Education to Sustainability
Project Coverage: 76 villages of in Three Blocks of Varanasi District
Introduction:
HWA with the support DACSHER and Terre des homes, Germany successfully implemented the project titled Promoting Elementary Schooling in Varanasi District from 2005 to 2010. The project was implemented in three blocks of Varanasi District, Chiraigaon, Cholapur and Kashi Vidyapeeth.
The second phase of the project continued with the support of DACHSER and Terre des homes, Germany and commenced from October 2010. It consolidated the gains of the previous phase and extended to include the component of environment to pave way for sustainability. Thus concrete efforts during the second phase of the project would be to move from ‘Education to Sustainability’ by consolidating all the gains and by introducing new elements of rural technical trainings and village social forestry. The project is implemented by two partners in Uttar Pradesh PACE and HWA. The following report would highlight the activities implemented by PACE in the reporting period October 2010- December 2010.
Overall Goal of the Project
30 rural communities in Varanasi and Sitapur districts of Uttar Pradesh reach improved educational status, skills and sustainability.
Specific objective in the Second Phase of the Project:
- 1500 children receive educational assistance and continue schooling.
- 900 young people receive technical and employment skills.
- 15 rural communities become active on promotion of social forestry.
- Social forestry developed in 5 villages.
- 1200 rural population linked to employment schemes.
Planned/ measure activities:
1) Education centre:
The organization runs 10 education centers though in the project there are provisions of only 5 education centers. The support centers are run within the existing budget and with the support of the local community. 1462 children (782 boys and 680 girls) are receiving education at the centers. 98% of children studying in the centers are from the deprived communities and only 2% of children are from the general category. The organization pays special attention to improve the learning levels of children. Children are also involved in various extra-curricular activities to bring about sum-total development in their personality. Each education centre has a library which is managed by children of child rights forum. The children pay a membership of Rs. 2/- or Rs.5/- for issuing books which is used for maintenance of library and purchasing new books.
Output: All children are getting quality education through education centre and to see them other uneducated parents and children began to start study.
2) Support education centers:
Five support education centers are interlinked with the education centers in a way that the support education centers are run in the same areas where the education centers are operational. As a result children studying in classes 6th to 12th receive tutorial support at the centers. 308 children receive (151 boys and 157 girls) from deprived communities receive education at the support canters. Special attention is given to girl children to promote them for higher education.
Output:
The children who are receiving the extra tutorial support through Support education centers have improved their weak subject and their performance in their weekly and monthly test show their improvement level.
Additional activities:
Parent’s teachers meetings:
The role of parents and teachers is unique and effective in improving the academic performance of children in schools. It is essential to track the learning levels of children for which regular interaction between parents and teachers is essential. 30 Parents teachers meetings have been held in the reporting period involving the participation of 686 parents. The meetings are held with teachers of the education centers run by the organization and the parents of children studying in the education centers. Apart from discussing on the learning levels of children parents were also oriented on the second phase of the project and how they can contribute in achieving the desired results of the project.
Meeting with Education committee:
In the reporting period 90 meetings were conducted with the members of the education committee. There are 10 education committees. The education committees comprise of 5 members from the community who are active. Therefore on an average each committee has a minimum of 5 members and a maximum of 8 members. Total number of members in the 10 education committees is 330 members (195 men and 135 women). The members review the functioning of schools and education centers in the project villages. The members were also oriented on the new components of the second phase especially conservation of environment and natural resources.
3) Environment
In the reporting period HWA conducted survey and several meetings with the farmers to orient them on the issue of environment and also inform them on the various facets of environment conservation in the project. Therefore, the first three months of the project were invested in generating awareness on the component of environment. The next quarters would witness the distribution of solar lights, construction of compost pits, installation of bio-gas plants and social forestry.
Survey of the farmers groups:
To identify the farmers groups for biogas-plant, organic farming and social forestry a base line survey was conducted in 32 villages in two blocks of the project areas. A total number of 406 farmers were identified. 245 farmers out of 406 farmers was interested in vermin compost pits, 36 person were interested in setting up bio-gas plants, 347 people were interested in installing solar lights in their homes and 119 farmers were interested in social forestry. The total number of farmers expressed their interest in more than one option during the survey.
Click here to View Full Detail
Powered by