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SAAKSHAR A Mission for Literacy for the Slum Children

THE VIGYAN VIJAY FOUNDATION Appropriate Technology for sustainable Development

About: The Vigyan Vijay Foundation : Mahatma Gandhi famously counseled the countrymen and women to bring the change; we wish to show the world. This wise advice of his, Vigyan Vijay Foundation’s strategy, aptly captured the essence in order to empower the under privileged section of our society to bring change in their own lives for better. We mainly highlight in our approaches in regard to strengthen the capacities of the poor, to change their living. As it is known that in India a large section of people are still under the poverty line, when there is the presence of extremely rich people as well. In this advanced society, where everybody is struggling for their survival, as per Darwin’s theory, “Survival of the fittest”, we are left with no time to think about the people who are in the hand to mouth situation. To bring ‘Poverty’ as a problem to an end, we need to inspire others and empower the poor to shed their discrepancy and sorrow and become efficient enough to face their problems valiantly and also dare to reach their hopes and dreams. Hereafter ‘Vigyan Vijay Foundation’ is holding the hand of that needy section and pour dreams in their eyes and show them the path to achieve it. To this direction we are working in the respective fields as follows:

• PRAKRIT- PRAKRIT is a wing which serves the community through environmental up gradation.

• SAAKSHAR- SAAKSHAR is giving children of these communities, non-formal education center to streamline them with formal education and life skill trainings to shape up their lives as they have dreamt of.

• TARANG- TARANG is the computer institute where children from poor background come to add wings to their dreams. They are trained in both software and hardware fields. This is one of the life skills to training through which they can earn their living in a respectable manner.

The Vigyan Vijay Foundation is proud to pioneer a new path of integrated sustainable rural development that is recognized that the poor must bring the change which will last and will always be recognized as a receptive, respectable and reliable institution. We all need to take this kind of accurate step to enhance the established people take step forward to uplift this section with a complete commitment and dedication. Sincerely yours’

ASHA RANI President The Vigyan Vijay Foundation

PROJECT-SAAKSHAR

The Need Education is vital for all, Govt. spending and International funding is increasing each year though literacy rates have only marginally improved and there is no reduction in the drop-out percentage. The problem lies not only in the system but also on the mental and biological under-preparedness of villagers and migrating children as they join the school. VVF is working towards bridging these gaps. VVF identified the need to impart education in a non-formal pattern to the following categories of slum children in Delhi:

• Those who had never been to school • Those who went to school at somepoint of time but dropped out due to

academic/personal reasons • Those in the age group of 2-4 years who would be prospective school goers.

Such children are imparted with the basic knowledge set through a non-formal process and in the process; they are motivated to join formal education through foster-care.

Objectives/Goals

From its inception till now, VVF (Vigyan Vijay foundations) has come a long way in facilitating the education of the slum children. The following have been the guiding principles of the program:

• Establish a norm for schools for preparatory/ bridge courses for dropouts, children from slum pockets, migrant families etc

• Skill Training and Functional Literacy for adolescent children from the given section

• Adult Literacy for men and women from the given section

• Education on issues of Self Advocacy, Social Security, Personal Savings

• Health education and primary health care for slum inmates

• Self-help groups for trained adolescents, adults

Children at saakshar

Our team work will show colors

The Process Saakshar follows an intervention strategy to cater to the need as identified a above and tries to alter the scenario, not by playing the blame game with the authorities or the dejected parents but by facilitating the community to make the best use of Saakshar school for availing the foster care for early education and for main streaming the students in regular school to give basic education and excel in vocational trades. Saakshar places its focus on the following:

• Enthuse slum children towards education • Bridge the gap for drop outs and fresh migrants from the villages. • Prepare children for school environment and integrate them in formal school • Impart tutorial classes to improve the performance when mainstreamed.

Wings of Saakshar…. In the year 2002 the first school was developed as a system under Vigyan Vijay Foundation’s supervision and this project was named as Saakshar, with the vision of evolving the target group as socially aware, economically self sufficient and morally responsible units, hence enabling a Self Actualized Society.

VVF values the undercurrent activities like love, honesty and integrity, also the guiding post of our actions will be “Be, Do and tell”, and the organization shall always maintain a commitment and appreciate the good services, transparency and innovation, the organization focus towards sustainable development and self reliance and finally we will have an approach of participatory and team based. We strive to work with communities, individuals and organizations; developing, evaluating and implementing sustainable programs that empower them with awareness and information & assist them to harness the benefits of science and technology to use them to improve their quality of life.

The three wings currently operating are as follows Saakshar 1- Mahavir Enclave, New Delhi-110045 Saakshar 2- Manglapuri, Palam, New Delhi – 110045 Saakshar 3- Matiyala, Najafgarh Road, New Delhi-110059

Activities….

• Non-formal education for children in the age groups of 4-8 years and 8-13 years; focus on streamlining these children to formal schools.

• Remedial classes for mainstreamed students • Child care centers for the young ones in the

group (1-4 years), while their elder siblings attend school; provides them with early intervention and basic concepts for formal education later.

• Mid day meals are provided free of cost; well balanced diet of 250 to 300 calories, average weight gain of 1-1.5 kg achieved per pupil.

• Children are given exposure to look into the present world and learn to survive in that environment.

• Representatives from corporates are invited on regular basis to mentor Saakshar children. One such programe being held almost every month is the science workshop conducted by the CSR wing of “Buildingblocks”.

Methodology – The way we change lives

• 30 candidates are focused for mainstreaming every year. • Approximately 30 candidates are admitted to early intervention Group each year. • Siblings of these children are attached with crèche. • 50 candidates are provided with remedial classes. • 25-30 girls enrolled in ‘cutting and tailoring’ and beautician courses.

Newsmakers @ Saakshar

• 90% children mainstreamed, performing well in school • 0% drop-out after VV F intervention at Basti • School attendance of slum children gone up to 60% from

33% • 5 boys earned Rs 25000 from candle making in the year

2007. • 5 children are selected in Pratibha Vidyalaya. Amongst

700 children appeared for admission in Pratibha Vidyalaya, 70 children got selected (five of them were from Sakshar).they have been performing to the par of their excellence till date.

Be a part of Drawing Competition

Children in saakshar doing activity

Out for an exposure

A look at some of the statistics

65%6%

29%

50%

22%

28%27%

70%

3%26%

71%

3%

voluntarycontribution/donation

self incomegeneration

loans

Within 7 years of its operations nearly 71% of income was through self-income generation

schemes: “2001-2008”

The Roadmap ahead…

We are looking forward to strengthen our literacy program with adult as well as educate people on health, savings and self advocacy in different dimension.

SCHOOL CHALE HUM ☺☺☺☺

VVF would like to express its gratitude to ASHA for enabling and entrusting us with the responsibility of changing the lives of slum children through education.

Appendix:

Case Studies This appendix lists few amongst many cases wherein Saakshar was able to bring some change to the lives of children and the society. Case Study 1: Successful inclusion of a drop-out back to formal school. Anita is a brilliant girl from backward community where children are forced to become a child labor .We picked her up from that environment and got an admission in our school. She was performing well in her studies till 5th standard and after that her parents stopped her for going to school so that she could look after her siblings. But the teachers and management at Saakshar convinced and counseled her parents so that they send her back to the school to complete her studies and today her studies are being sponsored by the Principal of the MCD School. Case Study 2: Bridging of migrant students to formal school. Pawan is a brilliant guy, the son of Pushpa (the crèche teacher) in our saakshar 1 school. He is studying in saakshar since last six years and has won many awards for his excellent performance in studies. This guy didn’t go for any tuition anywhere but has been studying in saakshar. Now he gave the entrance test for admission to Pratibha vikas vidyalaya and he is one of the 70 students who got selected there. Case Study 3: Retention in school Avadh, another bright student, who is studying in saakshar, for the past seven years. He used to play and roam around here and there especially near the pits or nallas. He was picked from there by us and got him enrolled in the classes of saakshar. While teaching we saw in him the immense grasping power was noticed and on that basis we started helping and supporting him in his studies. While his parents were daily waged labor, he used to come to saakshar with his other mates who lately left but he continued with us

Pawan in Saakshar attending Class

Money and Budget related figures for 2007-2008

THE VIGYAN VIJAY FOUNDATION : NEW DELHI

EXPENDITURE AMOUNT Honourarium 2,07,200.00 Rent 79,200.00 Printing & Stationery 8,086.00 Midday Meal 70,605.00 Travel & Conveyance 500.00 Electricity charges 900.00 Institutional overheads 35,000.00 Telephone, fax and courier 2, 621.00

Total----------------------------------------------Rs

4,04,115.00*

Amount received on 28th Feb, 08 Ch-no. 060447- Rs 81016.00 + Ch-no. 061344- Rs 81606.00 = Total - Rs 1, 62,622.00

Amount received on 14th Sep, 07 Ch-no. 702165 - Rs 80,140.00 + Ch-no. 702166- Rs 80,140.00 = Total- Rs 1, 60,280 00

Total Amount Received From Asha Seattle Chapter = Rs 3,22,902.00 * * Balance amount is arranged from various resources of V V F.