dfc2009 india : equipping anganvadis with with learning aids

THE JOY OF GIVINGTHE JOY OF GIVING

The Design for Giving School The Design for Giving School Contest-Contest-

“Creating solutions to India’s “Creating solutions to India’s largest problems.”largest problems.”

““Education-Equipping Anganwadis with Education-Equipping Anganwadis with learning aids” learning aids”

by by STD 8STD 8

DAY STAR SCHOOL DAY STAR SCHOOL MANALI, HIMACHAL PRADESHMANALI, HIMACHAL PRADESH

Our story of change…..Our story of change…..

Students of grade 8:Sagar, Parikshit, Mahajan, Dechen, Ayushi, Ashish, Nilaksh, Jetsun, Anish, Deepshika, Alwyn, Shivam, Sushein, Saloni, Geeta, Ajay, Pranav, Kartik.T, Pooja, Archana, Akash, Khenze, Amarjeet, Ashima, Ritu, Sahil, Kartik.S, Martin, Ishani, Dolkar, Angmo, Divya, Monica, Shamili, Vipanshu, Rishabh, Ashok

Teachers:Deepa Varghese and Ratnakar

I. Feel:What bothers you?I. Feel:What bothers you?

• Children who’s parents can’t afford to send them to school

• Disability• The caste system• Labour exploitation of

construction workers• Slum children not

being able to study• Poverty• Begging• Girls not allowed to go

to school

• Homes destroyed because of natural disasters like the fire in Solang and Malana

• People who don’t have land to build homes

Rishabh

• Child labour-children working in dhabas, hotels and homes in Manali

• Gujjars-they keep traveling and their children don’t study, we can provide a mobile school

• Dowry• Corruption

• The rejection of lepers

• Female foeticide• Child marriage• Mistreatment of

widows• Unemployment• Lack of educational

and medical resources in remote villages

II. Imagine: Which problem can we II. Imagine: Which problem can we attempt to solve within a week?attempt to solve within a week?

• We thought a lot about how we could do something useful within a week. We decided that since it won’t be possible to go to remote villages in a week, we can do something about education in villages here around Manali. From primary schools and Anganwadis we narrowed down to Anganwadis.

• We spoke to Dr. Laji and Sheila, two doctors who have been involved in health and education in Manali for a long time. We realized that even though education is a long term process, we can still teach small children some basic things and provide them with basic resources they need for learning like colours, books and toys.

Plan of Action:Plan of Action:

-Visit Anganwadis to see how they function and what resources they have.

-Ask the staff what resources they need.

-Collect educational resources and give them to the Anganwadis.

III. DO:III. DO:We visited the head Anganwadi office in Patlikul. We met with Child Development Officer. She was excited about our project and appreciated our initiative. She gave us a list of Anganwadis to work with. We chose 7 out of them.

We visited the 7 We visited the 7 Anganwadis around Manali:Anganwadis around Manali:

1. Near Ram Bagh: 11 children

2. Mahila Mandal: 22 children

3. Near Rohtang Bridge: 22 children

4. Chijoga: 18 children5. Gompa Road: 18 children6. Near Log Huts: 11

children7. Near Manali Sweets: 10

childrenTotal number of children

benefitted: 112

Resources that the Anganwadis required the Resources that the Anganwadis required the most which we chose to provided:most which we chose to provided:

• Toys• Alphabet and number flashcards• Drawing sheets/books• Colors• Charts• Shakers made from shampoo bottles( We told the whole school about our project

and asked them to contribute with whatever they could. A lot of teachers and students of Day Star gave resources. The toys, books, charts and colours were given by them and the rest we made ourselves)

Making Making flashcards and collecting flashcards and collecting

chartscharts

We spent a whole day in school making alphabet and number flashcards and collecting picture charts……..

Finally after a Finally after a whole day’s whole day’s work we had work we had

made 7 made 7 “educational “educational packs” for packs” for

each each Anganwadi. Anganwadi.

We were We were ready to go ready to go and GIVEand GIVE

READY TO GO!

The AnganwadisThe Anganwadis

Being part of theirlives

We presented a skit to them about diseases We presented a skit to them about diseases and germs. We shared the importance of and germs. We shared the importance of

washing hands and boiling water. washing hands and boiling water.

Giving the educational packGiving the educational pack

Playing with the childrenPlaying with the children

Teaching them……..Teaching them……..

Through the Joy of Giving Through the Joy of Giving experience we……experience we……

Explored our own community in a different way.

Became aware of the educational needs around us

Reached out……Reached out……

And had lots of fun!!!!And had lots of fun!!!!

Thank you Thank you