By Ruchika Verma | Assistant Manager- Resource Mobilisation
Project Nanhi Kali helps educate underprivileged girl children from socially and economically marginalized families living in urban, rural and tribal parts of India. This is a national sponsorship program which provides academic and material support to disadvantaged girls so that they can complete their education with dignity. It is jointly managed by K. C. Mahindra Education Trust and Naandi Foundation. The Project has now expanded its area of operations in 10 states covering over 1,54,000 Nanhi Kalis across India.
Academic Support is provided in terms of an extra study class which is conducted either before or after school hours in the school itself through the Academic Support Centre. These classes help to bridge the gaps in learning achievements and enable children to reach their grade specific competency level. The classes are conducted by “Community Associates” selected from within the community with the vision that they would be the local resource to act as friends and mentors to the children and at the same time stroking community interest and proactive action for quality education. The teaching strategy is based on cooperative and reflective learning where the focus is on enabling learning rather than on teaching.
Material support consists of an education kit comprising of school bag, stationery, books, notebooks, set of uniforms, undergarments, shoes, socks and hygiene materials which is ceremonially handed over to every individual Nanhi Kali at a colourful function. It also serves as a platform to sensitize the community on the importance of girl’s education.
The Nanhi Kali team also works with the parents and community at the grass root level to sensitize them on gender equity and hence gradually help change mindsets and attitudes. Parents of the Nanhi Kalis and government school teachers are major stakeholders in this initiative and are an integral component of the delivery mechanism.
In an academic year, three assessments are conducted to boost the performance of the Nanhi Kalis. To keep the donors updated on how their Nanhi Kalis are doing three assessment reports will be shared in a year, First Assessment for the period July to September, Second Assessment for the period October to December and Third Assessment for the period January to March. These reports will show progress in assessment scores for language and maths for primary level Nanhi Kalis. For secondary level Nanhi Kalis, the report will show assessment scores in English and Maths.
Below is a brief description of the activities conducted in some of our locations
Delhi
World Environment Day
World Environment day was celebrated at Sultanpuri, Mangolpuri and Shakurpur in Delhi on 5th June 2018. The celebrations began with drawings, paintings, poster making with slogans by the Nanhi Kalis on saving the earth, saving trees, go green, etc. The Nanhi Kalis and their mothers also enacted out a play on “Mother Earth”. Other activities such as essay writing, and planting a sapling also took place. In many ASCs, the Nanhi Kalis made paper bags and distributed them and spread awareness to parents, school authorites on protecting the environment and going green. At Sultanpuri, the MLA Mr. Sandeep Kumar provided plants to the Nanhi Kalis to plant at their school.
Self Defence Session
On 7th June 2018, a self defence session was organised at Mukundpur for the Nanhi Kalis studying in Class 6 & 7. The girls were also provided with bananas and energy drink in the break. The CAs conducted this energetic session and also trained the girls on how to get attention when trapped in any difficult situation and shout for help, to keep a distance between one and the bad guy, to be aware of the people in one’s surroundings and using one’s strongest weapons against the bad guy’s weakest targets and a many more.
International Yoga Day
At Mangolpuri and Sultanpuri ASCs, International Yoga day was celebrated with great enthusiasm from the Nanhi Kalis on 21st June 2018. The CAs conducted the yoga sessions and spoke about the importance of yoga to the Nanhi Kalis.
Primary CA Training
The Primary CA training was conducted from 27th to 30th June 2018 at Shakti Nagar Sansthan and Double Storey School. Around 130 CAs attended the training and each session was interactive and the CAs participated very actively. The training sessions covered the roles and responsibilities of CAs, Screening tool and screening process for Language and Maths, importance of Teaching Learning Material and ASC process, how to prepare lesson plan ,weekly plan, Monthly Evaluation and RECALL, communication skills for strengthening community engagement and liasoning, and ASC documentation. At the end of the 4 day workshop, the best participants were awarded with certificate of appreciation.
Waste Management Session
Ramky Foundation organised a 5 day workshop in August 2018 at Mangolpuri for CAs and Nanhi Kalis of Primary and Secondary classes. The purpose was to develop good habits and awaring others on saving the environment. The sessions were on waste management, segregation of dry and wet waste and eradication of garbage in various ways. The Nanhi kalis and CAs participated with lot of enthusiasm.
Kolkata
Learning and Development Workshop
Learning and Development Workshop was held in Delhi from 7th to 9th May 2018. The Programme Officers attended the workshop which focussed on team building and management and the usage of various techniques such as meditation, written communication, less usage of phone, etc.
World No Tobacco Day
World No Tobacco Day was observed on 31st May where the Nanhi Kalis participated in an awareness rally in the community informing the public on the dangers of using tobacco.
Annual Workshop Plan
A three day workshop was organised for the Programme Officers (PO) of Project Nanhi Kali in Hyderabad from 11th to 14th June 2018. The POs presented their Project location targets for the academic year 2018-19. The discussions covered building different strategies for reducing dropout rates to minimal to having the common understanding on how to effectively prepare the roll out for yellow tablet intervention for 2018-19.The Annual Targets were finalised for the academic year 2018-19 for all the project locations. A standard community engagement plan for all the locations were decided with presentations and interactive sessions. Discussions also took place on the various operational issues and the challenges faced last year and strategies to solve the problems were given
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