From Child Labour to a Chance at School

Child Friendly Spaces

The typical day at the center starts with morning prayers. Then the class is divided into three groups. Group one which is for the children who have no introduction to education, Group two where children learn basics like alphabets, words, numbers, shapes etc, Group three is where children learn how to form sentences, higher maths, English. Then for 2 hours each group do some studies. After that its snack time, everyday different snack is served as per the nutritional chart prepared by the experts to make sure proper nutrition is given to children. After snacks its play time, children play different indoor and outdoors games. This takes care of the physical activities in children.In last quarter along with Approach foundation, which is an Ahmedabad based organization, Saath has been conducting diverse activities for the psycho-social development of the children at CFS, who are getting exposure of the wider world, which will develop a broader perspective and awareness besides the classroom learning they are acquiring at the CFS set-ups. 

Activities conducted during December, 2019 – February, 2020 are as follows-

1. Five mehndi making workshops were conducted during the months of December and January. Children from different centres participated in a huge number.
2. Children from CFS classes took part in a session on how to operate camera. One such session was organized in a park and children learnt to use the techniques of clicking pictures. Even children from a regular school accompanied them with their own camera.
3. 78 children from five centres were taken to Cinepolis at AlphaOne Mall for an animated movie “Motu-Patlu” with support from aProCh Foundation. This brought an immense joy as they usually do not get a chance to visit multiplexes. Children from construction site classes and slum classes, who assist their parents in economic generation activities, participated.
4. Woollen work was taught to interested children. Twenty children from two classes participated.
5. Employees from the Novotel Hotel conducted a clothes donation drive for the students of slum class in the locality on 20th December.
6. Another paper craft activity was organized in Prahladnagar Garden.
7. As part of employee engagement activities, KPMG visited one of the centres and taught the children craft items.
8. At Godrej Garden City centres, children engaged in creative aspect and prepared Rangoli in the class.
9. Through donor’s support, 20 shortlisted children have been enrolled to an art activity centre named Sky Blue. The short listed children are from the slum classes for a specific reason. They will be going to art classes for a year or two. Though there are good talents in children of construction worker, their stay for long term is not ensured. They go to the centre once a week for two hours. They learn innovative arts and crafts activities that would enhance their skills to greater heights. A van has been arranged by the centre to pick from and drop them to the class.
10. Interns from Nirma University conducted various activities across the centres. They taught children science concepts through innovative methods, painted walls of the classes, made cardboard desks for children for class work, showed them animated films, did art activities, etc.
11. A new centre at Savvy Swaraaj site was started towards the end of November. About 75 children from 0 to 12 years attend the class regularly.
12. The Marriott group organized a ride for the children on the occasion of ‘Joy of Giving Week’. They took the children out for a joy ride in a big car.
13. On December on the 17th, 15 children were taken to Cinepolis at AlphaOne mall for the movie Jungle Book. Total 59 children from across the centres participated.
14. A medical check-up was organized at Savvy Swaraaj site.
15. A drawing competition was organized at Courtyard by Marriott for children on the 27th December. The selected paintings were then converted into New Year cards by the Marriott group as official greetings for their clients.
16. Another medical check-up was organized at the two Labour Colonies of Godrej Garden City in November. As per the need of children, supplements were provided.

Story 1-Sheetal (name Changed) emerging out as a leader

Sheetal Minama, an energetic kid of 9 years, is wiser compared to her age group. However, she was totally different when she started coming to CFS centre in January, 2016. She would not mix about with others and did not like to read or write. She would in no way engage with anyone and observe various activities from distance. She would also not go to picnic or exposure visit stating that she did not like to go out. It is difficult to say whether it was because of her introversion or some sort of fear or just an initial apprehension. But as time passed, she turned out to be a confident child of her class.

She now makes other children read the chart. She has overcome her fear and shyness and talks freely with everyone including teachers. She has opened up and shares her household matters, too. She is equally friendly with stranger visiting the centre. She writes well and makes other children write properly. She helps other children if they find any difficulties in their class work. Her leadership skill is apparent now. She teaches others as if she were a teacher. She makes other children read, write and sing. She takes part in all exposure visits and outings.

She loves studying. If a teacher is on leave for a day, she would ask her the reason why she did not come and express her feelings. She talks about her dreams, “I want to become a teacher when I grow up. I would teach children the way you teach.”

• Progress Report February , 2020 (PDF)