[edit] Project Selection

Vibha projects are selected based on the focus areas of the projects, target beneficiary groups of the projects and also certain evaluative criteria internal to the project and the demographics serviced by the projects.

[edit] Focus Areas of Vibha Projects

In an approach that is directed towards achieving its mission, Vibha focuses project support on areas that relate to underprivileged children. Vibha's initiatives are not alternatives or replacements of those provided by the local, state or central governments. Vibha will try to provide the services where such government-sponsored services are either missing or insufficient. Since the social and domestic environment significantly affects the child's development, Vibha will also focus on the improvement of these environments even though these projects may be seen as indirectly affecting child development. The following list includes the focus areas for Vibha projects:

• Primary education of children within the age group of 6 to 18.
• Non-formal education of children within the age group of 0 to 18.
• Vocational training and training on skills that could provide livelihood in addition to education.
• Prevention of child mortality and debilitating diseases.
• Early childhood care and education for children below the age of 6.
• Provision of physical and mental health care for children and pre-natal care for women.
• Eradication of child labor and the associated rehabilitation.
• Creating awareness and influencing policy makers on child related issues.
• Girl child related issues: Vibha believes that in most parts of India, girl children are not yet treated at par with other children by being denied education, being forced to do household work and sometimes subjected to infanticide. Vibha also believes that the girl child in future can have a greater impact on society as mothers, teachers and caregivers for young children.

With an aim towards the overall betterment of the underprivileged children, Vibha will try to give equal importance to all the focus areas. However, the needs of the society, its responsiveness, availability of human, material and financial resources will play a major role in choosing projects and consequently Vibha's focus areas.

[edit] Target Beneficiary Groups of Vibha Projects

According to UNICEF's General Assembly Resolution, a child means every human being below the age of eighteen years unless under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier. While Vibha will focus on any underprivileged child that comes under the above definition, in an effort to help the most needy, the type of children Vibha will focus on, includes but not limited to:

• Orphans
• Children abandoned by their parents.
• Children who ran away from home.
• Children living on the streets.
• Children who are victims of domestic and social negligence. Example: Children whose parents don't send them to school or look after them. Children of commercial sex workers who are treated as social outcasts.
• Children who are victims of domestic and social crimes. Example: Children who are sexually assaulted. Children who lose their life support in communal violence.
• Child laborers
• Child beggars
• Children who are forced to earn a livelihood. Example: Children who do household work and other daytime job that cannot come under child labor.
• Special children i.e. physically and mentally challenged children.

[edit] Evaluative Criteria for Projects Supported by Vibha:

Vibha will use the following guidelines in choosing a project for funding. A project can either be a current project or a new initiative. In order to qualify for funding, the projects should have certain qualities that are mandatory. Apart from these, there will be certain qualities that are preferred. A logical analysis of these various qualities based on the nature and impact of the project should help in deciding between two projects should such a case arise.

[edit] Mandatory Qualities

• Vibha will select only those projects whose focus fall in line with Vibha's focus area mentioned above.
• While selecting a project, Vibha will ensure that the project does not support any form of discrimination based upon language, culture, religion, caste or societal status beyond the basic requirement of targeting underprivileged groups as beneficiaries.

[edit] Preferred Qualities

• The project has a long-term impact on its target community.
• The project involves its local community in answering the problem.
• The project is self sustaining and helps its beneficiary attain financial independence.
• The project implements innovative ideas in its service.
• The project targets child victim of natural and man-made disasters.
• The project not only helps the children but also helps create awareness.
• The project establishes a network with Government agencies, local community leaders and other NGOs.
• The project is scalable; in other words be able to impact more children over time.

[edit] Guidelines for Continuing Support to Vibha Projects

Projects supported by Vibha do not qualify automatically for continued support. Projects need to stay successful and prove their necessity for funds every year. The following will be used as guidelines in choosing a project for continued support.

Before providing the finances for an organization for a specific term, Vibha will establish project specific metrics that will be used to measure the impact created by the organization on its target community. Such metrics, as mentioned earlier will vary from project to project depending upon the nature of the project and the local variables that affect it. Following are some general guidelines in establishing a benchmark.

• A justifiable increase in the number of children impacted by the project.
• A justifiable increase in the infrastructure for the project.
• A justifiable increase in awareness in the surrounding areas of the project.
• Justifiable and wise spending.

In addition to these quantitative metrics, Vibha will use the quality of service provided by the local project organization and the impact created by a project as a major factor in deciding for the continued support of a project. Vibha will use the help of its employees,volunteers, government agencies, non-profit agencies, local community, press and media as well as word of mouth to assess the quality of service and the impact created by the project to determine if a project is worthy of continued support.

In addition to the above criteria, Vibha also has the following expectations from projects:

• Vibha expects that the project maintain a clear record of disbursal of the finance provided by Vibha.
• Vibha expects a project to be open to direction, correction of path and advice from Vibha, other experienced non-profit organizations and local community leaders.
• Vibha expects the project to provide regular project progress reports in prescribed formats.