Asha for EducationTM

P.O. Box 322 • New York • NY 10040-0322 www.ashanet.org

6 MONTH PROGRESS REPORT ((June – November 2016)

Please send fill out this form and send back to Asha for Education within 3 weeks from the time you receive this form. Thank you for your time and patience.

PLEASE COMPLETE THIS FORM AND MAIL IT TO:

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CONTACT INFORMATION Name of the organization: Sabuj Sangha

Organization description: Sabuj Sangha is a non-profit, non-government development organisation committed to improving the lives of people less fortunate in West Bengal, India, through participation and empowerment. Registered in 1975 under the West Bengal Societies Registration Act 1961 (Registration Number: S/16979), the organisation has grown significantly since, spreading north throughout South 24 Parganas, Kolkata and in Alipurduar district in North Bengal.

From its humble beginnings, Sabuj Sangha has grown into a vibrant organization working with a range of people across multiple sectors. Sabuj Sangha implements programmes in various sectors, catering to the needs of vulnerable communities. The Organization believes that there is no simple solution to reduce/eradicate poverty. As such, in order to overcome poverty, it is necessary to address the range of issues that poor people face on a daily basis. Tackling issues in an integrated, sustainable manner, Sabuj Sangha aims at improving quality of life of most vulnerable people of the communities.

The organization is also registered under Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act 1976, Registered under Section 12A and U/S 80G (5) (VI) of the Income-tax Act, 1961; empanelled with the Planning Commission, Government of India, National CSR Hub, West Bengal State AIDS Prevention and Control Society; accredited by Credibility Alliance.

The Organization is functional in Mathurapur I & II, Patharpratima, Sagar, Baruipur, Sonarpur, Canning I, Jaynagar I and Kulpi development Blocks of South 24 Parganas district and Kumargram Block of Alipurduar district also Bidhannagar Municipality, Salt Lake City and Kolkata Municipal Corporation areas of Kolkata district West Bengal. It is working in the below mentioned thematic areas in which it has got expertise and gained considerable experience:

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Health and Nutrition Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Education and Protection Livelihood and Women’s Empowerment, and Environment and Disaster Response

Date of establishment: 12th December, 1975 Contact person(s): Mr. Ansuman Das (Secretary & Director), Project Contact: Mr. Arunabha Das

Phone number: 033 24415357, +91 9831001655, +91 9007032300 Email: director@sabujsangha.org / arunabha@sabujsangha.org

Address: Registered Office: Vill & PO: Nandakumarpur, P.S. Raidighi, Dist: S 24 Pgns, Pin: 743349, Central Office (for Correspondence): 30/9 Rajdanga Main Road (East), Kolkata - 7000107

Location (village/town): Uttar Nararthali village under Khoardanga Block and Turturikhanda tea estate under Turturikhand GP Description of area :

Kumargram Block of the district of Alipurduar situated in the hilly region of international border of India and Bhutan and State border of West Bengal and Assam. Kumargram Block is consisting of 11 GPs in Alipurduar district; out of 11 GPs, 2 GPs are Khoardanga I Turturikhanda. These GPs are quite vulnerable among all the other GPs. Both the GPs are situated in the fringe of the forest. Turturikhanda is the weakest tea garden and almost throughout the year the tea garden is closed and as an effect people are jobless and thus remain vulnerable and therefore they are forced to migrate to sustain their livelihood. Children are not getting proper education and nutritious food; poverty and illiteracy are continuing generation after generation.

In this forest some wild animals like leopards, elephants are found and these wild animals are frequently disturbing these 2 GPs. As a result, in this aspect too, the inhabitants are also becoming vulnerable. Maximum people are living tea garden area or Forest Basti area where transport system is very poor. The condition of agricultural land is very bad because it is mixed with stones and that is why maximum people are working as a tea garden labour under a low wage; some people collect fire wood from forest and some people collect stone and sand from Raidak river; some people migrated outside the state like Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra etc and sometimes outside the Country like Bhutan since livelihood options are very limited here. Some people prepare local alcohol and sale it locally. Literacy rate of this district is 73.25% as per 2011 census, out of them79.95% is male and female is 66.23% with 90% of the children are found to be first generation learners with not many schools are found.

People of these areas are truly living in a miserable condition in unsafe tea garden village huts with less and no facilities of health and education with civic amenities namely transport or others are found to be not much equipped as well.

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STATISTICS Number of children currently enrolled in the project:

Turturikhand: 60, Uttar Nararthali: 70

Total 130 children Ages of the children: 06-15 years Standards taught: These children are mostly first generation learners and most of the time it is found that they are never been to school or dropped out; they have been taught from Class I to VIII. Number of boys: Turturikhanda: 29, Uttar Nararthali: 34 Total Boys 63 Number of girls: Turturikhanda: 31, Uttar Nararthali: 36 Total Girls 67 Number of teachers: 04 Number of MALE teachers: 02 Number of FEMALE teachers: 02 Current Teacher/student ratio: 1:33

Salary of Teachers: Rs. 4000 per month School timings: 6 A.M to 9.30 A.M School days: Monday to Friday Over all school attendance percentage : 100% Medium of instruction: The medium of instruction is Hindi in Turturikhand and Bangla in Uttar Nararthali.

______________________________________________________________________________________ Economic background of the parents of the children:

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The area is situated at the foot hills of the Himalayas and is therefore not suitable for agriculture due to lack of irrigation and poor agricultural facilities. Also, the tea gardens stand as a sole source of income in absence of industries. People are mainly from Scheduled Tribe background namely Koch, Rajbansi, Toto, Rava, Bodo, Santal etc. People are very poor here while some work as an agricultural labour and most of them are bound to work in the tea estates with long hours but low wages. Some of them engaged in collection of fire wood from dense forest and sale that in the local market. Some of them collect stone and sand from river and sale those to the builders. The children also accompany their mothers to earn daily livelihood. Some people are bound to get into the mode of migration to other states and sometimes even outside India to earn and sustain their livelihood. With such a scenario, their monthly income varies from Rs. 2500 – 3000. Alcoholism is a common phenomena found within the community and in both men and women. Children are deprived of their basic rights namely their right to education and growing up in a safe and healthy environment since they are engaged in additional source of income and sometimes left alone at homes in an unsafe condition to carry out domestic duties and responsibilities or looking after their younger siblings. Girl children are in a more vulnerable condition with high probabilities of engagement in the sex industry through trafficking.

Is the school in rural or urban area: The Educational Centres are situated in remote village area of Uttar Nararthali and remote village tea garden area of Turturikhanda. Is it a residential school? No How far away are the homes of the children? The children are staying in the surrounding areas and they travel 2-3km everyday to reach at the centres. How do the children get to school? The children are generally travelling by bicycle or take a walk to the centres. School days : Monday to Friday

FCRA Number: 147110293 Date 16th March,1992

Below are some general questions regarding the project. Since your feedback is valuable to us, please make your answers as detailed as possible.

Please tell us the progress of the school in the last 6 months (usually from April to September of the current year based on typical April 1 – March 31 school year in India)

The Centres are going through some qualitative progress in the last 6 months and some significant changes observed in the day to day activities of the children. Earlier, they were involved in only playing and some income generation activities but now they have started coming to the centres to avail the coaching support. Earlier, it was difficult for them to do home work on their own but now the coaching support is solving such issues quite effectually. Also, the habit of doing class work in the centre enhancing their abilities to perform well in schools and getting good grades in class work. Regular

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attendance to school has been added some positivity in their behaviour, attitude and approach; their restlessness has been reduced and they have become little disciplined as taught by the teachers. The children are having health cards for regular health checkups to have an improved health. They are also quite happy and excited about getting different educational materials, dresses, school bags and also apt environment to study. Parents are gradually becoming aware of the significance of education and the importance of continuous involvement of their children in education. To enhance such aspects 2 Centre Development Committees (CDCs) (3 each in 2 centres) have been formed which are consisting of Panchayat Pradhan, Panchayat members, members of the Panchayat Samiti, head of the village, parents and other important stakeholders; the total number of people are 11 in each committee with 5 parents and a gender balance is maintained in such committees. Total number of 6 meetings have been conducted (3 each) in which some imperative discussions have taken place covering the areas of sending children to school compulsorily or how to improve the centres in terms of education and other related issues. In addition, 2 parent – teacher meetings have also been conducted to promote the importance of education among illiterate parents.

How do you think the school has improved in the last 6 months?

The final examinations are over in schools and the results will be out in this month and after that in a new session, the formative evaluations are planned to be taken in the centres to evaluate the child and get better results. The classrooms have become child friendly as the benches are provided and that have added comfort to the children while studying as they do not have to sit on floors and because of that they have become more classroom centric; the nutritional support has enhanced their nutritional status with proper nourishment; the health check ups are looking after the overall health aspect of the children and enhanced their health status so that chronic and other diseases should not be affecting them and they remain energetic; this will be reducing the absenteeism in the school and at the centres as well; also encouragement is provided to develop the social skills by celebrating observation days namely Independence Day, Durga Puja etc; this is in a way helping children to have an ingrained feeling of togetherness; they are involved in physical activities and games as well for their proper growing up. The Organisation is encouraging more and more interactions with the community to reinforce such skills. Lots of excitement, enthusiasm and fun have been noticed in the children to avail such opportunities.

What are the problems you have faced in the last 6 months?

Earlier, the children were not interested in studies as that were somewhat encouraged by their illiterate parents by involving them in household work or other income generation activities; hence, initially it was quite a challenge to make both understand the significance of education, regular attendance of children in the centres and the significance of teacher - parents interaction so that the parents regularly attend the parent teacher meeting to understand the educational status of their children. Also, since the children are quite vibrant, therefore, such vibrancy needs to be channelised in an apt manner through engaging them in various creative and constructive activities. In addition some other problems have generated like the centre in Uttar Nararthali is suffering from soggy floor which is creating further damages especially in monsoon.

How would you rate the overall effectiveness of this project over the past 6 months?

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The overall effectiveness is quite good and we hope that we will be able to deal with all aspects successfully in future. Asha For Education has enabled us to bring quality in education and also improving overall health status of children by regular health checkups and providing nutritious food. Thus, this Project has improved the all round development of the students. We are optimistic to enhance the quality of education and quality living among the students. Most importantly, the illiterate parents are now want to send their children to School. The children are getting proper guidance in doing their homework and class works from teachers; they have become disciplined and understood the significance of time and therefore, arriving to school in time; also the mapping of areas of interest has been done so that the children should be guided properly for the future and avail a secured future; as mentioned earlier, the slow learners or children in special need are getting special attention from the teacher as well. Asha For Education is giving all sorts of support and encouragement and we looking forward to fulfill the existing gaps with their continuous support.

Please give examples of activities at the project in the last 6 months. Please give details.

Along with their regular studies, the children participate actively in various Observation Days, festivals namely Independence Day & Durga Puja which is enhancing their social skills and an emphasis on their communication skills has been provided by the teachers. Also, along with studies, they are involved into physical activities namely running, jumping etc and that are enhancing their physical abilities and proper growth.

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Please explain how Asha funds were used in the last 6 months.

Is there any other feedback you would like to provide to Asha for Education?

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It has been a great endeavour from Asha For Education and their support is reinforcing the education of vulnerable children; it is important because if we can prepare this generation like this then the next generation will be literate; also it is important to provide such support up till 18 years since in Indian context, X or XII level education is mandatory to get into any vocational training or a job. This endeavour will be instrumental in the education of vulnerable children getting dropped out for poverty or working as a child labour or education is being stopped for other societal odds. Some community mobilization programmes should be continued related to education, health or human trafficking to make the community and parents sensitise about such significant societal issues. In addition, it is also imperative to map the interest area of the children at the primary level and accordingly they are needed to be guided after standard XII to pursue his / her interest and transforming that into income generation.

Please send fill out this form and send back to Asha for Education within 3 weeks from the time you receive this form. Thank you for your time and patience.

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________________________________________________Date: 20.12.2016

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