What The Concerned for Working Children does

The Concerned for Working Children (CWC) is a non-profit, democratic development agency founded in 1977 by Nandana Reddy and Damodar Acharya and formally registered as a society in 1985, headquartered in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. CWC operates direct field programmes in urban Bangalore and rural Karnataka (primarily Udupi district) to empower working children and marginalised communities, distinguished from traditional child welfare NGOs by its child-led methodology. The organisation facilitates Bhima Sangha, a union of working children that expanded to 13,000 members within years of its 1990 founding, and the Toofan Programme's Makkala Panchayats (children's councils) that enable child representation in local government — methodology so successful that the Government of Karnataka mandated Makkala Grama Sabhas statewide in 2006.

CWC's portfolio of programmes includes the residential school Namma Nalanda Vidyapeetha (educating over 100 students aged 2-18), night centres and extension schools for working children in Bangalore, Namma Angadi (a collective marketing organisation for rural artisans), the Karnataka Migrant Workers' Union (formed 2007), and the Gram Panchayat Hakkottaya Andolana advocacy movement. It also operates Dhruva, a consultancy wing launched in 2000 that provides paid advisory services on child rights and participation to external organisations. The organisation does not operate a unified software or technology platform; its infrastructure is community-based, relying on full-time field staff and residential facilities.

CWC's revenue model is split between donations and grants from institutional donors and individual supporters, and professional services income from the Dhruva consultancy. It maintains long-standing strategic partnerships with Save the Children, UNICEF, ChildHope UK, FORUT Norway, and the Government of Karnataka, and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012, 2013, and 2014 by Norwegian parliamentarians — the first Bangalore-based NGO or person to receive this honour. The organisation operates with 11-50 employees and does not disclose financial figures.

Name

The Concerned for Working Children

Legal name

The Concerned for Working Children

Website

https://concernedforworkingchildren.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Concerned for Working Children is a Bangalore-based non-profit founded in 1977 that empowers working children and marginalised communities in Karnataka through child-led unions, children's councils, education programmes, and a child rights consultancy called Dhruva.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Rights and Child Welfare Non-Profit Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG)

Keywords

• Child rights advocacy
• Child labour prevention
• Children's participation programs
• Non-formal education services
• Community development initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Bangalore

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and grants: CWC relies on donations and grants from donors and supporters to fund its operations. The website includes a 'Support us' section indicating they accept contributions.
2. Consultancy services (Dhruva): In 2000, CWC launched Dhruva, its consultancy wing. Dhruva team members work on child rights and participation consultancy engagements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Concerned for Working Children is a Bangalore-based non-profit founded in 1977 and registered in 1985 that delivers child rights, child labour prevention, education access, and children's participation programs through direct service delivery in Karnataka. Its offering combines community organising (e.g., Bhima Sangha, Makkala Panchayats), alternative schooling (Namma Nalanda Vidyapeetha, Night Centres), a children's media initiative (Toofan), land and migrant worker rights advocacy, and a paid consultancy arm (Dhruva) that builds capacity in other organisations.

Product overview

The Concerned for Working Children (CWC) operates as a non-profit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs focused on empowering working children and marginalized communities in Karnataka, India. The organization does not operate a unified software product but rather delivers multiple programmatic offerings. Core programs include Bhima Sangha (a children's union), the Toofan Programme with Makkala Panchayats (children's councils for democratic participation), and Namma Nalanda Vidyapeetha (an educational institution). Supporting programs include Namma Bhoomi (vocational training centre), Namma Angadi (artisan marketing collective), Dhruva consultancy services, the Gram Panchayat Hakkottaya Andolana advocacy movement, and the Karnataka Migrant Workers' Union. Educational offerings include the Appropriate Education Programme and extension schools. These programs work together to advance children's rights, citizenship participation, education access, and economic empowerment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bhima Sangha Bhima Sangha is a union of working children that organises working children to advocate for their rights and represent their interests. It is targeted at working and at-risk children in Karnataka and is delivered as part of the organisation's child participation and child labour prevention work.
• Makkala Panchayats Makkala Panchayats are children's local governance forums that enable children to participate in decisions affecting their communities. They are targeted at children in project areas in Karnataka and form a core part of the organisation's children's participation methodology.
• Toofan Toofan is a children's media programme run by the organisation that enables children to produce and share content. It is targeted at working and at-risk children in Karnataka and supports their participation and self-expression.
• Namma Nalanda Vidyapeetha Namma Nalanda Vidyapeetha is an alternative school run by the organisation for children excluded from the formal education system. It delivers non-formal education to working and out-of-school children in Karnataka.
• Night Centres Night Centres are evening education centres operated by the organisation that provide learning support to working children after their workday. They are targeted at working children in Karnataka who cannot attend regular day school.
• Dhruva Consultancy Dhruva is the organisation's paid consultancy that provides training, advisory, and capacity-building services to other NGOs, government bodies, and agencies on the organisation's child participation methodology. It is targeted at institutional clients in the child welfare and development sector.
• Namma Bhoomi Namma Bhoomi is a community land and habitat rights programme run by the organisation to support marginalised communities' access to land and housing. It is targeted at vulnerable families and communities in Karnataka.
• Gram Panchayat Hakkottaya Andolana Gram Panchayat Hakkottaya Andolana is an advocacy initiative of the organisation focused on local governance and rights issues in gram panchayats. It is targeted at marginalised rural communities in Karnataka.
• Karnataka Migrant Workers' Union The Karnataka Migrant Workers' Union is a union supported by the organisation to represent migrant workers' labour and welfare rights in Karnataka. It is targeted at migrant workers and their families.
• Namma Angadi Namma Angadi is a crafts initiative of the organisation that supports artisan production and livelihoods, providing an income-generating activity linked to the organisation's community work in Karnataka.
• Appropriate Education Programme The Appropriate Education Programme is the organisation's initiative to deliver context-appropriate education to working and out-of-school children in Karnataka. It is targeted at children excluded from mainstream schooling.

Quantifiable outcome

• 13,000+ child union members in Bhima Sangha
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Save the ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCWC worked with Save the Children as partners. Testimonials indicate long-standing relationship with Save the Children UK and Save the Children Norway. CWC was nominated for Nobel Peace Prize alongside Save the Children and UNICEF.
• ChildHope UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChildHope UK has been a partner with CWC. Dr. Vicky Johnson, Head of Partnerships and Programmes at ChildHope UK, provided testimonial praising CWC's leadership in children's participation.
• FORUT NorwaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFORUT Norway is a development partner. Morten Lønstad, Secretary General of FORUT Norway, expressed pride in CWC's Nobel Peace Prize nomination. FORUT also works with CWC in Sri Lanka.
• UNICEFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNICEF collaborated with CWC. Representatives met with Bhima Sangha members in 2002 - the first time ILO consulted with a working children's organisation. UNICEF continues partnership in Karnataka.
• International Working Group on Child LabourcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCWC is a founding member (1992) of the International Working Group on Child Labour, an international network focused on child labour issues.
• Government of KarnatakacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple partnerships including: Education department partnership for flexi-schools (2003), Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan workshops (2004), Karnataka Commission on Protection of Child Rights, police sensitivity training. Government issued circular mandating Makkala Grama Sabhas statewide (2006).
• National Law School of India University (NLSIU)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCWC designed the module on 'Child Rights Programming' for NLSIU's new postgraduate diploma in Child Rights (2009). Centre for Child and the Law at NLSIU works in solidarity with CWC.
• Bhima SanghacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBhima Sangha is the union of working children founded by CWC in 1990, now with chapters in each village and thousands of members. This is CWC's primary constituency and core partnership.
• Gram Panchayat Hakkottaya AndolanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCWC facilitates this state-wide movement of Grama Panchayat and Grama Sabha members (launched 2007) to protect local government power to identify welfare beneficiaries.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bachpan Bachao Andolan: Founded by Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi, this Indian NGO focuses on child labour elimination and education access. Closely comparable in mission, India-centric operations, and grassroots mobilization model.
• Child Rights and You (CRY): One of India's leading child rights NGOs, working on child labour, education, and child marriage. Highly comparable as an India-headquartered non-profit focused on child rights advocacy, community mobilization, and policy influence.
• FORUT Norway: Norwegian development organization that has been a partner of CWC and nominated it for the Nobel Peace Prize. Comparable as an international child rights and development NGO with operations in South Asia.
• Childline India Foundation: India's national child helpline and emergency response service for children in distress. Directly comparable as an India-based child protection NGO operating across the country with similar mission focus on child rights and welfare.
• ChildHope UK: UK-based NGO focused on children's rights and participation in developing countries. Directly comparable as a long-standing CWC partner with shared methodology around child participation and grassroots empowerment.

Broad incumbents

• Save the Children India: Indian arm of global child rights organization Save the Children. Comparable as a partner and peer in child rights advocacy, education, and child protection programming across India with broader thematic scope.
• National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR): Indian statutory body responsible for protecting child rights and reviewing safeguards. Comparable as a major institutional actor in India's child rights ecosystem with overlapping policy advocacy objectives.
• UNICEF India: UN agency focused on child rights, education, and welfare in India. Directly comparable as a current partner of CWC, addressing overlapping child welfare concerns at much larger scale and with policy-level influence.

Emerging players

• Butterflies (NGO): India-based child rights NGO focused on working and street children with programmes in education, health, and protection. Comparable in mission and operational focus on working children's rights and self-organization.

Regional players

• Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights: State-level statutory body working on child rights in Karnataka, where CWC operates. Comparable as a regional institutional actor in the same geography addressing overlapping child rights priorities.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/workingchildren
• Facebookfacebook.com/workingchildren
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-concerned-for-working-children

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Concerned for Working Children