Dilemma of TMC School no-71

We all have heard and seen about numerous news on tussles between political parties in India and how Aam junta is dragged into it and suffer due to this.

But, you perhaps feel too baffled to react when you seechildren below 14 years of age and primary teacher suffer due to clash in egos of two political parties in Thane.

The picture attached in this blog tells all about it.

The current TMC school no - 71 in Kalva, runs into a building which few people amazes how survived the last rainy season. Children sit on the floor without mats. About the sanitation and hygiene of this building, sorry, I looked into my dictionary for the word but couldn't find one to describe the pity.

Irony is strikingly shown in the picture where a new building with board 'TMC school no-71' is shown. This building is ready since June 2010 but of course the political party leading the TMC was different than current ruling party.

How can previous political party let the current political party take the credit for the TMC school building?

As a result of this, children,parents and teachers are allowed to look at this building only from outside and hope that one day they will be allowed to enter and children will be able study under the roof of this new building.

Meeting with Headmistress - TMC school No -71, Kalwa

Col Venkat and Chandra Ramamurthy went to visit the school headmaster of School no 71 in the hope of assistance of a school teacher for the enrolment drive at Shantinagar. The school ahs a new building constructed in the adjacent plot that remains locked.

On inquiry one of the teachers Ms Mohad shared that the headmistress- Panshe madam will be in school from 11- 5.30. Col Venkat and Chandra shared the purpose of the visit- to which Ms Mohad told us that the school was short staffed and even the headmistress would recommend requesting the Anand Nagar School for teachers.

Ms. Mohad also shared that the new building was inaugurated on 3rd July but was yet to be occupied by the students. She suggested that meeting Mr. Suresh Gada, who is the chairman of the education department, would be more useful than the EO who works under him. She also provided numbers of teachers at Anand nagar and at Pandurang School Kalwa (which is an aided school) who would be useful in helping with the enrollment drive. The condition of the classroom in the school was one without electricity (there were no lights or fans that were working, children were seated on the cold floor without any mat, let alone school furniture and the rains in the morning were not severe enough to reveal leaks in the asbestos roofing.

Col Venkat and Chandra visited another school in the same compound which was TMC school number 115. The in charge Ms Meera Godke shared that the same compound housed Marathi, Hindi and Urdu mediums. She said that they were n=more than willing to send teachers to the community provided it was given to them in written form. When shared that the EO had verbally assured us that the headmasters would provide teachers for the enrollment drive, she reiterated that they would need a written directive fro the EO.

The next step discussed by Col. Venkat and Chandra, was to request Mr. Ravindra to follow up with the EO about teachers for the enrollment drive and as a back up-the teachers who had assisted the volunteers in Gandhi nagar can be requested to help.

Shantinagar Visit on 26th Sep'10

Dear all,
I hope everyone is doing fine !!!
As a part of our Enrollment drive at Shantinagar, yesterday me,Krishna and few new volunteers visited to the area and interacted with childrens and families. Since its been long, it was necessary to interact with them as to proceed with the enrollment drive at Shantinagar.

During interaction, i found some observations so i am sharing that with all of you.
Few Observations :
1. Yasmin, Javed & Junaid's mother is very much interested to send her children to school.But somehow i felt that her husband isnt much interested to send their children to school. When i asked him, he told me that he is equally interested to send them to school but his body language and behaviour wasnt showing that. When i was interacting to the mother, before reacting to me she was doing eye contact to her husband. I might be wrong but i felt like she was hesitating to answer me in front of her husband. Another thing, last time we conducted FD session with all the ladies in this area, these children's mother told us that her husband is not willing to send their children to school and she told us that she feels very helpless since her husband isnt supporting her in their children's education. Inspite of all these facts, all 3 childrens are very bright and willing to go to school especially Yasmin.

2. Sonu and Guru's mother is very much interested to send her children to school as soon as possible. The only thing she concerned about is that she wants her children to go in proper school so that they will be able to read, write and speak. She had some bad experience with some other school (according to me it was Aanganwadi) where teachers never teach children how to read, write and speak any letters or numbers. She gave us surity that if her childrens will be enrolled in proper school, she will make sure that both Sonu and Guru will attend the school regularly.
She herself has done her education till 10th standard so she is aware of importance of education.

3. Ashok Dave's middle child Mamta is 6 years old and never attended any school yet. She is suffering from some stomach pain from long time and she havent got any proper treatment yet. Her mother is no more so watver diet doctor has mentioned for her, she is not be able to follow that properly. Her father works outside whole day so her elder sister Roshni (8 years) takes care of her siblings for whole day. Mr. Ashok wants both Mamta and Roshni to go to school but at the same time he wanted to get her disease cure as soon as possible. Need to get proper medication urgently for this girl if we can in any possible way.

There is one person from this same locality name Madhav Manmothe. He was always very helpful for us while interacting with the families. He knows the locality well and really concerns about the children and their education. He even told us that whenever we will visit Shantinagar next time, we should inform him earlier so that he will be able to be there to help us. His desire and dedication to help us is unexpressable.

Inspiring thing was we visited Shantinagar after long time but still families and children there to whom we interacted earlier knows us very well with our names. It was quite touching. And they are very hopeful about us that we will be able to enrolled these children into the school.

This doubles our reponsibility and we need to keep track with the families and childrens on regular intervals.

Please share your views and comments !!!

Enrollment Drive …way ahead!

Gandhi Nagar:

We perhaps understated the influence of chain reaction.

I dropped in to Nandini’s abode today and inquired with her mother about her studies.

Her mother couldn’t tell me much about her studies but she pointed out that she is regular to school. Nandini brought her notebook and showed me her English and Marathi exercises.

The one last thing which struck me the most was, when while leaving she pointed out that Kiran is no more coming to school. She tried convincing her but all in vane.

It was not an insignificant effort, it shows that how a chain reaction works. Of course it’s difficult without support of encouraging parents. After all Kiran is not as lucky as Nandini.

This also reminded me of our visit to Gandhi Nagar community with TMC-Hindi medium teacher Mr R.S. Yadav. When He was trying to convince and convey Kiran’s parents the importance of education, at that time Kajal’s mother (Kajal is a 12 year old bright girl from Hiranadani workers community) also joined Mr Yadav and gave the examples of her daughters who are regular to schools and getting better in education every year.

Perhaps examples like these can be of immense help in our upcoming campaigns.

Dharamveer Nagar:

In our last visit at Dharmveer Nagar migrant labour community with TMC-Marathi medium teacher Mrs Ahire, we listed 8 children for enrollment. One of them came to school same day with me to get her self enrolled. She entered in a school first time in her life to study.

I called up Mrs Ahire to inquire about these children and came to know that the whole migrant basti at Dharmveer Nagar has been wiped out. She pointed that only the girl came till the day before her hut was demolished by TMC.

Not even a single child from that community is coming to school any more.

Shanti Nagar(Kalwa):

On Friday 10^th Sep 2010, we visited Thane College and interacted management students there. We appealed them to join our volunteer group and contribute in our enrollment work at Shanti Nagar community. This was a very cognizant bunch. We hope that we they join us soon in our enrollment work at Shanti Nagar.

***

Nandani goes to school now…

She is 12 years old. She goes to school now. And she has been present every single day since her
enrollment in primary school at Gandhi Nagar.

To many, the above lines might appear as SIMPLE PRESENT. But for us, these lines seems as FUTURE PERFECT.

The other day when We met primary school teacher Mr R.S.Yadav, he emphasized that the girl is bright.He not only gave her few note books but also asked one student to give her old school uniform to Nandani.

‘Old dress’… does it triggers a wave of pity in you? Please don’t be… Gov only waves off tuition fee and provide free books and mid day meals to children in Gov aided schools.

Kiran was also admitted to same primary school that day. Durga, her 10 year old neighbour
accompanied her to school as Kiran’s father was not ready to come with us, posing a dilemma that WHO WILL TAKE CARE OF OTHER 3 GIRLS at home?

The other day when we visited to school, teacher mentioned that Kiran was regular for only 2 days. We knew that perhaps Kiran has become the solution of her fathers dilemma.

There were 8 more who were enrolled in the TMC school. And in the words of a opportunist
writer, “every such enrollment is worth a story”.

But for us it’s a enrollment which perhaps will change the future of not only these children but also uncountable Aam Admi around them.

And amusing fact is, it costs nothing but just a walk. Of course you need to come out, hold their hands, walk that path with them and take them to school first time. Most of these children make their own way after that.

So lets hold as many hands as possible and walk that path which has potential of leading these children towards a bright future.

Private Schools shut door on Underpriviledged children

In a country where positive changes happen far and between decades of oppression, the fate of RTE act is no surprise.
In the backdrop of dissapproval of "rich parents" in letting their kids rub shoulders with the underpriviledged class in their own classrooms, private schools have refused to take in these poor kids in their schools in this session.
The excuse - "Our admission process is over".

My view -

Private schools in mumbai thrive on the bulging (read overflowing) purses of the upper-class and the rising middle-class of our society. Hefty donations sometimes even drown the hopes of sufficiently able parents of sending their kids to these "Education sharks".
In midst of all melee arrives the RTE act with a halo of righteousness. "Let there be light", it said. "Let every kid get education that he righfully deserves".
But did it actually say it or were my ears ringing?
I guess the latter is truer than the word itself. Neither Goverment officials (eg, TMC) not the common man has any clue of when will the magic wand of RTE spark the light via its implementation.

For centuries our land has been plagued with the divide over caste and class, creed and color. Basic amenities like water, food and shelter have been tossed aside to be marked and divided as per people's station in society. Schools and Gurukuls being the tool of acquiring the worldly knowledge, remained a priviledge of kings and landlords. Thus, education remained a pet of those with heavy purses.

We welcomed the new millenium with its Y2Ks and higher sensex and dowjones, but quality education in India was and still remains leashed by the rich.
One can argue that there are municipal schools for these poor children but that is not what I am talking about here.
For me, education, if there is a burning desire to get one, does not even wait for a classroom but I am contesting the attitude of these manicured classes of society.
What can be reasons behind private schools not taking in these children in? Let us see -
1. Late intimation to schools about RTE act - A blatant lie! They were duly informed a month prior to the start of their admission process
2. Donation loss - True. Government will bear the cost for these poor children. That will not include the donations.
3. Parents may have trouble accepting the fact that their kids have to share their school space with these poor children - True and Monstrous!!!
4. Government lacklustre attitude towards implementation of RTE - True and disappointing.

All of the above reasons can be helped. But the one that affects me the most is the parents' attitude. Though it is just a hearsay, but I am sure there is truth in it. My confidence comes from the knowldege of our country's past that reeks of castism and the dvide over land and wealth.
It is fool hardy to believe that the attitude of these people can be changed overnight (read decade)!
But we must start, and soon enough.

- Sharmishtha

RTE – through the lenses of Aam Amdmi

We all heard our Prime Minister announcing ‘Right to free and compulsory education act’ and making it operational from 1^st April 2010. To many, this moment was more precious and historic than the moment of ‘Tryst with Destiny’. It was historic day because first time in the history of independent India, union government has laid down such a power full act to ensure the right education for those 17 million children who are out of school.

A cynic would say, so what’s so new in this act. There were many such acts made in yesteryears as well, but look here we are, still struggling and making acts.

But the groups and the individuals who have been working and waiting this Act have a different view. They see how vital this act is for the future of our nation.

Any investment in the human energy goes long way. There are nations who believed that if they put their money in infrastructure, making sky touching buildings in sea, expanding roads and making web of metros, they will be building the future of their nation. They realized very soon that how wrong they were. The skyscrapers and glittering cities can not broaden the horizon of human being until we invest in the people themselves.

On the other hand, a nation which is still developing from last two decades but paid little more attention to the education system and human energy amid its corrupted and irregular system, survived the great depression-2. We have lot to learn from these recent year experiences.

The wise people of this world say that the Lewis turning point of such a nation will be longer than the one, which builds roads and buildings like assembly line. But this doesn’t ignore the importance of building infrastructure at all, may be the priority, yes.

There are challenges and there are drawbacks but as they say law is also like a human, growing and evolving. The important point is viewing and pointing out these loopholes to the NAC and get these amended as smoothly as possible.

Now a day once someone starts talking about this act, there will be numerous others who will start pointing out and complaining the corruption and irregularities. But they completely miss the point that if there is a draw backs why not to use a right platform to pass this to authorities than beating the drums in close circle.

A lot has been written in the print and electronic media about Teacher – student ratio, lack of trained teachers, proper utilization of teachers, building school infrastructure. But the vital point is, this should not be like just another act, there are expectations of the people and parents (especially underprivileged class) from this and government should put more emphasis on this. And the first step could be a smooth co-ordination between state and Central government on the implementation of this act.

The monetary fact, showing that the central government is spending just .76% of GDP on the education is, acerbic. However, at the same time we all know that efficient and honest use of even this share of GDP is a challenge at a time when the rations of Mid Day meal is making its way to teachers and officers home.

...

Those faces...

My sole reason to sit among these children is to learn what goes on in their mind. What causes them to grow up so fast and look at this world through those oceanic abyss eyes?

Last Saturday on Anti Child Labour day, I was once again among them. Almost all those faces were new for me, but within 2 hours they become so close that I can close my eyes and those stark faces will be right in front my eyes.

I first looked towards him when whole bunch of children started shouting his name. They all wanted him to come in front and dance. They all, except him, claimed that he was a very good dancer. I asked him to come up front and perform with other children, but he politely pulled himself back, whispering that he is not a good dancer.

The other face sat right beside me. When the group decided that we will start the event with introduction by all the kids one by one. All of them came in front one after another and told us their name. We shouted their name, when they were returning to their places. We saw a sense of belonging floating on their faces.

During this whole time, he was pulling my hand and trying to pull my attention. His face was full of heat rash pimples. He didn’t want to wait for his chance and wanted to stand and shout his name.

The girl right beside me on the other side was one of the liveliest faces I have seen. I was not bewildered when she came in front after Introduction and sang 3 nursery rhymes one after other. I also observed that far from one end of the field, her mother calling her to fetch water bucket.

A day with them, singing, drawing and building a ‘Shiksha ki train’, was indeed a very different and inspirational for all of them.

At the end of these activities, while we were distributing the drawing among the kids, He came towards me. I didn’t pay attention to him until he pulled my hand. He was the 8 year kid with heat rashs on his face. I bowed down to listen to him as there were kids shouting and still enjoying ‘Shiksha ki train’ all around us. It was difficult to hear his whisper, one I understood him clearly he was asking “when you will come for taking me to school.” I was wrong, it was not a whisper it was thundering and determined voice.

After wrapping up the activities, when we all were coming out through the narrow lanes of this community, many of these children accompanied us till the end of the community. He came running parallel to me and said, “You know, I will dance when you come here next time. I am good dancer” He shook hand with me and taught me a brand new way to shake hand.

At the end I came back with lots of those faces in front my eyes and ample unanswered question.

Be nice to the kids!!!

The other day, i was in the local train First class compartment. It was approx 10:30 in the morning.

At Kalwa station, a couple of kids, dressed in rags and covered in dust (most probably from the slums in Kalwa), got into the compartment. A lady in the compartment suddenly got up and starting using abusive words and very rudely asked the kids to get off at the next station!!!

I am sure that if these kids were in school uniforms or even in good clothes and well dressed, the lady would not have used rough words and actions with them. I am not advocating that children should be allowed in the first class compartments - people have their own prejudices about that and i feel it is okay as well.

My only point is that these kids do not behave properly with us because we people do not treat them right.

Why can't we be nice and gentle to these kids? Why can't we treat them like they deserve to be treated as children?

It is only when we change our attitude towards them that they shall change their attitude towards us and the others they talk to!!!

I just request the lady (and many others like her) to please tell these children nicely and softly that they should get down at the next station and get into the next compartment.

Well that is not very difficult, is it???

Enrollment and Retention year long campaign kick off June 12, 2010

CRY Campaign Kick Off 2010

Meeting with TMC Block Officers, Thane

Date: June 7, 2010 Time: 2:00 PM to 4:15 PM Volunteers: Krishna, Ravindra, Sharmishtha, Havovi and Ashutosh TMC Representatives: All Block Officers under TMC Education Department (Primary) Agenda: Knowledge and ideas exchange, Understanding the schemes and policies related to enrollment, retention.

We shared the kind of work we do, our beliefs and motives and our vision. We shared observations and shortfalls we encountered during our community visits.

The topics discussed were:

• Enrollment process
• Documents needed for enrollment
• Migrant labors
• Enrollment drive
• Our participation in enrollment
• Schemes under which special allowances are given to minorities and girl children
• Mid-Day meal schemes
• School drop outs
• Government’s efforts for retention
• Bridge schools or programs for the school dropouts
• Teachers’ role in enrollment and retention
• Parents Teachers meetings
• Our participation in retention

1.     Enrollment Drive and Process:
TMC will start the enrollment drive from 14^th June. The drive will last till first week of July. But any child can be enrolled any time in the educational year. Teachers, Block Officers and staff members go into the settlements encouraging parents and children to get enrolled. They conduct detailed surveys in every area, to understand who all the children eligible for enrollment. Using information obtained from past surveys, they also seek for children who would have recently became eligible. Once the child is enrolled, they provide the textbooks & notebooks, uniforms, shoes etc.

2.     Documents needed for enrollment:
As per the rule, some proof of age is required to be enrolled in the school. When asked about the cases where Birth Certificate or any other age proof is not available, the response was, “we still enroll them first, and later we provide the information about obtaining the necessary documents to the parents and also help them with the same”

3.     Our Participation in Enrollment:
This is a major achievement and responsibility for us. TMC has noted in their circular to all the TMC schools that, “Any child brought/referenced by CRY volunteers has to be enrolled in the school without any hassles/troubles.”
They have also granted us the permission to accompany any Block Officer and/or teachers/staff for enrollment during the drive with the prior communication.

4.     Migrant Labor’s kids:
TMC understands that these kids are one of the major percentage in overall school dropouts due to their livelihood. In the cases of these kinds of children, any TMC school should allow the child to get enrolled even though the child may not complete the course. Volunteers were requested to counsel the parents to at least take a Leaving Certificate while leaving the city, so that whatever education they have completed will not be in vain.

5.     Schemes:
There are plenty of schemes under which minority students are entitled to avail the daily allowance of Rs. 2/- for every attended school day. There are also some scholarships for students who have regular attendance. A boy child is eligible to receive Rs. 1500/- and Rs. 1000/- for a girl per annum. There are few other schemes for backward classes and financially deprived families. The detailed information about these schemes will be requested to the TMC by us.

6.     Bridge school Programs:
Children who are out of the school for any reason, can be enrolled in the Bridge School Program (earlier this was named as Mahatma Fule Education Scheme). Under this scheme, students will be taught 4 educational years in 2 calendar years. This is an effort to empower and enable them to comply with other kids in mainstream.

7.     Teachers’ role:
Teachers and other staff play a very vital role in enrollment and retention. They do regular follow-ups with the communities to ensure the children and parents are aware about the importance of the education.

8.     Our participation in retention:
TMC will invite and involve us for all the efforts and programs run for enrollment as well as retention. This will include the enrollment drives, public awareness campaigns etc.

Another big leap for the group:

We will be invited for a meeting where TMC is planning to publish the implementation of Right to Education Act to public. High ranked officials like Mayor, Dy. Mayor, Education Officer, All Corporators, Public Relations officers etc. will be invited for this meeting. We may get a chance to represent our stand and our work. The meeting will be held on 16^th June 2010. We will get the official invitation very soon.

A quick review of the Right to Education Bill

Do read this to get an encapsulated idea of some things we should be aware of wrt the Right to Education Bill

SSA-TMC response on enrollment Drive

IKEA and UNICEF initiative for Child Rights

Visit: IKEA and UNICEF initiative for Child Rights

No mid-day meal for 12 cr kids from July

Fight Over Payment Leaves States Short Of Grains

Akshaya Mukul | TNN

New Delhi: Come July and 12 crore children benefiting from the mid-day meal scheme may go without food as states have nearly run out of foodgrain and fresh supply is caught up in wrangling over the mode of payment.
Normally,foodgrain for every quarter is lifted a month in advance.But with June approaching and the department of food and public distribution and HRD ministry still to resolve their differences on the mode of payment,the most successful flagship programme is facing a severe crisis as there is no hope that rice and wheat will be lifted for the next quarter.
States like Jharkhand,Punjab,Rajasthan,Maharashtra,Uttar Pradesh and others have pressed the panic button and written to the HRD ministry.On May 18,secretary school education wrote to her counterpart in the department of food and public distribution expressing concern that allocation for the second quarter was not being released by FCI possibly due to non-resolution of the pre/post-payment issue.Timely availability of fooodgrain is key to successful implementation of MDM, she wrote.MDM,endorsed by economists like Amartya Sen,has not only led to massive improvement in school enrolment but has also provided much-needed nutritional support to millions of children.Adoption of MDM first started in 1925 by Madras Municipal Corporation in the mid-1980 s by states like Tamil Nadu ensured that the state did better in education.
Meanwhile,the two departments are busy arguing with even ministers Sharad Pawar and Kapil Sibal writing to each other but with no result.The department of food and public distribution has made it clear that FCI will not allow lifting of grain till HRD ministry agrees to make advance payment.
On its part,HRD ministry said payment was decentralised at the district level so that there was no delay,a constant complaint by FCI.


- Sharmishtha

Dharamveer Nagar – The Neglected Region.

We visited Dharamveer Nagar as part of our survey of Gandhinagar area. Most of the residents of the area have migrated from Nanded and are staying at Dharamveer Nagar for about 6 years now. The huts are made of plastic and cloth scraps and supported by wooden sticks. The state of the area is pathetic. There is no electricity or proper water supply. Most of the residents are employed at the construction sites and are daily wage earners. As the migrants are illegally residing in the area, the municipality comes once in every three months or so and evacuates them but as people have no other place to go, they settle down there again.

At the first glance of community, one can come to know that the problems hovering are many and all interlinked. According to me , Dharamveer is the most distressed region of Gandhinagar area. There is active child labour, child marriage and cases of early pregnancies. Girls as young as 13 or 14 are married and at 18 are bearing babies.

Dharamveer Nagar is the only region ( noted among Gandhi Nagar area) where parents are sceptical about sending their children to school. There are cases where kids are attending school but majority of children have not even seen one. We interacted with a lady and she had a firm conviction about schooling being useless and not having any add on benefit on the child’s future. She would prefer, her daughter sitting at home learning household chores or working somewhere earning some extra cash rather than attending classes. Unstable life and mobile homes were also part of reasons given by parents for not sending children to school. But I find those reasons invalid because many migrants have been staying in the region for now 6 years or so. And if they move also, they won’t go that far. Maybe it is out of lack of will, they are not sending kids to school.

The girls of the region are the most affected identity. They take care of the household, work at construction sites and then are married off at young age .

Sangeeta, 11 year old, cooks, cleans, looks after her sister’s kids and also works on construction sites. When we asked her if she would like to attend school, reply came “Ask my mother, she decides everything.” And when we asked her mother she said “ Ab to yeh badi hogai hai, school jake kya karegi!”

Problems faced by the region are very complex and have to be handled in a different manner .

In such unbearable beaten down conditions, children bore a ray of hope in their eyes because of some people visiting them and giving them a possibility of attending school and returning their childhood back. Let’s not let them down. This might be out of our sphere of action but we can give it a try. We should make this neglected area visible to the authorities and urge them to take some actions.

Focused Group Discussion at Gandhinagar, May 19, 2010

Focused Group Discussion

Area: Gandhi Nagar, Near Hiranandani Meadows, Thane (W)

Date & Time: May 19, 2010 - 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM

Volunteers: Krishna, Sharmishtha, Ekta, Ratna, Divya, Santaji, Ashutosh

Facilitator: Santaji

Observer: Krishna, Ratna

Recorder: Ashutosh

Volunteers gathered all the kids in and around the mentioned area.

• Kajal, a very bright young girl, studying in 3^rd standard at Vasant Vihar Marathi School, was not able to accompany all the children initially because she was cooking rice, daal and sabji at home. After cooking, she gathered 5-6 kids residing nearby and came along with them to the FGD venue.
• Lack of hygiene was observed.

Activities prior to FGD

• Initially, kids were asked to sing, after many efforts to make them open up, a girl started murmuring some song, but others were mum.
• Santaji then started a very simple but beautiful song with children with actions.
• Once volunteers started singing along, all children followed the song.
• Now some children started opening up, and sung a song. 

Recordings during FGD

• All the volunteers introduced themselves to the kids.
• Kids were asked to repeat the names of the volunteers.
• Introduction of all the children present was conducted.
• Other kids were asked to repeat the name of each of the individual to get them know each other.
• Details of the name of the children will be shared in separate document.
• After the introduction, volunteers distributed the paintings sheets to the children. Crayon chalks were shared with all the kids.
• Paintings were in form of kites and balloons. Kids were asked to fill the colors in.
• During the activity, one girl named Piyasa, started staring at the volunteers (especially Ekta, as she asked her to paint). It was a complete cold look, no feelings or emotions were visible on the face. Sharmishtha eased her by speaking in Bengali, her mother tongue. After sometime Piyasa was kind of comfortable with repeated conversions in her native language.
• Kids started getting involved in the painting. By looking at the children’s activity, other dwellers gathered around.
• Another very young boy (must be around 2 years old). Ratna asked him to paint. With the help of his mother, he started scribbling on the paper with chalks.
• Some of the other kids were very neat and tidy in painting. Some couldn’t manage to be.
• Nandini and Monika were very good at painting.
• After finishing the painting, kids were asked to write their names on the paper-sheet.
• There were some children who never attended the school, couldn’t write their name.
• When some volunteers were clicking photographs, kids were really amazed with camera.
• Volunteers helped the kids, who were not able to write, showed them how to write. They were asked to write their names by looking at the name written by volunteers.
• Satish, a young boy, was very shy and reluctant to write it even after Ratna’s efforts.
• Around 12 children were going to school out of 26.
• Nandini who is really interested in studying, couldn’t go to school as she had no birth certificate.
• Kids were asked what do they want to be in future, the common replies were doctor, teacher. One girl said she would like to be in Police.
• Teachers beat students if they commit some mistake. But hardly anybody was out of school due to this reason.
• Nandini, who is interested in studying, helps her parents to run Vada-Paav dukaan. Does the household work along with her 3 siblings. Her parents are also ready to send her to school.
• Monika, another girl, who studied up to 3^rd standard at her native, refused to join the school here. She insisted that she will go to school at her native only – due to language barrier.
• Nothing except books and notebooks, is given to the students going to nearby Municipal schools.
• A girl, who is studying in 2^nd standard, said, when asked about reasons for absenteeism, if mother is not feeling well, she has to stay back at home to cook and other household work and to take care of her siblings.
• When asked about teacher’s involvement in communities, children said, teachers never come to their settlements.
• When asked about parents’ meeting teacher, they meet rarely.
• After the discussion, kids performed dance on some songs.
• At the end, some candies were distributed to all the children. 

Observations:

• Kids were asking us, when are visiting them again.
• Parents are also building some hopes and expectations from the volunteers.
• Not sure about the kids, but we can be once again very clear about our purpose and goal with the elders.
• Enrollment drive can be successful here, but very few eligible children were out of school. Few are really young. Will have to enroll them in Anganwaadi.
• Nandini, Kajal, Monika, Salim are some of the bright kids.
• Kajal has a natural leadership qualities.

My eye-view on our recent activities - 17th May 2010

The scorching sun o’er my head,
Is taunting me to step up and view -
This town of little brown squirrels;
Where sun is shade, but smiles aren’t few.

I can thickly say that I have been associated with the cause of sending all children of India to school for over a year now. So, what has been my learning so far?

• Underprivileged society of India finds it hard to send their children to school for myriad of reasons such as poverty, lack of awareness, unavailability of schools, disbelief on the dictums of our education system etc
• Children sometimes do not want to go to school; parents are unable to pick the rod (remember spare the rod and spoil the child, I am not endorsing it here either!!)
• There is a lack of, what experts call – Joyful learning in schools. Thus, a part of the blame must be shared by the lackluster education system, including teachers’ sloppy teaching methodologies
• Disagreeable future prospects of these half-heartedly taught and improperly examined nevertheless degree-holding bourgeois.


The above-mentioned for me is not learning, but findings. When it comes to learning, I would rather say that I learnt to be humane. I learnt to step into a world different than mine and befriend people. I learnt to constructively disagree with people and in turn gather their perspective. I learnt to lead and unabashedly, be led. In nutshell, I learnt to grow as a person.

A lot of this learning came to me during the last couple of weeks. I have been meeting the communities of immigrant workers working at construction sites across Thane for my Photography project with Click Rights group at CRY. At the photography workshop they rightly taught me that it is not the camera but me who clicks a photograph, so I must first bring in the human touch by connecting with my subjects and then my pictures shall speak for themselves. It took me sometime but eventually I came around the idea of talking to my subjects before pulling out my camera. To whet your inquisitive appetite, the pictures came out decent!


Last week I accompanied Ratna, Ekta and Krishna to the same communities for a detailed survey of the reasons why the children of these immigrants stayed out of school. What I have wanted to do for quite some time which I must do it now – is to scream from top of the roof tops – parents want to send their children to school!!
Suma Ganguly, a Bengali Brahmin from as far as Kolkata is staying in Gandhinagar, tin shed – it cannot be called a hutment for crying out loud – with her husband and 2 young girls while the eldest is studying at a school in Kolkata. Similar is the story of most of these families who hail from rural West Bengal. These families have no clue about “Child Rights” or for that matter “Human Rights”, like most Indian brethrens, they have learnt to “survive”. We all do, I guess. But God forbid if I ever have to struggle with getting drinking water, proper food or security, I would be bitter and angry.


That is where my learning started…

These people are happy as little brown squirrels. They live in a world swarmed by mosquitoes and insects, no electricity nor proper water but boy! They remember how to smile. I will share with you my first feeling when I went amidst these people – an uncanny guilt. Guilt of being what I am – an upper middle class, convent educated, well-fed woman talking about celestial things like good education and bright future. I hesitated in entering too much into their lives out of the lame fear of exploring what I might not be able to handle. But impressions change, people evolve. So, did I.


After meeting some 10 odd families in 2 days I realized that these people are neither bitter nor hopeful. They are struggling. They have similar aspirations as ours, just in smaller sizes but their meager means pull them back repeatedly. The Focused Group Discussion that we had with these families did not look like a research methodology from a social science text book, but an inter-family discussion in a neighborhood. How did these people manage to be so warm? I kept wondering throughout the discussion and even post that.


I have deduced one fact – It is not just the system’s undervalued functioning that keeps them from achieving, neither is it solely the lack of mullah. It is the matter of free will. Having said that I would also like to reinforce that I do not mean to undermine the effects of an ill-functioning system nor do I mean to dishonor the value of money in our society, but I want to send a word of immense appreciation to people like Mr. Patel, a migrant carpenter, who despite all odds is getting his three daughters taught in a local school for unlike his future, theirs, he says, need to be brightened up. Applause!


While I am contemplating over the seriousness of what lies beneath the poverty-laden lives of Mr. Patel and others, I often get distracted by the loud giggles of their children. How innocent is childhood.

Little do they understand why we are visiting them, but to them the term ‘visit’ is important. Someone is ‘visiting’ them and they are happy about it. I like to be with them more than being with adults. They don‘t judge me, they don’t make me accountable for anything – they are just happy that I am visiting them.


Mother of all facts – these children love going to school. Like most of the kids, for some it is a daily war against bullies or homework, but it is part of their lives. They love to play in their school uniforms until they are beyond repair via any Rin or Surf challenge! just like I did as a kid. They share the stories of their friends and foes with fervent voices. So, what is that I am there to fix or advocate for?

Among these happily giggling faces are a few smiling but evidently uncomfortable kids. They listen to these stories but cannot become a part of them. They help the other kids soil their uniforms because they don’t have any of their own. Some might say that they are too young to feel jealousy or its consequential sadness; I say it’s not true. These children out of school are sad and jealous, they want to be a part of this entire fun of learning and books, uniforms and time tables, home-works and teachers, it is their RIGHT!


After visiting three communities and attending a Focused Group Discussion, I have had a sort of reinforcement of thought while on a mile long ride on the learning bus.

I congratulate all those who became part of these surveys not because we became minions of some earth shattering change in the field of child rights, but because we learnt how does the life at the other side of the fence look and feel like.
Let us all treat this as good first step, for all I know – ‘there are miles to go before I sleep’…

Survey Experiences in the Gandhinagar area

Last week was a week of mixed feelings – on one hand it was really painful to hear about the hardships people go through (and feel how lucky you are…) and on the other hand it was that good feeling of having an opportunity to help these people in a small way!!!

We started the survey in the Gandhinagar area on Monday, 10^th May 2010. The first day we just roamed around the entire area to find out about the schools and aaganwadis close to the settlements. From Tuesday onwards, we started meeting with the people in the community. It was really good to see that the people welcomed us. Especially when they came to know that we were working for the education of their children, they were very warm and opened up to us.

Whatever their financial status, these are people who want to give their children a good education and ready to take efforts for it. The only thing they lack is awareness about the schools and the Government schemes. The fact that about 6-8 people turned up for the Focus Group Discussion (FGD) after a day of hard work, shows that these people have the commitment and the will to educate their children.

It was also disappointing, in some cases, that the parents made the children stay at home to take care of their younger siblings. Also, some parents showed a lot of hesitancy in putting their children in school since they did not have a permanent residence. The worst part was they did not even want to try. Also, the fact that most of the Municipal schools were Marathi medium schools was a deterring factor for the parents to send their children to school. Many parents, being illiterate themselves, were unable to monitor the progress of their wards and take steps for them to perform better. Even though this number was very few, it was discouraging to see their children being affected by all this.

On the brighter side, it was really touching to see that the faces of the parents lighting up when we mentioned that we could try to get their wards into school. Almost all of the children were overjoyed at the thought of going to school and learning. And the kids were very bright and could go a long way if properly guided.

Interacting with the children was the best part of the survey. Their inquisitive eyes, their shy but welcoming smiles and their frankness speak a lot about their innocence and it was really a wonderful experience talking to them. In spite of the conditions they live in, these children seemed happy and contended with life. When we asked them what they wanted to learn, they answered that they wanted simple things like pens, notebooks, uniforms and shoes (a 5 year old kid said he wanted a jeans pant!!!) These kids also expected desires to be doctors, teachers, pilots and one of them was very sure of becoming a bus conductor as well!!!

It feels nice to know that we are able to touch these people in our small and simple ways but we must surely work hard to at least enable these children to take their first steps towards achieving their dreams and aspirations…..

Survey Report - Gandhi Nagar

As the voices of those men and women started rising and they started sharing their pleasant and not so pleasant experiences, we realized that perhaps this was the moment which our volunteer group aspired for.

This was not just a simple discussion or thought-sharing session neither was it so simple an event, but it took almost 3 years and countless hours of efforts by volunteers to reach at this level of comfort with community and to have the communities develop a faith in us.

After last month’s community scan, Ratna and Ekta started the survey work in Gandhi Nagar area since last Monday. They interacted, discussed and acquainted themselves with more than 20 families at the Gemini and Iris construction sites of Hiranandani and MMRDA projects. The statistics of spending almost 20 minutes with each family might not signify much but the personal connection which Ratna and Ekta developed with children and women in these communities certainly makes a statement.

How often have we experienced an underprivileged child practicing English alphabet whole day just because someone (read Ekta) asked her to practice. So what if she doesn’t have formal access to school. The motivation by Ekta meant so much to the kid that she showed her practiced alphabets to Ekta as soon as she visited her Jhopadi next evening.

It was evident that Ratna’s addressing the ladies of community as ‘Didi’ was not just a formal word but a deeper respect towards them. They didn’t hesitate to pour their life before her and shared every bit of their personal hardships of life with her. For a moment it seemed to me that Ratna knew the mother and father of Shahrukh and Muskan (5 year old kid from Iris site) from many years. They wanted to provide formal education to their children but they didn’t know how. We seemed to them like a hope that can make their dreams true.

Vinay was not just moved but also felt, what an expectation or faith is, when father (Patel) of those 3 girls started crying while explaining his hardships of life and struggle to get his girls admitted in municipality school. His bargaining and pleading to Shiksha mafias that he can’t afford Rs 3000 donation for admission filled us with rage at the inefficiency of our system and empathy towards the hardship of this father.

to be continued...