their voice

Story 1: 1- 2 girls vs. 15 boys This is a story about 2 girls from the hockey academy They now had the attitude that they could take on the world The hockey academy had made them tough One such incident where they felt they proved that they were tough was “we were on a school camp and the boys were teasing us” “They kept ignoring, but after some time weshouted at the boys” “We hit the boys with ourchappals and also slapped him” “Seeing this all the other boys ran away” All the other females in the camp were proud that they were able to handle this situation The ability to tackle a difficult situation

Story 2. I am not a cry baby anymore
Neha – a 7th std girl is part of the cricket academy She said she was a very shy and scared girl in the class And used to cry for small things The cricket academy changed her “I have learnt to travel on my own” “Can meet with other girls my age and talk to them” “Confidently play cricket which is a boy’s game” She now felt that she was no longer a shy, delicate girl

Story 3. Bindaas mulgi I don’t want to be like girls. I want to become bindass like the boys My parents also say behave like a girl Everybody says behave like a girl when I walk “In class I also talk to boys bindaas” “If any boy pushes me, I turn around and give him bad words” Today I feel I am not less than the boys Everyone calls me ‘Bindaas Mulgi’

Story 4. Zero se Hero I was an average student in studies
And used to hang around with mawali boys in school Nobody used to take me seriously then When I got selected for cricket academy, my life changed completely Because of good batting skills, I scored good runs for my team “In one match, I hit 2 sixes and 2 fours in one over”

Story 4. Zero se Hero I became popular in school
Teachers and friends started giving me good respect The school gave me an opportunity to train other students Cricket and SBF was responsible for my journey from Zero to hero

Story 5. Socha na tha/ Can’t Imagine
My brother was a good cricketer When my brother used to play, I use to just watch him play The bigger boys would often say, “stand at the side, you will get hurt of the ball” When I joined school in Mumbai, I heard of the cricket selection They gave me a chance to play cricket Today playing at Brabourne stadium that too with a season ball, pads, gloves, white clothes and people watching you Is a dream come true!

Story 5. Socha na tha/ Can’t Imagine
Today I am part of the SBF cricket academy My brother is part of Jaffer academy “Socha na tha ki mere saath aisa hoga” (Can’t believe this can happen to me) “Gaon mein cricket dekhte dekhte shehar ka cricketer ban gaya”

Story 6. Devdas – A lover I was in love with a girl and she left me
I used to be very sad I joined the cricket academy This helped me get focus and forget about my girlfriend Cricket helped me get my priorities right Today I am the best all rounder in my team Cricket is my future and my goal is to become like Sachin Cricket se mujhe jina ka maksad mil gaya hai

Story 7. Shiner Everyone in school calls me shiner
Because I wear stylish clothes, gym jata hun Ek hath se catch pakadta hun Aacha dance karta hun Log mujhe Rhitik bulate hai I have taken part in dance and cricket academy I have become popular in school When they call me shiner I feel really good “Because there is something in me, they must be calling me shiner”

Story 8: Mein Cricketer ban jaunga
I am in this school from the 1st standard and I love playing cricket That is why I took part in the cricket academy Many students had come from different, different teams We started practising on the pitch and was being coached Went jogging in the morning everyday to improve my health Now I am a champion in cricket Because of it people recognise me I will become big and become a cricketer

Story 9:Uljan/ Confused
I do whatever Salaam Bombay tells And also believe that tobacco is not good for health But whenever I tell my friends all these things, they tell me “tera baap ko bol pehle paan ki dhukan bandh karne ke liye aur phir duniya ko samjaa” Told my father not to sell tobacco To that my father said, “you won’t be able to go to school if I don’t sell tobacco” This situation has put me in a fix

Story 10. Gutka khao aur Patel bano
Patel was a word used for the goons in the school And they constantly saw these people as keeping gutka in their mouth and doing bhaigiri (mafia) Even a girl does this in our school When they come we move aside, we all get scared of them If anybody touches them, they push them and beat them up Therefore, they felt that people who chewed gutka were powerful

Story 11. Farheen ko mauke ki talash
Salaam Bombay gave us information about the competition I was happy that I could take part in the acting and singing I am interested in acting We all gave our names for selection and our play was selected Then teacher told us all those who want to participate give your names The girl who was supposed to write the names didn’t want to take part and because of that I also could not take part I went and told miss but she said she could not do anything After that I haven’t got a chance

Life skills

Life skills While each section of the programs talk about Salaam Bombay’s impact on these children It is important to table the life skills learnt and the key benefits these children have received The children appear to have benefited tremendously Academy and Super Army children said that they never imagined that they could get this opportunity And many said that life has changed And many said that their personality has changed

Benefits Significantly, when asked how all these programs have helped them They said the benefits received were: Josh (Enthusiasm) Chance/maukka Vishwas (Confidence) Maksad (purpose) Kaushish (Keep trying) Haar nahin manna (Don’t give up) Protsahan (Encouragement)

Benefits Aachi Seekh (Good behaviour ) Aacha bartav (To behave well)
Sapna (To dream) Kuch karne ki prerna (Inspiration to become something) Samaj (Understanding) Gyan (Knowledge) Learnt how to talk and communicate Support Andolan (To fight)

Boys vs. girls The personality changes that have taken place were different for boys and girls Boys Girls No fear Courage/Himmat Confident Confidence Discipline Not shy anymore No giving bad words Fighting spirit Showing respect for others Tough Spirit of becoming a hero Feeling of equality. Attitude that they are better than boys

Purpose to live The purpose to live is a life changing event for the child His background and surroundings earlier made living unpleasant, making him want to escape, not sure what the future would be like Now this same child has a purpose Now this same child has a reason to live The goal and his dream is in front of him/ her Throughout the presentation, we heard verbalisations of “I will now become a cricketer like Sehwag” “I became the captain of my team” “I want to stop people from using tobacco”

Purpose to live Suddenly their life had found a purpose
“Today I played at Brabourne, tomorrow the Indian team” “Negi sir aur Bhatia sir are very good coaches and we feel like the Chake de girls” “I am playing cricket being a girl, I still can’t beleive it” “I feel now I can become an actor” Suddenly their life had found a purpose They were now talking confidently of all the things they could achieve “We can do anything we want” This was completely different as we see later with the control children

Confidence building Confidence was the most prominent outcome of our program Most children agreed that they were previously shy and were scared to talk “I used to get scared of people walking on the road” Even parents mentioned that the children use to keep things to themselves “We have no idea what is happening to my child”

Confidence building But as they got involved with SBF, they started taking part in their activities “We were asked to write songs and scripts for plays” “We had to sometimes do it on our own or in a group” “Perform on stage in front of others” This helped them gain confidence And with this their fear disappeared

Confidence building “We learnt how to face things and handle situations on our own” “I used to get scared to answer questions in the class” “Now I can give a speech to an entire audience” “I can stand and give a speech in Lok Sabha”

Now I can face the world “Now I can face the world” is a recurring thought in this presentation And an important life skill to have It had several implications for these children: 1. The fear of facing the crowd 2. Ability to do anything without getting scared 3. Being able to stand up for what they think is right 4. Ability to handle a difficult situation 5. To find a way to achieve my dreams 6. Confident to face the world with competence. They had a skill and talent

Leadership Being a part of the academies, they had learnt to work as a team And each person was given a responsibility Through this they learnt how to handle people And some started leading the group on their own An example of leadership is Rahul who is part of the drama academy

Leadership Rahul was a normal boy and was willing to take part in the drama academy After few weeks of joining, they looked at his abilities He was made in charge of the group They gave him the responsibility of updating events Gathering them and getting them for rehearsals “I also get involved in script writing” By doing this, he was made captain of his local cricket team “I organise the matches now”

Team work In the process of these activities, they have learnt how to interact with friends in the group Also realised the importance of team work “How to stay together” “Give each other support” “Motivate each other”

More disciplined Most students have noticed changes in themselves
Earlier they were not focussed, and lazy “My parents used to say all the time do something, but I use to ignore” “Took studying and school very lightly” “Back answer teachers” “We never cared what will happen”

More disciplined After joining the academy, we start our day early in the morning by going for cricket practises “Now I am concentrating on my aim of becoming a cricketer” “Even my parents feel I have changed a lot” Importantly, they have realised the importance of studies “I have to study hard, if I want to become a cricketer”

Hard work They all verbalised that Salaam Bombay has helped them balance heir studies and other responsibilities “They tell us that to achieve our aim we have to work hard” “Focus on our studies” “They taught me that I have to become mehenti”

Josh Josh – this was a commonly used word
Playing cricket or hockey gave them this feeling of “josh” Josh technically meant energy and enthusiasm At another level, they felt confident that they could face the world

Good behaviour Interestingly, they felt that Salaam Bombay had contributed to their lives Their entire personality had changed Previously, their surroundings influenced them And they used to abuse, fight and disrespect others Being with SBF, their behaviour has changed “We have learnt how to behave with other people” “Don’t use bad language anymore”

Contribution to society
They felt that they had the feeling that they could improve other people’s lives Especially trying to convince others to leave tobacco And this gave them great satisfaction that they have contributed to a good cause E.g. one student said that his mother used to have tobacco regularly But when she saw him play cricket on the ground She swore that she would never touch tobacco again

After effects of success
Importantly, there were signs of arrogance seeping in amongst the academy students There were three areas we need to work on: How to handle success How to handle over confidence Language and mannerisms

Some academy children had developed a negative attitude of “Only I can do, we are the best in the school” “He feels he is Sachin already” “Nobody can remove me from the team” (strongly verbalised) This manifested itself in their language and mannersims Especially the hockey girls team “We say ek hockey dungi rakhke” “We are ready to take up fight with boys” Also they were not hesitant to give bad words They suddenly were feeling very powerful and felt they could do anything

Groupism and over confidence were already taking place They need to earn their place in the team It should not be a given This would also make them cautious and not take the opportunity given to them lightly

Halla Bol – The SBF newspaper
Halla Bol was mentioned in the groups It was seen as a newspaper informing them about the various activities and latest happenings across schools Best performances across schools Also it had information regarding ill-effects of tambaku With them saying using Halla Bol as a slogan to fight tobacco usage “Tambaku cha virudh Halla Bol”

Halla Bol was seen as important because it was a platform for their acheivements “My photo came in Halla Bol” “My parents were proud to see me in Halla Bol” “Cricket and hockey match details come in Halla Bol” They saw this as motivation and encouragement Winners had the cut out of the article and proudly showed it to their relatives and neighbours

Significantly, coming on the front page of a newspaper was a big event in the lives of the children They had become famous They were known in society A celebrity in his/ her own way This made them want to compete and succeed in life Halla Bol was not just a newspaper But it was a certificate of their achievements

Young Buzz Young Buzz was also recalled spontaneously
Young Buzz spoke about various aspects of life like: “Help us understand our feelings” “Teach us to recognise our inner qualities” “Strengths and weaknesses” “Manners” “Teach us science and take us to the labs” “How to write exam paper” “Discipline” “How to conduct ourselves”

Young Buzz “We can talk to them about our personal problems”
“They tell us to write our problem on paper and bang on the wall, so that the problem will go away” “Help us reduce our pressures” “Ready to help us anytime” Young Buzz was available in school all the time and took classes whenever there was a free period They also remembered the team members names: Neha, Pratibha, Arpita,Pallavi,Namit,Vasuda,Tanaz etc.

Door Step Door Step was formed by a few students in Mumbai Central area The children had very limited perceptions about them They recalled that they had come to their school And provided them help in studying difficult subjects like math Gave them books and other materials

Somaiya College students
Students from Somaiya college arranged a one week study crash course in their college Just before the exams and helped them to prepare for it This was mentioned by the Ghatkopar students They benefited from it “We can learn difficult subjects from them” “Those who cannot afford tuitions it helps them” “We get the confidence to give our exams”

Impact on the recruiters
Interestingly, this study had a positive impact even on the field recruiters This was a different study from their regular research recruitment In the process of reaching out to every school, they enjoyed the interaction with the teachers and principals All of them were extremely co-operative and supportive

Significantly, they found that these children were extremely confident Inspite of their circumstances i.e. the houses they live in, the surroundings etc. And they found that these children were good in studies, were participating in competitions, were part of academies The recruiters felt that they wished they & their children had the support SBF gave to these children Today they would have been a different person altogether

In fact the owner of the recruitment agency was emotionally moved “How are they managing to study and balance life so well” “They are so talented” “At such a small age, these children are so smart” This study was an eye opening event for them

Control Group

Key differences – SBF vs. Control schools
The main difference was that in the control schools there were no NGO’s / organisations actively working with the schools There were people who came and gave lectures on different topics i.e. tobacco, AIDS, how to write exams etc. But this was all during school hours There was no active support or involvement provided to these children

Boys vs. girls differences
Girls were usually the same in their attitude and behaviour both the 8th and 9th class Interestingly, there appeared to be a difference in the 8th vs. 9th std boys 9th std boys spoke very openly about cigarettes and their perceptions about it They appeared to talk about it actively

Overall boys appeared to be more into hitting and breaking things around E.g. “one drunk person pushed me and I got angry and hit him” “If somebody parks a scooter where we play, we put it into the dustbin” “Break street lights” They believed this was time pass and good fun A few in the 8th Std said that they were not being able to concentrate on their studies Their mind was on how to have fun all the time

Aggression, fighting, playing a sport, masti was seen in boys This could be a direct outcome of their environment There was a need for them to channelise their energy

SBF vs. Control differences
Clearly this bad behaviour / aggression was not seen amongst SBF school children They appeared to have a clear sense of good and bad activities In the control group, the language used by the boys was crude, it was the typical Mumbai street language While the SBF children also knew these words and the bad words. However, one could see that they knew how to interact with people from outside and communicate

SBF students were more clear about what is right and wrong They knew the thin line between these “If one starts with paan, it will lead towards eating gutka” While in control groups, they felt that eating gutka was not all that bad, especially boys For them alcohol had the maximum bad effect Followed by cigarettes, and the least was gutka “Gutka and mishri is normal amongst people these days” “After having gutka, they don’t hit other or fall on the street”

Importantly, the control group children had no interaction with the outside world It was just home and school SBF children had the confidence to interact without being scared With the media, government officials etc. Also the SBF children were special because they were part of an organisation And people recognised them as part of SBF There was a sense of belonging-ness

Further, SBF students had support and inspiration A feeling of “someone is there for us” “A hand to guide and groom us” But for control students there was no one to depend on Neither someone to approach or someone to talk and share They wanted to do so many things, but there was no one to guide them “Whom should I go to? Who is there to listen?” “I alone cannot fight with the whole world”

Tobacco awareness Interestingly, there was high awareness of tobacco and they knew the ill- effects of tobacco They knew that tobacco caused cancer It affected a person’s health “Mouth gets spoilt” “If you eat Mashiri, then after sometime a big black ball forms in the stomach” “You get dizzy when you eat” “It becomes a nasha” (addiction)” “I have seen a lady operated because of eating mashiri” “Hole becomes in the mouth” “Gutka, Goa, pan masala all these are not good”

Tobacco awareness However, all this was at an information level
Their sources of information were their: Teachers & posters put up in the schools BMC Other organisations that had given talks on cancer, aids Children from other schools in their area Interestingly, some of these control schools were in the vicinity of SBF schools Therefore, a possibility of information dissemination

Tobacco Perceptions Significantly, they knew tobacco was a bad habit
And this is important for us to register But there were enough people around them who consumed tobacco around their homes & outside Most mothers used Mashiri Father’s drank alcohol and some chewed Goa, Kolhapuri A few teachers and also a Principal of a school chewed tobacco The Police

Tobacco perceptions While they knew it was harmful, they knew that it was difficult for them to stop others “What is the use Police also do these things. They take these packets free from the shop” “My principal comes and first thing puts tobacco in the mouth” “Big boys in the school do it outside. They get shouting but don’t stop” “Who will listen to us?”

Tobacco perceptions “My mother says you were born yesterday and now you are teaching us” “People blow smoke on your face, it is really irritating” “When we tell people they tell us I am not having of your father’s money” “They hit us if we tell them” Most felt that it was useless and futile trying to tell other people to stop chewing tobacco They lacked belief that they could do something. I don’t chew tobacco and that itself was a big achievement

Sources of awareness TV and school teachers was the primary source of awareness “I go for a medical check up and they told us” “On TV, they show ads” “Hospital there are posters” “Cigarette packet also they say tobacco is bad” “They showed us CDs in school. They go to all municipal schools. First give lecture and then show pictures” “Yearly these BMC people come and give talks”

Sources of awareness Incidents around their home and their family were living examples of cancer And the bad effects of tobacco This had a lasting impression on their minds

Did they try tobacco? In every group, there were two or three who had tried – both boys and girls But had done it on their friends insistence “The first time you try gutka, you feel dizzy” (all knew this) Also in the group, they pointed out to a person who secretly ate Goa or Kolhapuri “I keep telling him, he does not listen” “If I see him do it, I start hitting him”

Did they try tobacco? Trying to stop friends was easier for them to do
But it was difficult telling people around their homes Significantly, they all said that their parents would get angry with them and hit them if they were seen consuming tobacco products “They don’t want us to do it and tell us that they didn’t have anybody to tell them when they were small”

Alcohol vs. tobacco All the boys openly started talking about alcoholism They felt alcohol was a really bad thing At least 5 boys in every group had father’s who drank And neighbours who created a nuisance Alcohol was seen as disrupting their lives Creating tension within their families Violence and beating Compared to tobacco, this was seen as a bigger evil

Alcohol vs. tobacco Tobacco was also seen as harmful
But it affected the individual, it was self destruction They had not seen a person consuming tobacco act as a nuisance This is important for us to register from a SBF perspective

Cigarettes Interestingly, cigarettes was spoken of by the 9th std boys
They felt that cigarettes were smoked by those boys Who were in college “They think they are stylish” “Cigarette peene se stylish lagta hai” “They think they have become big” “They think it is status”

Cigarettes Interestingly, some boys believed that “becoming big” allowed them to smoke cigarettes or eat gutka “My brother is married he eats gutka” “After marriage, you are settled. Then you can do all these things” Growing up/ becoming big gave them the license to do these things Now they felt they were in school Going to college was a sign of grown up

Cigarettes But the children said that Cigarettes were bad and harmful
A few boys said that it was harmful not only for the person But it also affected others In that sense, Goa, Kolhapuri was not harming anybody Except the person who chewed it

Chemical vs. non-chemical
Interestingly, they used the word chemical vs. non-chemical to differentiate what they could eat Chemical was: Gutka i.e. Kolhapuri, Goa Cigarettes The chemicals in these were seen to cause cancer Non-chemical was: Pan Masala Supari Saunf

Escape School was an escape for these children
An escape from their homes and surroundings All said that their worst day in the week was Sundays Girls said they had to just sit at home. Parents did not allow them to go out because of boys teasing/ bad activities Boys said that it was very boring. No place to play and talk They therefore enjoyed coming to school And their best friends were from school They could discuss their problems with their friends

Escape Home also meant doing household work
Washing utensils, cooking, washing clothes – girls Getting vegetables, filling water – boys Girls said that their mothers always taunted them saying that they had to learn housework for their future life and marriage Also they had less freedom to go outside compared to the boys Therefore, school was an opportunity to be free

Why study? Studying was important for them because of
Their future For success Future is not bright if we don’t study Get a degree and get a job Some girls said to get a good husband But none really knew how to achieve their future goals They lived in the fear of the unknown

Fears While the children were confident talking about their lives and families They were apprehensive about their future And many were not sure what they would do

Fears When asked to imagine that if God would come and fulfil their wish, this is what they said Most said that they wanted peace in their house This was their first thought “Everyday uncle and aunty keep fighting over small things” “My daddy drinks everyday” “My mother has cancer and cannot do any work, I want her to get well” It indicates that their family environment was disrupting and affecting their studies Also their level of confidence about their future

Fears Another fear was financial worries
They all said that “what if we have no money?” “What if the earning member something happens to him?” “I don’t know what will happen” “Don’t know if I will be able to study” “Feel scared because of less money”

Fears Another worry was failure in studies
“We are fooling nowadays, so not sure of passing” “If we fail our parents shout at us”

Fears Girls were not sure if they would get to study
“Now only they say at home not to study” “What is the use of going to school?” “Studies is not important for girls my aunt says” “Girls should do household work” “They doubt us when we are late” They were not sure if their dreams would come true They wanted to become independent

Dreams Boys dreamt of becoming:
A cricketer Playing sports Acting and dancing. But I will be rejected because I have no money Want to learn computers Engineers (only a few said) In fact the boys said they had no sports activities A few who had come from another school were disappointed since they were playing cricket and kabadi earlier Most played around their house and fixed tournaments

Dreams Girls dreamt of being:
Dancer. Want to take part in those dancing programs on TV Like acting. Want to become an actor like Madhuri Dixit Air hostess (6 girls) Doctor Engineer Police (2 girls) Teacher

Dreams Importantly, in all these groups, there were bright students
Students who had achieved good marks Won a trophy for kabadi and played at the state level Certificates for speech in school Certificates for dancing They were not sure how to take all this ahead They knew that they were good, but were not sure of the future.

Overall Clearly the control group children appear to have many fears
These are largely in the area of their future And this was exactly the same predicament and situation That Salaam Bombay children were in before we started interacting with them How to face the world is a skill that control group children don’t have with them Therefore, they are accepting of whatever happens to them

Overall However, this is not the case with Salaam Bombay children
They now feel they are in control of their lives “I can do anything” “I will not give up” “I can now face anybody” A sense of self worth was lacking in the control groups

Family Interviews

Family interviews Story title Family members
Living conditions and surroundings Parents attitude towards children Awareness and perception of Salaam Bombay Impact of Salaam Bombay on kids Parents’ Expectations

Family Interviews 10 family interviews were conducted
For this presentation, we have identified 4 families that were distinctive Others had similar stories, so we have combined them

“Gaon se shehar” An ambitious family

Student: Manish Polakar
School at Vile Parle 9th Class Age: 14 yrs Participation : 10 Sessions

Family Members Father – Mr. Yadanath Polaker Education: 9th Standard
Occupation: Daily wage earner Mother – Mrs. Polaker Education: 5th Standard Occupation: Maid Other Members: An older sister working as a maid A younger sister studying in 7th standard

Living conditions & Surroundings
Staying on rent in Nehru Nagar slums A single room with a loft accommodating 5 family members The area was congested, had narrow lanes and a lot of dirt thrown around

Lane leading to the house

Parents’ attitude towards children
The family had migrated to Mumbai from their village Mangoan Because the two younger children were very good in studies And so they wanted to give them a better education However, the father told us that he was sad Because his eldest daughter could not study as she was expected to support the family

They wished that their children would focus not only on studies, but also acquire skills that would help them in future “Aaj kal nusta shiksan karun kahi aarth nahi aahe tyachya barobar kuthla kala cha shodh aasaila pahije” (Only studying is not enough, it is important to have a skill in hand) They wanted their child to be practical and a good citizen

Awareness & Perception of Salaam Bombay
Parents were aware of salaam Bombay They knew it was carrying out activities to eradicate the use of tobacco in children Interestingly, the father has promised to stop using tobacco if the child would participate regularly in Salaam Bombay activities They felt Salaam Bombay benefits the child and had increased the child’s awareness about bad habits

Parents felt that their children were now well aware of tobacco and hence would never get addicted to it They said the children had become more confident and better at understanding things It will help them to understand who are good and bad friends They are now able to take their own decisions and stay away from bad activities

Expectations The parents felt that the Salaam Bombay should interact with them by keeping parent meets Parents also mentioned they should have the contact number of Salaam Bombay representatives “What if my child is late from drama practice” “Who do I call” They expected Salaam Bombay to help the child become a good citizen By helping him with a better education and also good moral values “Jar Salaam Bombay Ne Gyan deele tech aamchya sathi barpur jaahe”

“Samaaj ko dikha do” A mother’s challenge

Student: Shruti Kadam School at Goregaon 9th Class Age: 15 yrs
Participation : Creative academy

Family Members Mother – Mrs. Nita Kadam Education: 7th Standard
Occupation: Helper in courier company Father – Expired Younger sister - Miss. Kirti Education : studying in 8th standard

She stays in a slum called as Bhaghat Singh Nagar An area full of open gutters and dirt around Surrounded by “goons” Her house consists of a single room with a small division of a cupboard leading to a separate kitchen Accommodating 3 members of the family With her mother working the entire day She handles the entire house From cooking to teaching her sister

The mother being a widow has to take care of her daughters And so she wants her children to be independent She encourages them to participate in activities Which will help them in developing new skills

First interaction with Salaam Bombay
When Shruti first told her mother about Salaam Bombay And the opportunity for theatre selection Her mother personally called up the school teacher so that she can be selected But as soon as Shruti started going out for rehearsals People in the slum started taunting her “Why does your daughter go out the entire day?” “She should be studying, not roaming around like this” Even when she tried to make them understand All they said was, “What is the guaranty she is out in school, who knows?”

First interaction with Salaam Bombay
Due to this, she had a major fight with the neighbors and challenged them “My daughter will make me proud soon” Shruti participated in ‘Adarsh Goan Natak’ and her picture came in Halla Bol newspapers Her mother showed it to every one around And today most give examples of Nita Kadam As a perfect mother

Initially, she was unclear what Salaam Bombay was Therefore, she spoke to the school teacher And also her daughter explained what they do She felt proud that her daughter was a part of a good cause For her Salaam Bombay is not just a NGO It is more of a grooming academy

Impact of Salaam Bombay
She felt that due to Salaam Bombay her daughter has channelized her talent She used to participate in dance and drama But now she ‘performs on stage’ With this even her sister has got influenced And wants to be an active member of Salaam Bombay “I am sure she will become like Shruti”

Expectations Salaam Bombay should also have other activities like singing She wanted Salaam Bombay to reach people’s homes So that people can understand the seriousness of what Salaam Bombay does “Every one should also be aware of the ill effects of tobacco ”

“Ek honhaar ladka” A proud family

Student: Bharat Jadhav
School at Lower Parel 9th class Age: 15 yrs Participation : Creative academy : Cricket academy : Super army

Family Members Father – Mr. Ankush Jadhav Education: 8th Standard
Occupation: Paper ki dukaan Mother – Mrs. Shobha Jadhav Occupation: house wife Other Members An older brother Manoj who was in college

Staying in the small hutment with 5-6 other families near Hanuman temple in Lower Parel A small tiny room where all four of them stayed His uncle and aunt with a small child lived next door They had a good support system and all the families were very close

The parents were very proud of their child They felt the child was very smart and always ahead in all activities They were happy that the child was a part of Salaam Bombay He was getting an opportunity to be someone in life And follow his dreams

Parents attitude towards children
They were so proud of their child’s achievements A child is always known by his father’s name But today, Bharat has become so famous that they now his father because of him

Both the parents had heard of Salaam Bombay They felt it was good knowledge for the child and helped the child stay away from bad habits They also had seen the child perform street plays at the Ganpati Mandal And a photo of the child also featured in Halla Bol This had made them very happy

Child’s involvement with Salaam Bombay
The child was very active and had participated in many activities of Salaam Bombay Natak competion: The child had participated in a natak; and even though he had lost he had got a bag with gifts in it The mother was very happy and they encouraged him to take part The child had also done the same natak in the local Ganpati mandal twice and it was featured in the Halla Bol newspaper

Child’s involvement with Salaam Bombay
Cricket Academy: The child was part of the cricket academy and had even won a medal He was happy that they provided him with food, a kit and also gave him coaching This had also positively influenced his friends and brother and even they wanted to be a part of the Salaam Bombay cricket academy

Impact of Salaam Bombay
Bharat was not only interested in the Salaam Bombay activities But strongly advocated the ill effects of tobacco He had gone and complained to a friend’s parent about the child smoking And forced his friend to stop the habit They felt that the child was very confident and had even gone to the police to complain about some bad elements in the area They felt that due to Salaam Bombay the child had got so many opportunities and would go ahead in life

Impact of Salaam Bombay on Kids
Also they were proud of the fact that the child was helping others improve their lives and saving them “ Dusro ko jeevan daan deta hai” They mentioned that once he had seen a drunkard lying near his house He helped the man and later explained how bad all this was For them, this was how their child had made a difference in someone's life

The mother also mentioned that he helps everyone in the area and has now become very responsible “ Woh aur uske dost yaha pe sab saaf safai karte hai” Also she said that SBF has given our child a chance to play cricket “Here we don't have a place to play, good he plays with them” “Otherwise, he will come home and waste his time”

Bharat with the medal and certificates
Also the bag he had got in the natak completion

Expectations The parents were very happy with Salaam Bombay and wished for more competitions where the child could participate They said that the child wanted to be an actor Thus they wished Salaam Bombay would guide children and train them in acting

“Mera beta bada ho gaya”

Bhavesh Jatta School at Borivali 9th class Age: 17 yrs Participation : Balpanchayat

Family Members Father – Mr. Abhay Jatta Education: 10th Standard
Occupation: Peon Mother – Mrs. Sunita Jatta Education: Illiterate Occupation: Seller on the road Older brother – Mr. Mayank Jatta Education: Studying in 12th

Lives in Daulat Nagar chawl Lives in a very small house with 4 members in one room Surrounding area has co-operative residents

His father always had an ambition of educating his sons Hence he and his wife work hard to support them And gives them all the facilities “When my son went to college, I gave him a mobile” He gives them all the freedom to do anything they want He believes that they will never choose a wrong path “My father never asks me where I am”

Bhavesh’s first introduction to Salaam Bombay was through his school teacher Who suggested him to join the Bal Panchayat And Bhavesh went for the first meeting It was at that time when his father came to know what Salaam Bombay is about

He was very impressed that they have something like a Panchayat that is similar to a village set up And his son is a part of it A big respectful thing in villages And he used to always take updates of what was happening in the meeting

His father confessed that initially his son was very shy And used to be scared to talk to people around But after few weeks of joining the Bal Panchayat He became more confident And his entire personality changed He started interacting with people in the area And even had a meeting with the neighbors about awareness about tobacco “We have smoke free stickers on most of the walls around”

His father proudly mentioned that his son is now Going to make a movie with a tobacco theme Without any help from anybody else He added that it was Salaam Bombay’s influence that made his son take that movie making step “When he grows up he will become a director” “All thanks to Salaam Bombay” “Mera beta bada ho gaya hai”

Bhavesh said that he had approached their school teacher (Melinda Sir) And asked for support to make the movie But camera shooting was expensive And if something went wrong who would take the responsibility Bhavesh persisted and decided to use the mobile phone to shoot the film

He wrote a script with a tobacco theme A young girl who is 18 yrs lives with her grand father She sees him smoking everyday in the house He also brings cigarettes for her from the shop One day when he goes out, the girl tries the cigarette for the first time She gets addicted and her grandfather does not know She dies due to cancer after some time At this stage, she becomes best friends with her grandfather And how she got addicted to smoking She says, “If my grandfather can smoke, why can’t I?

The friend later on accuses the grandfather for the death of the girl The paan shop owner gets to know of the incident and decides to change his business to become a dry fruits store For this movie, Bhavesh has gathered people from his chawl Once he finishes the movie, he wants to show it to Salaam Bombay He wants to make this movie in the future His ambition and drive was inspiring

Research Observations
Significantly, the study appears to clearly indicate that Salaam Bombay programs appear to have an impact on the children The effect of these programs are not only at An individual level But also, at a family level The family as a unit together is geared towards making the dream possible And this is really commendable for SBF

The greatest change seen was in the confidence levels of the children If for a moment, we forgot their context, they felt like children from a “normal” school The children because of Salaam Bombay’s intervention and support Have been able to handle their circumstances and deal with them effectively And they were determined not to let their existing conditions affect their success in life

Importantly, they now knew it was possible to do things, achieve their dreams There was a purpose to live for While earlier these were things they just dreamt of Now these same dreams, they were making it happen for them and trying to accomplish The power of “I can do it” is significant for the child It is a life changing moment for him/her

They were able to face the world confidently We have empowered these children to handle their life situations Girls said they were now tough and could take up a challenge Others said that they have learnt discipline, focus on studies, how to accept defeat, keep trying, put in hard work, picture in the newspaper, opportunities to meet cricketers Our efforts have taken shape and form They had now become strong individuals and were no longer afraid of the world outside

Today they have become celebrities in their own way Today they have become popular in their area Today people look up to them Today they get respect in their area and from teachers Today they are taken seriously Today they could confidently talk in front of people All this was unimaginable for most of them And they never thought these things were possible

Earlier they always lived with their fears of what will happen, how it will happen (Which today is the case of the Control group children) Those fears were now assuaged by Salaam Bombay being there They knew that they had the whole hearted support from Salaam Bombay The sense of belongingness towards Salaam Bombay was deep It was like their family And deep down they knew and believed that the Salaam Bombay family would never let them down

Significantly, Salaam Bombay had the same impact on the sessions participants Especially those in the Super Army However, there were passive sessions participants who need to be brought into the fold They like us and appreciate us But are not sure of how to take these things forward We might have to find a way of approaching these children

Some were also upset that they had not been selected The feeling was that the Salaam Bombay process only chose the good students These children by nature would be shy and might not come forward And teachers would only promote children who are good or stand out in other activities We would need to devise ways of giving equal opportunity to all children The children should feel this democratic process and should know that they can approach us whenever they want

Our focus now has to be on getting the passive students The enthusiasts are already with us!

Clearly the Salaam Bombay program appears to be moving in the right direction The most important aspect pointed out by the children was The systematic approach The rigueur The dedication As a result, we have moved from being an external body to Becoming an important aspect of their lives With them saying, “What we would have done without Salaam Bombay, we don’t know”

And their primary concern was what would happen when they finish school education They wanted Salaam Bombay to guide them at every stage of their lives “I wish they were in colleges also” This is a great positive for Salaam Bombay

Finally, it is vital to acknowledge that the SBF program has gone way beyond tobacco Into the really important areas of human life Into helping create better human beings Indeed, into creating life where none would have been

Indeed, when a child says “this has made us” The “made” goes beyond success That is too simple It means, almost literally, made us It means, almost literally, given us life This would be our true achievement.

09/11/09 09/11/09 229 229

Salaam Bombay A Program Evaluation Study

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