By Dheerendra Sharma | Programme Manager
DhanpAT Mal Virmani Education TRUST and Management Society Roop Nagar, Delhi-7
Adult Literacy Project
"Providing Functional Literacy to women in India (1784),
Date: 11-06-2011
“VIRMANI TRUST IS WORKING FOR A LIFE OF DIGNITY AND SELF RELIANCE FOR THE DISADVANTAGED.”
There can be no lasting peace or social development without education. This is the bedrock on which DVET has built its priority programme to provide education for all throughout life. In this context, the Organization’s twin focus is to train the teachers/ community members who are central to the education system and to improve education's quality and relevance which will go a long way to reduce drop outs and ensure retention.
It has been considered and simultaneously proved that literacy has always enhances any regions human capital. Our Adult Literacy project started in 2004 with five centers and old donated computers in a slum cluster around Delhi through computer based functional literacy program (CBFL) developed by TCS. CBFL is animated software which provides basic knowledge of alphabets, numerals and language. An educated lady from the community itself is identified as the person in charge for the cluster and her home serves as the classroom for women beneficiaries.
The Dhanpatmal Virmani Education Trust & Management Society, Roop Nagar, Delhi is working to uplift illiterate people, particularly women by providing them adult education centers in the slum areas where most of them live. These centers teach Hindi through a computer based functional program. Our objective is to set up more adult learning centers in India, so that illiteracy in India is eradicated. The trust opened 5 centers in the year 2004 and gradually increased every year.
At present 50 Adult Literacy centers around and in Delhi are being successfully run by the trust. So far 5312 women, 68 men and 645 children have studied in these centers and 932 women and 88 children are presently studying. Our target is to have 60 centers by end of this financial year.
Three year back, we introduced a tailoring course for women at all our centers in Delhi so that the women could learn vocational training and earn some extra income for their families which will raise their standard of living. SInce starting this course more women have joined our centers and we have installed 8 embroidery machines in 8 centers. All our people in charge know the tailoring job. Some of the leaders are supported by NGOs, friends and companies. For instance, 20 centers are supported by North Delhi Power Ltd. (NDPL).
TATA Consultancy Services (TCS) is providing us old computers and a mechanic is entrusted with the maintenance job of these computers. He is paid for the work done.
The cost of running each centre is Rs. 5,000/- per month or Rs. 60,000/- per year. This is including the salary of the person in charge. The duration of the course is of 6 months. It costs only Rs. 750/- to teach a totally illiterate person to read and write HINDI & Arithmetic.
We are extremely proud that we have received an overwhelming response for our project. The financial position of the project is improved. Our trust registered under the FCRA1976.
We are paying about Rs. 1,32,000/- per month to the centers in charges. This is in addition to the payment made by NGOs to their employees who have adopted our programme .
Every year, an official function is arranged. This year we have organized the annual function program and Hon’able Mr. Sudarshan Agarwal former Governor of the States of Uttarakhand and Sikkim was the chief guest of the function. About 1000 beneficiaries and other guests attended the function. Some beneficiaries gave their performance on the stage narrating how they are benefited from this adult literacy & vocational training programme and thanked the management for opening adult literacy centers in their areas, other wise they would have not been literate. DVET was awarded Excellence award for the year 2010-11 by North Delhi Power Limited. DVET has developed four modules for CBFL programme which are Hindi, Arithmetic’s and their teaching methods by using computers. We have setup a library in each center for the women, who have completed their course. We have a in house resource person (Dheerendra Sharma) to deliver the cluster training program on specific issues related to subject hard spots, women and girls counseling, community sensitization & other issues’ was organized in our adult literacy/ vocational training centers.
Celebration: We celebrated all the festivals and other important days at our learning centers.
A case study- Uremia (50 year old) stature of her age where her grandchildren were going to school it was very difficult for her to step out & start studying from scratch. When asked by her family members & neighbors she replied with a smile that it is because she wants to engage herself. On completion of course she was asked what her motivation had been for joining the center. She replied that since she was illiterate she wanted to read out the Hindi mantras while worshiping and had to ask her grand children to do it. Now after course she can read out mantras on her own. In her words- “now after reading shlokas & mantras (sermon) by my self I feel connected to my god” 2Jyoti, A Motivation for others
Case Study: Jyoti (16 year old) belongs to a very poor family. She lives in 38F saraifoos Mohalla near Tis hazari. She is an orphan & lives with her grandparents. Her family does not believe in educating the girl child so she was never able to go to school. But because of DVET intervention, regular home visits, and counseling by a center leader, her family’s approach changed about the girl education. The Adult Literacy project has changed the mindset of the family .They understood the importance of education in life as not just being a means of earning but as a tool to regulate an individual’s life effectively. The family agreed to enroll Jyoti in our center at tis hazari centre. Gradually she has turned into a regular and bright student of the center. She was very excited about her enrollment in class III in government Sarvodaya School, which happened in the month of July 2010. One of themost motivating facts is that Jyoti has not only done very well, but has also motivated three other girls to join the Adult Literacy Programme.
Rajvati is a leader at one of the centers where she teaches and regularly consoling after some days, Savitri learned Hindi and as well as tailoring course. She applied to the government for the military man widow's pension, with a hand written application, she also operated her bank account without any help. now Savitri gets pension and stitches cloths and earn 3000-4000/pm ,
6. Chandra Kala (widows of a military man) was illiterate when she joined our centre at (B, Block gali no. 6 and house no.57, Khajuri khas, Delhi-110094) She lives in gali no. 7, at b, block in khajuri khas; she is motivated and fast learner. After six months she could read & write Hindi. She applied in Government for military man widow's pension with a hand written application and got pension, she opened her bank account with out any help, now Chandra Kala earned some money and gets per month widow pension.
7. Basanti Devi, she lives in (B, Block Gali no. 6 and house no.5), Khajuri khas, Delhi-110094, our centre in charge visited her house and convinced to Basanti devi join our center. After few days Basanti Devi joined our centers she learned very fast. Now she stitches cloths and earned 4000-6000/pm. Basanti is famous as a lady tailor.
8 Kanti Devi (36 year old lady) w/o Shri Bhola Ram Chourasiya lives in B1/1085, jj colony in madanpur Khadar, Delhi. One day our person in charge Mrs. Meena Tiwari called a women meeting and addressed Women literacy issues in j j colony, madanpur Khadar. Kanti met some illiterate women that came to the center, like Kanti Devi who is a bright student in center who learned very well. She learned signature first then learned Hindi reading and writing. in next batch join as a vocational tailoring course. One day govt. aganwadi worker posted an advertisement and Kanti Devi applied and joined as a Aganwadi Shahika in JJ colony, Bhart Ratn Bhim Rao Ambedkar, Aganwadi Kendra no. 08 ( house no A1/904 ). Now Kanti is changing her life through literacy, she is getting a salary and earned some extra money through tailoring. She got total income 6000/ pm. she is happy and motivated other women to join.
9 Mrs. Shayma Bist had been a student in our Khoda Colony Centre (GZB) and studied during the year 2008-09. She was a bright student and picked up her studies easily. She took a very keen interest in our vocational training and learned sewing/tailoring and arts and crafts. After completion of her course, she joined one of our centers as a person in charge in New Ashok Nagar Colony Delhi, from 10th July, 2009. She is a good teacher and has trained 30 ladies and 40 young girls in functional literacy and vocation training programs. At present, she is in charge of Khoda Colony, RC- 332, Vandna Enclave (Ghaziabad). Some of the beneficiaries have got employment after the training,
10. Three years ago Anju wadhwa stared working as person in charge in one of the Adult Literacy centers. Her interest in the cause of educating the uneducated females often prompted her to go beyond the boundaries to motivate and encourage female especially married ones to step out of their homes and study. Seeing her dedication, efficiency and work management before last year made her center coordinator for 12 other centers. Her consistent performances in managing the centers well appreciated by the Virmani Trust and NDPL as well. By the completion of one more year she was given charge of all 18 centers. She is now a role model for centre coordinator of all 20 centers
Kulvanti said that she will help in literacy progamme for woman.
12 Manju, 25 year old girl. At present, she lives in B Block house no. 266 Lal kuan, Badarpur Delhi .her family consist of three brothers and four sisters. She is second no. child in her family .she was an illiterate before joining the centre,she can now write her name, signature, She has been a beneficiary of DVET adult literacy centre & vocational training centre in the year of 2010. After the completion of our course, Manju married in Safdar Jang area. Now she wants to continue her education.
13 Guddi (Sita) w/o shri Vinod ujjaiwal, 27 year old women at present she lives in B-318/9 Lalkuan, Badarpur, Delhi. Her family does not have faith in educating the girl child. So she was never gone to school. With trust intervention, regular home visits and counseling by center in charge changed her family’s approach about the adult education. Adult literacy project changed the mindset of the family. They understood the importance of education in life as not just being a means of earning but as a tool to regulate an individual’s life effectively. The family agreed to enroll Guddi (Sita) in our center at Badarpur centre. Gradually, she has turned into a regular and bright student of the center. A most motivating fact is that Guddi (Sita) has not only done very well, but has also motivated many other women to join the Adult Literacy Programme. She can now write her name, signature, operate her bank account and carry out other bank transactions. She has been a beneficiary of DVET adult literacy centre in the year of 2010. After the completion of our course, Guddi (Sita) can teach her child.
14 Mrs. Guddi Bist(38 Years) w/o Shri Jitendra Bist had been a student in our New Ashok Nagar Centre Delhi. She came by chance and sat there for a full day watched our teaching. After she decided joined our centre and studied during the year 2009-10. She was a bright student and picked up her studies easily. She took very keen interest in our vocational training and learned sewing/tailoring and art and craft. After completion of her course, she joined one of our centers as a centre in charge in B Block, New Ashok Nagar Colony Delhi, from 15th January, 2011. She is a good teacher and has trained 15 ladies and 8 young girls in functional literacy and vocation training programs. At present, she is centre in charge of B-29,
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