Participatory Design

Working children, along with their families and business owners, have collaborated with PPIC-Work partner agencies to develop a series of intervention tools that can be integrated into microfinance programs. A key part of this process was helping working children build their own self confidence and self esteem and then providing them with training in basic social interaction skills such as team-work, decision making, presentational skills and child rights (see the Child Rights documents under “Manuals and Field Guides in the “microfinance and Working Children section of the website). Once children were aware of their rights they were ready to ask for changes within their workplaces and within their lives beyond work. Children used their social skills to engage in discussions with adults in generally non confrontational ways that remained respectful of local practices and culture.

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The PPIC-Work interventions are designed so that MFIs can integrate these into their normal lending operations. The interventions are organized around three main themes:

• improving working conditions,

• improving learning opportunities;

• applying key processes including children’s rights, gender equality and children’s participation