Supporting child-run development banks

for street and working children

Butterflies and ChildHope have joined forces to expand Butterflies’ successful Delhi based child-run savings and credit scheme for street and working children across South Asia. They are successfully collaborating with 12 other organisations in India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Nepal to develop a network of these savings and credit schemes called the Children’s Development Khazana (CDK) formerly known as Children’s Development Bank (CDB). The project’s objective is to harness children’s skills and capabilities and to utilise them to gain more control over their own future.

To date 14,068 street and working children in the region are being encouraged to save money in the bank which is “owned” and operated by its clients (under the guidance of an adult facilitator). CDK enables its members to earn interest on their deposits and to promote sustainable livelihood, its adolescent members can access advances for initiating small businesses or cooperatives. As the life of street and working children is very precarious, the children operating the bank are very careful who they lend money to, and they make
sure the client will be committed and responsible. Children at Butterflies centre

The Children’s Development Khazana are:

Encouraging children to save
Developing and supporting sustainable livelihoods
Building life skills such as team working, taking responsibility, self-confidence,
communication skills, and project management skills. The children are acting very
responsibly and requiring detailed information about small business proposals and
ensuring that as a cooperative they all work together to ensure the scheme’s success.
Building Entrepreneurial skills by channeling children’s entrepreneurial skills and
directing these into income generation and employment
Providing support and ensuring sustainability through strategies such as mentoring,
whereby already successful entrepreneurs are encouraged to practically support
children with their own entrepreneurial aspirations

Achievements to date:

The Children’s Development Khazana (CDK) has 14,068 child members (5,760 girls & 8,308 boys).

123 child volunteer managers are managing a total of 99 branches of CDK which provide children across the region a safe and easy access to save money.

4579 CDK members (2774 boys and 1805 girls) are continuing their studies through their savings or advances in South Asia.

40 CDK youth members in Bihar have been supported to open accounts in mainstream banks.

97 children have been supported to continue with their education and access health services.

We have managed to increase girls’ participation to 41% within the project.

28 adolescents across South Asia have been supported with funds to initiate their own businesses.

75% of children involved in the project are participating in the education programme.

756 adolescents have been learning different vocational skills.