CHENNAI Educational Programme for Children Of Domestic Workers in 5 Slums and a Resettlement Colony of Chennai City

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1 CHENNAI Educational Programme for Children Of Domestic Workers in 5 Slums and a Resettlement Colony of Chennai City This is an after-school support programme that runs evening learning centres for children of domestic workers and unorganized workers from 5 slums and a resettlement colony in the city of Chennai. It provides tutorial support for those children who are first generation learners, to assist them in their daily study. Their parents work as domestic help and are unable to support their educational needs. Most of these children go to government or corporation schools and the inability of parents to guide their children coupled with their illiteracy adds to the poor performance in their studies. Most of the domestic workers are single parents and sole bread winners in the family, unable to send their children to paid support classes that can mentor and coach them in regular studies. The programme runs each centre in the major slums including Choolaimedu, T. Nagar, Vyasarpadi, Mylapore and two centres in Perumbakkam resettlement colony in Chennai. The programme works very closely with the parents and organizes training programmes on different issues faced by children, various activities as part of children s club and workshops

2 for the children to develop personality and leadership qualities, thus, bringing down the dropout rate and reducing child labour. Curative Education and Vocational Training Program for Children and Adults with Psycho-Social Impairment This project provides curative education, vocational training and home care for the cognitively challenged to prepare them to lead an independent life. The students are trained in different vocations such as paper and cloth-based material making, tailoring, horticulture, jute based products, arts & crafts etc. They also provide them with physiotherapy, occupational physiotherapy and play therapy. Children and adults with psycho-social impairment are enrolled in curative education focusing on money management, self help skills and games for their locomotor development.

3 Sanitation Drive, Health Camps and Installation of RO Water Purification System In Kanchipuram District The rains that lashed out in Tamil Nadu in the months of November and December 2015 caused excessive damage. Concern India Foundation in partnership with a corporate worked in Kanchipuram district, one of the worst affected areas during floods. a) Sanitation Drive Programme- Conducted in 20 villages with the purpose of dealing with diseases associated with poor sanitation. The objective was to encourage people s participation and create awareness on self hygiene and public sanitation among the residents of flood affected villages in Tamil Nadu. The programme included cleaning of private and public lavatories, overhead water tanks, balwadi centres, PDS shops, etc. The programme also included sensitizing the community to use local methods to keep cleanliness and hygiene. b) Concern India Foundation conducted Health Camps where 20 villages were selected on the basis of poor economic condition, high mortality rates, loss of livestock, places which had not received help from the government or NGOs during the flood. The medical camp aimed at improving health condition of flood affected Dalit and tribal communities, controlling the outbreak of water borne diseases, providing effective & special health facilities to pregnant women, children and the elderly, ensuring proper medicines c) Installing of RO water purification systems as the unprecedented heavy rains caused severe damage to the water bodies because of which the quality of the drinking water took a sudden fall and resulted in the villagers getting affected with water borne diseases. Communicable diseases like typhoid, viral fever, cold, infection in respiratory systems became very common among them. In order to reduce the morbidity issues in the villages, Concern India Foundation had installed the RO water purification systems in 10 villages in Kanchipuram district. The RO water purification

4 system installation work in the villages has proven to be one of the model interventions to provide clean and hygienic drinking water. The installation of RO system lessened and prevented health issues among the Dalit community members. The active participation of the villagers along with the panchayat bodies in identifying the land and other support systems have ensured the community ownership in getting purified drinking water. Educational support Project Chennai as part of it re-development; especially post-floods, the Municipal Corporation has moved majority of the slums from the city to the outskirts which is nearly 35 to 40 kms from the main city. Semmencherry, one such resettlement colony which faces it own issues and problems especially stability of children and youth. With long distance from the city, education of the children is affected leading to drop-outs. Educational Support project has directly reached out to children studying in government schools through Activities cum Resource Centres (ARC) located in Semmencherry, which provides them supplementary education and additional skill based trainings. The centres are facilitated by trained Motivators and assisted by volunteers from the community. The Motivators and the Assistants supports children with their daily homework & lessons and engage them in various activities to improve their extracurricular skills like writing, singing, orator, dancing, miming personality development,

5 life skills etc. The centers also targets children with learning disabilities, slow learners and dropouts. It focuses on reducing mental stress and provides psycho social care by counseling. Educational programme for children from tribal communities in, Kanchipuram district The project is in Uthiramerur, Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu, works for the upliftment of the most economically backward among the scheduled tribes including the Narikuravar (gypsies), Malaivaazhum makkal (inhabitants of mountain regions) and Irular (traditionally snake catchers) communities through education. Almost all children in the project are first-generation learners. Tribal children are given skill enhancement training on computer and English language apart from their regular academics. After completing basic education, the children are encouraged to pursue higher education, depending on their capability and area of interest. Career guidance sessions are organized in a timely manner, for children of higher grades, aiming at supporting them to choose the right courses and career paths. The programme has been able to curb school drop-out ratio within the communities to a considerable extent and is helping them weave a brighter future.

6 School Infrastructure Restoration Project The incessant rain in November and December 2015 not only caused havoc in the livelihood of the community but also among the students studying in Government schools. The schools sustained severe damage in buildings, electrical instruments & fittings, pipelines and as a result the students started to be irregular and even dropped out from the schools. Concern India Foundation with the support of partner organization immediately conducted situational assessment in 12 Panchayat Union Primary/Middle Schools, Adhi Dravida Welfare Primary/Middle School and Aanganwadi s of Thiruporur block. The assessment report revealed that the schools in Kanchipuram district were worst hit by the floods due to prevailing poor infrastructure. The class rooms, compounds walls, toilets, etc. of the schools were damaged due to stagnant water. The leakages in the school buildings damaged the school property like class tables / teacher s tables and lab equipments. 5 schools were shortlisted based on the assessment and support was provided to 2 schools located in Thiruporur. 2 class rooms were renovated in an Adhi Dravida Welfare Middle School and toilets were newly constructed in Adhi Dravida Welfare Primary School, Thiruporur which were damaged during the floods. The renovated schools enabled students to attend school in a conducive environment and the infrastructure facilities had resulted in increase in

7 school enrolment in both the schools. The school Management Committee monitors and follow up action has been taken towards bringing lasting change in sustaining the usage of the class rooms and children s toilet.