24 Libraries for 2000 Migrant Children in India

BACKGROUND

The city of Bangalore is home to about 42 Lakh migrant laborers, about 44% of its total
population. The sector is heavily dependent on migrant workers, many of whom come to the city with their children. Thousands of construction workers live in roadside tents and temporary sheds placed among the city's skyscrapers. Children are found playing in work areas and are prone to safety hazards, unsupervised playing risk of kidnapping, etc. The vulnerability of migrant workers and the safety of their children is less talked about and addressed. Construction sites pose safety risks and lack of childcare hinders children's growth, health, and education. Early years are important as 90% of brain development happens between the age of zero to 3 years. Currently, 60% of children suffer from missed immunizations, malnourishment, and school dropout due to a lack of care arrangements.

SAMPARK INTERVENTIONS - EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE & DEVELOPMENT CENTRES FOR MIGRANT CHILDREN

Sampark runs 26 Early Childhood care and Development (ECCD) centers for children of
migrant construction workers. Crèches provide safety, nutrition, immunization support, and a fun
environment for children. Centers run from 9.30 am to 5.00 pm. Children are divided into 3 sub-groups and 2 teachers take care of the children

Children have a fixed routine every day which is a combination of drawing activities and learning alphabets and numerals through songs and activities. New activities to improve the cognitive ability of children are also introduced regularly. In the second half of the day, children are given reading time to engage in reading their favorite book. This enables them to have a calm me-time, focus on reading, and get transported to their world of imagination. 

LIBRARIES IN ECCD CENTRES

The library is a fabulous treasure collection of information, facts, and experiences for children to discover. Reading is an important habit in children, because it expands your knowledge, exposes you to new ideas and stimulates your mind. Reading allows you to learn from the experiences and insights of brilliant people, and to apply them to your situation. Keeping this in mind Sampark set up a library in 4 early childhood care and development centers in Bangalore. Children above the age group of 6 years are engaged in reading activities.

The details of the 4 centers are in the below,

1. Thubarahalli ECCD centre - 23 girls and 32 boys
2. Total Environment ECCD centre - 33 girls and 35 boys
3. CLPD centre - 22 girls and 14 boys
4. Brigade Utopia centre - 11 girls and 18 boys
  
There are about 188 children above 5 years. The library consists of story books in Kannada and English. Most of these storybooks are designed with more pictures which creates interest for children to read. The library consists of story books, world maps, simple quizzes related to maths and language, drawing books, books related to vegetables, fruits, animals, Rhymes books, etc. The colorful and clear illustrations and artwork attract children to read books.

Children are showing interest in drawing and reading story books for at least 1 hour in their
daily routine time in the center. During the after-school program children above 10 years old are also using the library. They are not only reading by themselves but also reading out for younger children. They read the words slowly and ask teachers for the meaning of new words. this helps to improve their vocabulary. Older children also help teachers organize books according to language and topics.

During weekends older children borrow books for a week and then return to the centers. Teachers maintain a register for these borrowed books. The libraries are useful as every day they help to engage children for about one hour. Some of the older children were not showing interest in coming to the centers, especially after lunch. After setting up the library, attendance during the afternoon increased as the children were curious to touch and read new books in the library. When their mothers come to pick them up, children eagerly show the books and tell the stories that they read that day.

Reading is an essential habit for children as it lays the foundation for cognitive development and significantly improves their language and vocabulary development. When children listen to stories told to them by their parents or caregivers, they develop better cognitive skills and are more receptive to creativity and ideas. When kids start reading, they unravel newer words and learn synonyms and antonyms, which helps them improve their language and writing skills.

Due to all these benefits, Sampark is planning to set up libraries in all its 26 ECCD centers and requests for more support to create inclusive libraries for vulnerable children to benefit from the reading habit.