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The Children Toy Foundation ( CTF ) was established in 1982 in Bombay and registered as a trust in 1985 with seven founding trustees from diverse backgrounds. The main goal of CTF is to provide an additional mode of education to children through toys and games for all round development. This is to reduce the gap between suffocated childhood and enjoyable childhoold.
Mission
“ To harness the potential force of toys and games and play related activities to mould the character and temperament of children and hone their latent talents “.
The founder of the organization, Mr. Devendra Desai was inspired by the Chacha Nehru Library at Bandra – the first Toy Library in India. The vision of the foundation was to provide help and guidance in setting up toy libraries all over India. Initially the role conceived by CTF comprised procurement of toys at concessional rates, offering consultation regarding purchase of toys and games, training the staff of toy libraries in the administration of libraries and use of games, and informing the libraries about new games that enter the market.
Overview of the Organisation& Major Achievements:
• To help other institutions to set up toy/game libraries: We have helped so far various institutions to set up such 265 toy/game libraries covering 11 states & 2 territories as far as upto Andaman. We help them to make a budget, select toys according to budget and then guide them in games & administration of the libraries. Most of the libraries have come through media through articles in almost all language newspapers & magazines & mouth to mouth publicity. We have so far covered 11 states & two union territories upto Andaman Nikobar islands.
• To arrange on the spot contests in fun & intellectual games: We used to hold such contests for children willing to take part after a press release .Then we used to arrange interschool contests for about 20 different schools. Nowadays we do it in municipal schools on sponsorship. We do want to develop it into a major school contest.
• To research and develop games & revive old games: As we have studied all varieties of games and have tried with children ,we modify and develop games and also provide to the libraries old games which are no more manufactured.
• Our volunteers go to viz. 1) J.J. Hosp. 2)St. George Hosp 3)G.T. Hosp. 4)Nair Hosp.5)K.E.M.Hosp. 6) Sion Hosp. 7)Bhagwati Hosp. 8)Rajawadi Hosp & 9)Muktabai Hosp. In the children’s ward they interact with children and amuse them so that they forget their pains.
• Besides we have 3 mobile play van services and one static center in a municipal school viz. 1)City of Los Angeles Mun. School .One van at Varanasi and one static Khelvigyan centre at Baroda.
• We arrange special training of teachers for capacity building.
• We also go to the orphanages and shelter homes when we get extra time when schools have holidays
In 1996-97 we arranged play sessions in evening for street children around CTF’s office at Fort. Everyday 30-40 children used to avail of the facility. Prompted by this overwhelming response we thought of developing a mobile service. This helped us to reach out to more & more children at distant places. Also it gave us access to many donors who were inspired to set up toy libraries at different places. We named the van as LAFF van(Let’s All have Fun Frolic). LAFF van helped us to propagate the toylibrary project in Northern states of India upto Jammu & Kashmir. The trip was sponsored by
Mr.Adi Godrej & various Lions Clubs. We gave our services in 162 villages of Latur Dist. & equal no of villages in Nashik dist on sponsorship of Excel Industries Ltd.
. Total 33 municipal schools,6to 8 mobile crèche centers and 9 hospitals benefit from the project.
In the Vacation time in the schools we serve Shradhanand Mahilashram, B.J.Home & other NGOs also.
Our Honours and awards:
• Our Mg. Trustee was on The Managing Board of international Toy Library Ass. From 1993 to 1996
• We have won an international awards for our concept of On the Spot Contests in fun & intellectual games presented by Internatinal Toy Library Association & International Association for Child Right to Play 1993.
• Our efforts are acknowledged in Limca Book Of Records for Indian Records1998.
• We have won a national award of Sri Ram Washeshram Devi Bhatia Memorial Charitable Trust 2000 .
US India Business Council listed CTF as one of the 14 worth supporting charities in An Introductory Guide To Corporate Partnership in India 2000.
CTF was covered in leading printed and electronic media like Times Of India, Femina, Outlook, Zee TV, Doodarshan National Network & other vernacular media
• We have won Best Community service award of Rotary Club of Ghatkopar 2003.
• We have won Mother India award for social work from Indian organization for Commerce & Industry-New Delhi 2006
• Managing Trustee MR Devendra Desai is awarded Big Mumbaikar
Award by Big FM 92.7 2010.
Major Donors & Contributors:
Excel LAFF van-Allhabad- Shroff Family Charitable Trust
LAFF Van – Vibha Inc. USA
Matunga Centre – Tech Mahindra Foundation
Passpoli Centre - Larsen & Toubro Ltd
Toy Express – Tech Mahindra Foundation
Khelvigyan project-Baroda- Children Toy Foundation
Number of paid staff & number of Children served:
33 teachers incl .sweeper look after the projects and give their best irrespective of whatever remuneration they get. Although children learn through play is a hard fact, we feel very stressed opting for sponsors every year so we are looking for a strong partnership on the board to spread the smiles on faces of children all over India.
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