Support education for vulnerable children (India)

Project Period: Ongoing

Number of participants:

Participants in Government Homes:

• Remedial & Supplementary education - 114
• Higher Education – 12
• Total Participants covered- 126

Specific Objectives of the Project:

• To facilitate a better learning ecosystem for children in government homes through the Sahaara Remedial Education; and with training & equipping of Home staff; so that the children gain academic and life skills leading them to fulfill their dreams.

Key Activities:

• Remedial & Supplementary Education
• Youth sessions
• Awareness and Counselling to prevent school dropout
• Awareness sessions and counseling about hygiene and WASH behaviors
• Life skills training and access to vocational training courses

Achievements of the Project:

• 114 children are regularly attending remedial and supplementary education in Government Homes.
• 12 children are being provided with college education sponsorship.
• Life skills sessions were conducted in both the centres on topics like Moral Stories, Craft activities, and Social Emotional Learning focusing on worry, sadness, and happiness.
• A training session on Slow learners was conducted and proved to be beneficial for the teachers.
• Government School principal (Primary section) appreciated Sahaara teachers’ support with school classes in the absence of the school teachers.
• The aftercare home superintendent appreciated our help towards college students in the aftercare home.
• Government Girls’ Home superintendent gave special thanks for arranging the Mental Health Awareness session for staff.

Impact Story:

Title: Small words can make a big difference

This is a story of a young boy named Ravi* from CCH in Mankhurd. One of the Sahaara teachers met this boy in the year 2021 when he started teaching Science & English at the facility. During the lectures, the teacher noticed several times that Ravi used to scribble some or the other drawing patterns on his own hand, sometimes on other’s hands or in his notebook. On the contrary, his homework would always be incomplete. He would justify himself by saying that he was busy drawing/ sketching for his school mates or for some CCH authorities. The teacher observed that Ravi loved to draw.

The teacher constantly instructed him to read, learn and write, but he gave no heed to the teacher’s instructions and would come up with excuses or procrastinate saying he will be doing it next time. This went on for almost a year till the time came for him to sit for the Preliminary exams in the month of December, there wasn’t any hope of improvement in his studies.

The teacher, therefore, started counselling him and made a time-table for him to pursue his hobby of drawing along with his studies. Ravi also understood that the teacher recognizes his talent. This made him feel good. He slowly showed little consistency and realized the plethora of syllabus he had to cover in next three months before the exams began. The teacher further requested him to put aside his hobby for few months and concentrate only on his studies, so he could score well in the exams. Ravi was motivated, he agreed to concentrate and dedicate his time for studies. A little encouragement from the teacher proved to be fruitful and he passed his 10th grade (SSC) in 2022 with 45%.

Seeing Ravi’s interest to study further and gauging his capacity, he was supported with admissions for an ITI Course (Wireman) at Mankhurd. He also joined a drawing class for Elementary and Intermediate levels. On 14th November, 2022 the children and teachers celebrated Children's Day in CCH, he was felicitated by all the teachers and authorities. To top it all, his paintings were given as a souvenir to all the VIP Guest/ Authorities present for the Children’s Day program. This small act by the teacher played a huge role in motivating Ravi to keep pursuing his hobby along with his studies.

*Names changed to protect participant identities.

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Name of Project: Pratham & Pragati Projects

Project Period: Ongoing

Reporting Period: April - September 2022

Specific Objectives of the Project:

• That vulnerable children in Government Homes and Red-Light Districts gain access to academic, vocational and life skill education.
• To bridge the digital divide to help children have access to online learning through provision of mobile devices, mobile recharges/data packs and providing IT infrastructure and IT courses for children in Government Homes and Red-Light Districts.
• 28 data recharges were provided to children from red-light areas to gain access to online learning until schools fully reopened.
• A projector was installed in the government home to enhance the quality of education for the children in the government homes.
• 2 children were enrolled for Computer Education.

Achievements of the Project:

At our education centres, every participant is steered towards articulating his or her dreams with a belief that each one has the potential to achieve them. As red-light areas are highly risky for children living in and around red-light areas, they undergo neglect and are prone to abuse. Although some of these children attend formal schools, the drop-out rate is usually high. Similarly, in Government Homes lack access to quality education and personal attention, which also results in high level of school drop-outs. Pratham and Pragati programs seeks to build strong foundations among such children through remedial education centres to ensure that children overcome the grade gap and achieve grade level competency. They are also provided access to Computer Education and Vocational training courses to equip them to eventually fulfill their dreams.

In this reporting period 28 data recharges were provided to children from red-light areas to gain access to online learning as schools have gradually reopened. Sahaara also identified and enrolled suitable candidates for computer education and 2 children were enrolled for the same. Additionally, a projector was installed in the government home to enhance the quality of education for the children in the government homes.

Impact Story: A mother’s Will and a Child’s Dream

Sanchit* is a 17-year-old simple boy from Turbhe Store, a slum community in Navi Mumbai. He lives with his parents, and a younger brother. He also has an elder sister who is married and lives with her husband.

Sanchit’s mother is the sole bread winner for the family, she works as a domestic help and earns a meagre wage that is just enough to take care of their very basic needs for daily living without any savings for the future. Amidst these difficult circumstances, she desires that her children would be able to complete their education and have a secured future. 

During the first wave of the pandemic and subsequent lockdown, everything came to a halt. The schools shutdown and started operating online. Sanchit, who was then in the 9th grade was left with no option but to discontinue his academics as the family could not afford a basic smartphone so that Sanchit could somehow connect and continue his education.

As we spoke to his mother, she admitted that she is really feeling helpless and requested if Sahaara could help them with a device and provide a monthly recharge so that Sanchit and his brother could continue to pursue their online education. 

Sahaara accepted Sanchit's mother's request and provided a smartphone and regular monthly recharges for the entire lockdown period until the schools started operating offline this year. In this year, Sanchit has successfully passed his 10th grade examination securing 54%. He has also been enrolled at a nearby college to pursue his further education.

Sanchit is grateful that his limitations hasn't stopped him from pursuing his dreams.

 *Name changed to protect participant identity.

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