THE VIGYAN VIJAY FOUNDATION Appropriate Technology for Sustainable

THE VIGYAN VIJAY FOUNDATION Appropriate Technology for Sustainable Development Saakshar – Project Report 2004 -2005

Introduction • Education is vital for growth of the individual and thereby the Society • Govt. spending and International funding to further education is increasing each year – In the union budget 2005 -06, the allocation for education has been Rs 18336 crores • However, Literacy rates have increased only marginally from 50% to 62% in last ten years • School drop-out percentages have also been high at 60%

Problems Internal Factors • Children from slum and villages not ready – mentally and biologically for school • No pre-learning skill taught at home • No exposure to basic cognitive concepts • No pencil holding skills • No familiarity to school environment – sitting amidst four walls, paying attention to teacher and grasping things from Blackboard • No toilet training • No sense of time and routine – as their parents leave early for work and they grow up in the care of siblings often loitering about in the open • No positive reinforcement from parents

Problems External Factors • Teaching Methodology is • fast paced • not paying attention to filling up the gaps • not activity based • Teacher-child ratio is very low • Infra-structure lacking

Strategies at Saakshar • Pre-school preparation for pupil • Curriculum modified to fill up areas of gap • Teaching methodology – activity based employing more games and teaching aids made from local environment • Parent-teachers meet, Parent visits to school • Events in school – to allow pupil to discover and show-case their talent • Emphasis on Evaluation and Preparation for mental and biological readiness for school

Activities • Non-Formal Education for children in the age groups 4 - 8 years and 8 - 13 years; focus on integrating these children in to formal schools • Remedial classes for mainstreamed students • Child Care Centre caters to young ones in the group 1 - 4 years, while their elder siblings attend school; provides them with early intervention & basic concepts formal education later • Mid-Day Meals are provided free of cost; well-balanced diet of 250 -300 calories, Average weight gain of 1 -1. 5 kg achieved per pupil. • Vocational Training of adolescent boys & girls from slums cutting and tailoring, beautician, candle making, screen printing and typing.

Methodology At each Learning Center • 30 pupil are adopted for mainstreaming every year • Approx. 30 pupil are admitted to Early Intervention Group each yr • siblings of these pupil are attended to in Crèche • 50 pupil are given remedial classes • 25 -30 girls enrolled in ‘Cutting & tailoring’ & Beautician classes • 15 -20 boys are trained in candle making, screen printing, other vocational skills

Milestones • 25 children mainstreamed to formal school in academic session 2005 -2006 – classes II and above • Total number of students mainstreamed since 2002 - 80 • Remedial education for 25 school-going students to prevent dropping-out • Vocational training and functional literacy for 15 boys in screen printing, candle making • School admissions up from 45% to 75% (age group 6 -10 ys) • School drop-out percentage down from 65% to 10% (between 2002 -2005) • Saakshar students performing very well in formal schools, Anita, formerly at Saakshar, stood second in class II

Saakshar -This year Education for All Setup in April 2002 Hepatitis B Vaccination Camp Deworming drops (Albendazole) for all students Learning with fun 10/26/2021

Saakshar – This year Education for All Setup in April 2002 Training in IT skills Parent teachers meet 10/26/2021 Mid-day meals

Saakshar – This year Education for All Setup in April 2002 Students participated in Poster making competition, won prizes at ‘Jal Chetna Samaroh’ conducted by Central Ground Water Board 10/26/2021

THE VIGYAN VIJAY FOUNDATION Appropriate Technology for Sustainable Development You can help us!

You can help us! Donate • Ask us for our latest wishlist to choose and donate items of immediate need to us • Make a donation by cash/ cheque in the name of "The Vigyan Vijay Foundation“ (Tax exemption u/s 80 G) • Approx. Cost per Child (Education): Rs 2200 per year • Approx. Cost per Child (Health & Nutrition): Rs 2600 per year • Approx. Cost per Child (Vocational Training): Rs 3600 per year We need Volunteers to support us as • Balsakhi: to monitor our slum children who have been mainstreamed into formal schools. Buy our Products V V F trains its beneficiaries to produce many craft items like Candles, Wrought-iron products, embroidered items etc. These products are available for sale at Aarambh, Ph: 91 -11 -2505 8853. We also put up stalls & participate in exhibitions etc to promote sale of the above products. Some of the venues where we have exhibited are: ST Microelectronics, Noida; Hotel Hyatt Regency, New Delhi; Australian High Commission and others 10/26/2021

Contact Us For any Queries or Suggestions, please contact: Lipika Ahuja lipika. ahuja@vigyanvijay. org Ph: 98102 48197 Visit our website at www. vigyanvijay. org See us at Regd. Office C - 3 A/ 126 C, Janakpuri New Delhi - 110 058 Site Office (Aarambh) Telefax H-2/2 -5, Mahavir Enclave Palam Dabri Road, New Delhi - 110 045 (011) 2505 -8853 Site Office (Saakshar) RZ D-1 / 159, Mahavir Enclave, Gali No. 7, Palam, New Delhi - 110 045 10/26/2021