Smile Foundation and Chetanalya has come up with a joint venture to provide health and education to the underprivileged and to impart vocational training to the unemployed youth of the slums of Sundarnagri and Seemapuri slum colonies in Delhi and select slums in Haryana. The objective of the project is to ensure basic quality and relevant education to disadvantaged children, besides imparting vocational skills and also covering pre-school education for kids.

About the Partner

Chetanalaya is a non profit organization established in year 1970. It has been working since years for the cause of the poor and underprivileged children and women living in various slums across Delhi. Over the years Chetanalaya has established 13 area offices with more than 100 centers in Delhi and Haryana. The organization has developed an integrated approach to development with prime focus on Child Rights, Education (NFE), Health Care (HIV/ AIDS awareness campaign) SHG & Micro Finance, Rehabilitation of people with Disability, Youth Development, Vocational Training, Care for the Senior Citizen, Emergency Relief and Anti-addiction Drive.

Chetanalaya has taken up the initiative with Smile Foundation to provide community based care and support programme across 12 resettlement colonies in Delhi. They include Janakpuri, Baleshwa, Sangam Vihar, Mukundpur, Chilla Gaon, Khichiripur, Sundamagari, Bawana, Holambi Kalan, Kanaka Durga Colony, Munirka Gaon, Janta Colony and abut 200 rural villages of Haryana state.

About the Project

The project for Promoting Children’s Health & Education along with Vocational Training for unemployed youths reaches out to the under privileged in the slums of -Sundarnagri and Seemapuri JJ colonies – one of the biggest slums of Delhi, located in the eastern part of Delhi in the border area of Uttar Pradesh . The programme is intended to prepare the children, getting admission into regular schools, reduce drop out rate and link this progress with vocational skills training which will enable them to develop their own capacity and livelihood.

The project includes six Balwadi [pre-school] Centers, six Remedial Education Centers and six Bridge Course Centers, along with a Vocational Training Centre. Through the Balwadi Centre pre school education is being imparted to 300 underprivileged children between 3.5 years and 5 years of age and they are being prepared for the formal schools. Remedial/NFE education is provided to 300 slow learners and children from 6 years to 12 years of age. Dakhila Abhiyan, an intensive school admission drive motivational programme for parents is also being taken up, whereby children will be enrolled into formal schools.

The Major programmes are as follows:-

Remedial Education Classes:

Six Remedial Education Centers have been established in 2 slums (3 in Sundarnagri and 3 in Seemapuri) covering 300 children from class 1-5, with 50 children in each centre between the age group of 6-12 years, are provided education. The classes are run in two batches 9-11.30 am and 2-4.30 pm (per batch 25 children).

Balwadi –Early childhood Development Programme:

The project has started 6 Balwadi Centres in 2 slums, (3 in Sundarnagri and 3 in Seemapuri) where 50 children between the age group of 3 yr-5 yr are enrolled in each centre, thereby covering 300 children. The aim behind the programme is that most of the parents are engaged in work and therefore there is no one to take care of their children. The children are also being indulged them in different activities to protect them from negative influences. The pre-school classes are held in two batches 9-12 noon and 2-5.00 pm where 25 children per batch per centre get education.

Besides imparting basic education attention is also given towards the upliftment and betterment of the adolescents.

• 4 health check-up camps in a year (quarterly) have been planned to be organized during the project period to address the health needs of the beneficiaries.

• Children are enrolled in the formal schools through Dakhila Abhiyan drive.

• Motivational training to the teachers for imparting quality education, formation of welfare committees in each govt. school

• Regular parents–teachers meeting is conducted.

Life Skill education:

Life Skill Education is provided to the underprivileged children on weekly basis on issues like Personality Development, Confidence Building, Behaviour and Etiquette, Health and Hygiene, Reproductive Health, Values, Good Habits, Social Concerns, money management & other related issues

Special Focus

• Strengthening parents-teachers’ interaction to ensure quality education.

• To promote health status of the children.

• Life Skill education like personality development, moral values, health and hygiene to name a few are taught to the students.