By Lucy Mathews | Program Coordinator, CSA, Pune
Introduction
The Observation Home for boys in Pune, Maharashtra, has approximately 200 destitute children in the age group of 7-17 years. Many of them are orphans; some have a single parent; others are children whose parents have been convicted and are serving jail terms; a few are those who themselves have been booked for juvenile delinquicy. All of them come from a poor economic background.
The home has an in-campus school that provides education up to the 7th grade. Thereafter, the boys are transferred to other institutes. Since last 3 years however, at the initiative of the Management of the home, some of the talented children are being retained in the Home; they are admitted to the 8th, 9th and 10th grades in nearby schools. The management felt that there was an opportunity to nurture some very talented children and help them in their development.
CSA's Role
CSA's objective being the optimisation of rehabilitation outcomes for institutionalised children, the decision of the Home to retain some talented children was encouraged. CSA provides the educational support to these older kids. CSA started a coaching class to help the kids with their syllabus. In addition, CSA introduced vocational training for the children who are conflict with Law and are out of the mainstream of education. CSA started a tailoring unit and dance classes, so that the children acquire skills that could perhaps, offer employment opportunities to the children when they reach adulthood. .
CSA also, aims at ensuring that the children are happy and are exposed to some of the small joys of life that are considered normal. Accordingly, CSA planned activities such as summer camp, festival celebrations, Awareness programs, Hobby classes, children’s day celebration, games, competitions etc.
Achievements
A significant achievement is that, as compared to 1 and 2 students respectively, who were able to complete their schooling by passing the 10th grade in earlier years, in the year 2010, 9 children cleared the 10th standard exams; one of them, Umesh Lawande scored 80% marks and is now pursuing a Diploma programme in Engineering.
Going Forward
CSA’s aid to help the upcoming higher education students to help themselves will continue, along with the joyful events to spread happiness in the life of this deprived kids. We are aiming at individauls who can be nurtured into becoming independent individuals as adults.
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By Lucy Mathews | Program Coordinator, CSA, Pune
By Lucy Mathews | Program Coordinator, CSA, Pune
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