At Miracle Foundation India, as we strive towards enabling children to stay with their families and reach their full potential, we honor the incredible social workforce that makes it all possible! This month, we celebrate the efforts and achievements of Dilipsinh Bihola from Gujarat.
Currently serving as District Child Protection Officer in the Aravalli district, Dilipsinh’s journey in child protection has always been driven by a deep commitment to working with children. His views that placing children in CCIs was the most effective solution for child protection issues however shifted when he interacted with Miracle Foundation India’s team during the training on family strengthening and family-based alternative care. He recognized the challenges children face in institutional care and the importance of keeping children within their families.
Having learnt about the gatekeeping mechanisms better, besides the vital role of Village-level Child Protection Committees (VCPCs) in ensuring child protection, Dilipsinh, along with the Programme Officer, Non-Institutional Care, activated 386 VCPCs across District Aravalli, together with local communities and other relevant stakeholders. Towards this end, Dilipsinh’s committed efforts included coordinating with the District Development Officer, and ensuring active participation of concerned Block Development Officers and other local leaders in Block-level Child Protection Committee meetings.
Additionally, Dilipsinh’s team successfully linked approximately 1,300 children with the Palak Mata Pita Yojana, providing them with ₹3,000 per month, and connected 668 children with the Mukhya Mantri Bal Seva Yojana during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of his most impactful achievements was identifying 106 children under the Children In Street Situations (CISS) program, subsequently helping them obtain essential documents and linking them with government schemes, such as sponsorship and education. The state government also provided a one-time assistance of ₹2,000 to each child, and they were supported in opening bank accounts.
Looking ahead, Dilipsinh remains committed to focusing on family strengthening and family-based care to ensure that every child has a supportive environment for their growth and development.
A big shout-out today to Dilipsinh!
