2011 Site Visit Report for Aseema’s Project Igatpuri

Prepared bySriparna Majumdar

sri.majumdar@googlemail.com

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Visit date19th February, 2011

Site visit performed onJambhwadi and Awalkheda village pre-

primary schools run by AseemaAt Igatpuri, Maharashtra

Co-visitorApratim Chatterji

tupluchat@yahoo.com

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About Aseema…………………………………………Pg 4

Project Igatpuri………………………………………...Pg 4

2011 site visit of Project Igatpuri...……………………Pg 6

Target community of Aseema at rural Igatpuri….…….Pg 6

Jambhwadi pre-primary school………………………..Pg 7

Awalkheda pre-primary school……….……………….Pg 9

Aseema’s current project with Asha-San Francisco ….Pg 11

People who helped Aseema realize their dream school at Awalkheda, Igatpuri …………….…………………... Pg 11

Final comments……………………………………….Pg 12

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About Aseema:

Aseema was founded by Ms. Dilbar Parekh, a Mumbai based lawyer and human rights activist. Since 1997, Aseema has been working to protect and promote the rights of underprivileged children in Mumbai. Aseema believes education is the right of every child and is striving to provide quality education to children living on the streets and in slums – in extremely vulnerable conditions. With the experience gained from this work in Mumbai, Aseema decided to extend its services to tribal children in the villages of Igatpuri in Maharashtra. Aseema provides education for street children and has adopted the Bandra Pali Chimbai Municipal School, with plans to add more schools. Aseema is funded by distinguished Mumbai based businessmen, Film and showbiz personalities and socialites. Asha for Education - San Francisco has been sponsoring various projects of Aseema since 2007.

Project Igatpuri:

Aseema proposed to construct an Education Centre for Tribal Children in Awalkheda in Igatpuri. This Education Centre will cater to about 300 children from the neighboring villages. A 14-acre plot for the proposed Education Centre was purchased in Awalkheda and the land was fenced and construction of the Education Centre started in February 2009. All requisite permissions for construction were sought, including permission to use this agricultural land for educational purposes. Aseema had the Public Works Department construct a paved road up to the village. Tree plantation drives have been carried out with the help of the local people as well as children from their Mumbai projects and a well has been dug which is open to use by the villagers as well. Aseema’s well was the only source of water for some people in the village last year.

A water harvesting expert has contoured the land and contour trenches and check dams have been created which will help to recharge the well. A Solar Energy system has also been installed, sponsored by Asha for Education San Francisco. This is necessary in Igatpuri as the area faces power cuts ranging from 3 hours to 9 hours a day.

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The solar panel at Awalkheda school sponsored by Asha for Education – San Francisco.

Construction of the Education Centre was delayed as Aseema had been made aware that the local municipal authorities intended on creating a garbage dump in a plot nearby. This dump would have brought waste from across the city to Awalkheda and would disturb the sanctity of the natural environment. It would also pollute the village well and other sources of water. Aseema believed that this dump was detrimental to the interests of the local communities serving at Igatpuri and opposed it strongly. After several discussions and negotiations with the local authorities including an RTI application, it has been made possible to shift the dump elsewhere.

Owing to the torrential rainfall in Igatpuri from June to September, Aseema has been able to carry out construction activities only between October and May.  

In March 2010, Aseema inaugurated the first Anganwadi (Pre-Primary Centre) in a prototype classroom at the Education Centre.  They have 30 children aged 2 ½ - 6 years from the neighboring villages attending school. 

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The first school hut at Awalkheda village

Aseema has recruited local people as teachers.  A training course was organized for them in Mumbai and a warm and stimulating learning environment was created in the school.  They recently organized another training programme in the Montessori Approach for these teachers.

2011 site visit of Project Igatpuri:

We reached Igatpuri on the evening of 18th February, 2011. Baban Kadam, a teacher at Aseema’s school received us at the railway station. Natasha, Asha’s project contact person for Aseema, booked rooms for us at the local Satyagiri guest house in the Igatpuri town. The guest house is run by the local Catholic Church. Igatpuri is quite a happening town and like many big towns in India, very overpopulated. Igatpuri is also very well known for the local Sadhanalaya which hosts Vipasana yoga retreats round the year for yoga enthusiasts from across the world.

The next morning, we were taken to the Jambhwadi and Awalkheda villages. Natasha took care of our local commute.

Target community of Aseema at rural Igatpuri:

Igatpuri tribes belong to Mar-thakur community and they are not classified as SC/ST in India. Rural Igatpuri is pretty desert-like in its geographical specification.

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The area gets heavy monsoon rainfall although the soil does not have the capacity to hold the water. Hence during the summer and winter seasons the area takes a look of a barren land. Monsoon is the only season when the local tribes can do some agriculture in their land. That is more or less the only way of living in that area. Most of the inhabitants in the villages travel long distances most of the year to work as bonded-laborer at other’s agricultural field. The tribals are typically very impoverished and mostly illiterate.

Aseema’s effort has been much appreciated by the local tribes, mainly because Aseema would take care of their children’s future give them an alternative life. There are also local government run pre-primary and primary schools in the locality but their condition is poor and they do not operate on a regular basis. Teacher from the local government schools expressed their desire to work with Aseema instead.

A typical rural scene at Jambhwadi village

Jambhwadi pre-primary school:

Jambhwadi pre-primary school had started even before the Awalkheda school complex plan was finalized. The school is being successfully run for last couple of years.

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The Jambhwadi pre-primary school

Jambhwadi school hut has been built on a land generously gifted by a local tribal woman. The pre-primary school has approximately 35 students aged 3-6 years. They are provided school uniform, tiffin and medicine at the school. They follow Montessori method of teaching in their schools.

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The children at Jambhwadi school

Awalkheda pre-primary school:

Awalkheda pre-primary school is the dream project of Aseema. They bought 14 acre of local land to build a big residential school complex which will have pre-primary, primary and secondary Marathi vernacular schools. They wish to cater to 300 bright local tribal students and vow to change their lives.

The new school complex: When we visited the school, the last minute construction of the first school building was underway. They have built several spacious classrooms, social activity room, mini-library, a three-side open air theater for cultural activities and lavatories. The classrooms are designed to have lot of natural air and natural light. They also built living rooms in the basement so that visitors and Aseema’s social workers can stay at the school if necessary.

The new Awalkheda school complex

Children at Awalkheda school:

Most of the children at Awalkheda pre-primary school like to come to the school and there is very little fall out rate. The children fall into the 3-6 years age group although most of their parents are not sure about their exact date or year of birth.

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The children at Awalkheda school

The children are trained by Montessori training method. It’s a special method of pre-primary teaching through which children are given an experience of the practical world first, followed by lessons of abstract alphabets and letters. Children are taught to do simple additions and subtractions using practical everyday objects. During recess, children joined their teachers into gardening and other activities. The advanced learners are often asked to stay extra time after the school. They were separately taught advance mathematics and other school material.

The children doing gardening at Awalkheda school premises

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Aseema’s current project with Asha-San Francisco:

Aseema has requested fund for Montessori school material for one class room in their new school at Awalkheda. The teachers demonstrated the Montessori materials to us. They comprise of different building blocks of several types, shapes and color. This method teaching very young children seemed very practical and convincing.

A typical well equipped Montessori classroom

People who helped Aseema realize their dream at Awal-kheda, Igatpuri:

Ashok Pawar: He is a local social work and is involved in Aseema’s Igatpuri projects since beginning. He helped Aseema acquire local land for the schools. He recruited and co-ordinates the contractors and architects for the school. He was played a central role in moving the government proposed garbage dump near the school premises.

Natasha Albuquerque: Natasha is the secretary of Aseema and Asha San Francisco’s project contact. She helped immensely and actively to make our site visit possible. She is very efficient and prompt in answering all the queries and is always found to be on top of Aseema matters.

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Jaya Glory: She is Aseema’s Montessori teacher trainer. She is based in Mumbai and works at other Aseema projects in the city. She comes to visit Igatpuri twice in a month to train the local teachers. She seemed very committed to Aseema’s causes and clearly enjoys her work. It was my pleasure to get to meet her and learn about various Montessori teaching methods.

From left to right: Natasha, Jaya and Ashok

Final comments:

Aseema seems to have a very good infra-structure and strong foothold at Igatpuri. Their social workers are extremely motivated, knowledgeable and well aware about the practical difficulties that should be dealt with. They also seem to be able to keep all political influences at shore and completely devote into social activities. I found their effort appreciable, commendable and exemplary.

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Thanks to Aseema!

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