Skill-based learning for underprivileged children of South West Delhi

No. of beneficiaries- 244 Children awaiting admission- 84

Smile Foundation and Nai Disha Educational and Cultural Society, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi have come together to impart quality education and life skills to the underprivileged childrern living in the slums and villages of South West Delhi. With the belief that children can flourish only when women in the family are healthy, educated and self-dependent, the focus of this Mission Education project of Smile Foundation is on the education of girl child. Along with academics, emphasis is also laid on skill-based learning.

About the project

The Nai Disha Educational and Cultural Society is based at Bhawani Kunj in Vasant Kunj. Vasant Kunj in South West Delhi has about 12,000 houses, employing a similar number of helps. The maids and drivers working in these houses are immigrant workers living in the slums and colonies of Kishangarh, Bhawani Kunj, Shanti Kunj, Andheria Morh, Rangpuri Pahadi and Chhatrapur. These people do not have residential proofs or birth certificates of their children. As a result, they face difficulty in sending their children to conventional schools. Nai Disha aims at bridging this gap by imparting education to these underpriviledged children. The spotlight is not only on primary education, but overall development of the children by encouraging them to think, imagine and thus evolve as responsible citizens.

The learning centre follows the NCERT syllabus and is registered with the National Institute of Open Schooling for the basic education programme. It has a full-fledged computer lab. Children also go for personal training in skating and tennis. Nai Disha uses theatre to educate the children and thus conducts theatre classes, workshops and plays. This helps build the confidence of the children, open creative channels and develop language skills. Activities and excursions are an integral part of the learning process. Events like Diwali mela, book fair, picnic, dance, drama, poem recitation are organised to foster the all round development of the children. Health check ups, setting up of mobile clinics and counselling parents/children on hygiene issues is done on a regular basis. Several workshops are conducted for teachers, children and parents.

About the partner

The Nai Disha Educational and Cultural Society focuses on community development through education. A group of like minded individuals believing in the basic social principle that all children irrespective of their birth and social status have the right to quality education, got together to form ‘Disha’ in the year 2000. But the NGO was registered in 2005 and was named Nai Disha Educational and Cultural Society. Today, it has transformed into a primary school with 244 children on its roll and 84 awaiting admission. Children here are provided free books, stationeries, two sets of summer and winter uniforms and one time full meal. Nai Disha has many volunteers who not only help the children in their studies, but also introduce them to theatre, art and craft, music, dance, computers and story telling. They also help the Society in administrative and accounts work. Nai Disha helps the women in the community by giving them sewing machines, and vocational training in tailoring, beautician’s course etc.

Focus on:

A co-ed school, but preference is given to girls at the time of admission
Bridge courses for older girls