Help disadvantaged Bengali children + young people

I have always been impressed with the holistic education in the New Life Centre school and, as a retired teacher, I recognise how invaluable it is to get to know all the talents of the children you teach, and not just their academic practice.

So Art plays a big part in the curriculum at the NLC and the Art teacher is committed to entering the children for exams to foster their burgeoning skills, also running an Art class on a Saturday so other local children can join. The children were entered for an exam in April, which is Government sponsored so they will receive a certificate.

The school roll has risen considerably this year to 358, nearly as many as pre covid times. This is hardly surprising in an area where the Government schools continue to fail children, and the system is based on the need for tutors, to enable children to attain any adequate level of schooling. This of course then excludes the poorest who cannot afford tutors, but at the NLC whatever parents can afford allows their child to access this good academic standard, as well as the benefits of an all round education as we see here.

As well as the Vocational Training Centre providing a tailoring course for the local women to give them a means to support themselves, Alindra is about to resume the computer course for local young women and men, who have been failed by the Government schools.

The NLC is a community hub as you can see as well as a beacon of hope for schoolchildren in this corner of India which is largely forgotten because of its rural location.

Wouldn’t you like to make a difference in the lives of these children and young adults in this area of West Bengal.

HATW volunteer, Lyn, reports on her visit to the New Life Centre at the end of last year...

My 7th visit to the New Life Centre in Sarberia began, as always, with being met by a waving & smiling Alindra, head of the Centre. I was delighted to see him and hear all the recent news about the school as we drove the 70 odd kilometres to his home town. There was still the chaotic lane changing, negotiating the traffic but a much better road surface so a slightly quicker journey. Noisy, dusty, busy, colourful, lively. This is India.

The students weren’t in school as it was festival time, but due back in 5 days so time to acclimatise & catch up with Alindra’s family and hear about the school’s development since returning from the Covid closure. Tess, the project coordinator, arrived 2 days after me and was, as she says, coming to her second home.

My heart was singing as we walked the few steps from Alindra’s house to the school on the Monday and were greeted with smiles of recognition from the older students who remembered us from our last visit in November 2019 and some reserve, coupled with unsure looks from the youngest children, some of whom had never seen white faces before. The teachers who’d been working at the NLC pre 2019, came to shake our hands with huge smiles of welcome and we were then garlanded and asked to address the school. Alindra translated. It’s always a joy to come and share in the life of this place, even if for a short time. It was so obvious that these children love coming to learn here and feel secure in this happy environment.

Our days filled with visits to all the classes, some singing games, helping in English lessons and talking to the children. We’d planned the visit to cover Children’s Day on 14th November and what a happy occasion that was. It included an art competition, parachute games, a football match, a quiz, a version of charades, great fun that was, dancing and eating. Rather a mammoth task feeding about 250 children chicken curry, dal, potato curry & rice all cooked on the school roof. We also visited 2 Government secondary schools that Alindra has established links with but unfortunately the students were all on holiday still.

Giving a hand was our aim for this visit as always. To support Alindra, to listen to his plans for the NLC’s development and share ideas. I leave the NLC feeling so pleased to be involved with it, to have learnt from it and to see how the lives and education of so many children have been enriched by their time at this caring, forward looking school.