THE VIGYAN VIJAY FOUNDATIO N Appropriate Technology for Sustainable Development Saakshar –

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

2. 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%

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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 for formal education later • Mid-Day Mealsare 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.

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

8. 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

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

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

11. 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

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

13. 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 80G) • 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

14. 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. OfficeC - 3 A/ 126 C, Janakpuri New Delhi - 110 058 Site OfficeH-2/2-5, Mahavir Enclave (Aarambh) Palam Dabri Road, New Delhi - 110 045 Telefax (011) 2505-8853 Site Office RZ D-1 / 159, Mahavir Enclave, (Saakshar) Gali No. 7, Palam, New Delhi - 110 045