Reducing school drop outs in rural India

Rural students require actvities that will faciltate all rounded edcaution. Over the last few months we have conducted some special activities with children in school or during the after school tuition, to make interesting and to encourage the the children. Activities such as drama, songs, stories and play activities were done with 1^st and 2^nd standard students; Drama classes were conducted, based on moral stories, once a week; Songs in ABL cards were taught with action; and stories were told by instructors and students were asked to develop their own stories as well; different types of games were also taught to the children.  For 3^rd- 5^th activities include games, recitation of poetry/ prose, and GK questions; these were conducted during the tuition classes and student who did well were provided small prizes to motivate them.  In addition games like running race, skipping race, puzzles, and brain teasers were conducted. 

Competitions: The drawing instructor conducted drawing competitions at the school level and selected the good students and prizes were given. The students in all the schools participated in speech competitions and the best students were given prizes on programs on 26^th January for Republic day.

Newspaper reading habit is being encouraged. Each day the Kalanjiyam para teachers present recent / important news stories.  Other general knowledge is also being imparted on a regular basis.

Engaging with girl students: One of the needs identified is to begin addressing information needs/ vulnerabilities of girl students.  We have started to take efforts to gather girls (in 5^th, 6^th, 7^th and 8^th) at the community level to engage with them and start talking to them on their health, importance of education and any problems they are facing in school or at home.  We are conducting monthly once awareness programs at Kalanjiyam training center, on reproductive health,   

We thank all the donors for your support which makes is possible for Kalanjiyam to implement our programs for rural children.