Site visit report:
Conducted by : Rohini Muthuswami (Asha volunteer, Delhi)
Project: Mera Sahara
Date of visit: 28th Jul 2011
Padmini Kumar met me at Nithari village and we walked down to the project site. On the way Padmini told me that the project was started in the aftermath of the Nithari case. Later Jyotsna told me how the programme began as a protection centre for girl children as they were scared of being trafficked. Later the programme expanded into an educational centre. They have two centres. One centre is supported by Asha and the other centre is supported by Mahindra.
The centre supported by Asha is currently housed in a 4 room house with 2 toilets. It is offset from the road and the door leading to the door can be closed affording them protection. Children (both girls and boys) are still being trafficked and therefore, the onus is on the programme to ensure that none of these children are lured away.
The parents are either employed as domestic laborers or are working as construction workers. Many of them are from Bangladesh who have migrated down to Delhi.
The centre runs in the morning and when I reached, the teachers had already started the classes. The teachers are from Noida itself, which makes for easy commuting. Since Jyotsna is very emphatic that the children have to learn to stand up and demand their rights, the teaching programme focuses more on making the children empowered. The teaching quality is poor and the teachers are not up to the mark, except probably the teacher who teaches class 2. Jyotsna said that they are planning to send the teachers for training which would enable them to impart those skills to the children that enable them to understand and demand their rights.
In this centre, one room is used for imparting vocational skills like weaving to the women. In the afternoon, adult education is held. However, this is open to everyone. In fact, one of the child, who must be 8 years old, attends the adult education as during the day time she has to look after her younger sibling. The weaving done by the women was exceptionally good and this is a program that can fetch them some funds if properly advertised.
Meals are provided by Sai foundation (I think this is the correct terminology).
Overall impression:
It is a good project and can be supported.
The teaching is not up to the mark but is on par with other projects of similar nature. In fact I found Jyotsna's candid admission that she is looking to make them stand up, become aware of their rights, and demand what is their refreshing. Very rarely does one come across a clear vision.
The room rent is again on par with what is demanded in Delhi in such areas. In fact they have got it quite cheap.