Report on Nayantara Project

Overview of the Project:

Nayantara :--( integrated development of adolescent girls through Education & Empowerment).

Sabuj Sangha is a non-profit, non-government development organization committed to improving the

lives of people less fortunate in West Bengal, India, through

participation and empowerment. The Organization is established in Nandakumarpur village under Mathurapur II community Development Block of South 24 Parganas. Sabuj Sangha aimed at improving quality of life of most vulnerable people of the communities. While working at Sunderban, It has been observed by the organization that, early marriage of the girl child is a very common practice and the patents often do this blunder to the girl. Most of the parents are poorly literate or illiterate and are to the poorest of the poor families. Girl’s education has no importance to them and this result in drop out of school of girls in their adolescence. They become engaged in household works or work as child labour and become the victim of early marriage and adolescent pregnancy. Risk of maternal and child mortality, poor health condition of child and mother, including the problem of malnutrition and death are the obvious outcome of this practice. Child trafficking and sexual abuse are another two common threats for these adolescent girls which are very commonly seen in this area. The poor parents cannot ignore the lucrative money offered to them for their girl child and send them in cities with some little known or unknown people of the locality. The girl children are very much neglected in all respect and deprived of their basic rights. This is culturally accepted by the parents and other community people & continuing generation after generation without any change.

“Nayantara” project of Sabuj Sangha is for those girls who want to continue their education, but cannot complete it because of various obstacles in their lives. Sabuj Sangha believes that the curse of poverty can be removed by education and empowerment, especially for the vulnerable girl children of the Sunderban and similar areas. This concept develops the project “Nayantara”

where adolescent girls of 12-18 years old are ensured to have educational back up and other necessary support for continuing their education for minimum up-to class 12. The project also helps them to motivate & learn vocational courses and extra-curricular activities after 18 years, which can create opportunity for them to earn in future.

At present, the project started from 15nth February 2015 as pilot basis in Nandakumarpur village of Mathurapur II block in South 24 Parganas. Total 18 students are getting benefit from the project.

The students come to the centre from nearby localities, some live in adjacent areas of the school and some of them come from the villages at 3-4 kilometers distance.

Activities:

The project emphasized on various direct and indirect supports which are key determinants of children’s education. These includes-

Backup education supports (In the form of tuition class):

The girl children attend coaching centre on regular basis. Emphasis is given on English, science and

Mathematics. They have been taught by experienced teachers who help them to prepare their home works of the school as well as new chapters of their syllabus. The tuition classes have been organized and conducted class-wise for two hours a day, six days a week.

Educational Material Supports :

Apart from back up education support, study materials like with text books, exercise books, pens, pencils, eraser education materials, geometry box, and

school uniform have been distributed for fulfillment of need for their education.

Nutrition Support:

Malnutrition is one of the key indicators in adolescent health. Through this project low cost food for nutritional supplementation has been provided to the students in the morning before starting of their class. Type of food provided are; puffed rice, Bengal gram, roti with vegetables, banana, breads etc. It provides energy, protein and vitamins which enhance their brain functionality for better understanding of the subjects.

Not only in the morning the foods are supplied to them before the “Bratachari” classes also, as it is a physical activity session and they come after school and spend a long hours (one and half hour) performing it.

Hygiene Support:

Adolescence period is the time when menstrual cycle of a girl starts, and brings various physical & psychological changes. It is one of the most crucial periods of her life for development of her mind and body. Menstruation is one of the important incidences, which is unfortunately has not been seen as a normal natural occurrence in our society. Often, various taboos and ill practices which are related with menstruation, affects the hygiene and health of an adolescent girl. The use of torn, old cloth is the most unsafe practices which have been used over the generation after generation. These cloths are not properly cleaned, dried and it causes various infections, like (UTI-Urinary Tract Infections) and other reproductive tract diseases among them. It has a long effect and creates complications in their latter stage of life also. One of the main focuses of our

project is to break the taboo and decrease the health hazard due to wrong menstrual practices. A hygiene kit has been given to each of the girls of the project to maintain her hygiene. The kit contains Toothpaste, Toothbrush, Shampoo, Soap, Antiseptic cream, Hand towel, Nail cutter, Comb and disposable Sanitary napkin. The girls have been made aware to use and dispose it properly.

Co-Curricular activity:

Education support alone does not bring the overall development of a child. For this purpose “Bratachari” (A special type of body movement with song which imparts

Knowledge, Labour, Truth, Unity and Joy among them.) classes has been organized for two days a week after school for these children.

Information-Communication Technology Training (ICT training):

Computer is an integral part of today’s life and it has a great impact in education process. It is one of the most useful devices, which is needed for everybody to learn for their own development.

Computer classes run after school hours they come to attend the class. There is a well-equipped classroom with latest specification of computers and accessories. Some of the girls who read in the Model School, Kishalaya Sishu Siksha Niketan (KSSN) are learning basic computer operation in their class, but the other girls who read in nearby schools do not exposed to computers. It is a new thing for them and they were found very much interested in learning it. Students of this project get accustomed with it by the experienced and skilled teacher with utmost importance.

Life Skill Training supports:

Life skills are abilities for adaptive and positive behavior that enable humans to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life. Adolescents are vulnerable to various situations and often decision making become difficult for them at this stage. Life skill training enhances confidence among these children to face certain unavoidable or unpleasant situation with determination and sensitivity and empathy.

During the life skill training, the girls are taking active part in the roll play, discussion, problem solving process. It helps to develop and enhance positive behavior in difficulties, decision making capacity, problem solving, creative thinking/lateral thinking, perspicacity, effective communication & interpersonal relationship, self-awareness/mindfulness, assertiveness, empathy, equanimity, coping with stress, trauma and loss, resilience etc. among them.

Extra-curricular activity:

Art & craft classes were organized every Sunday and the girls were provided Art and Craft training. It will help them to develop their imagination power and also built their skill on it. They practiced pottery, woodcraft,

paper craft,

applique, waste material recycling crafts according to their choice. It helps them to encourage their creativity and can use this skill for income generation in future also.

Reporting mechanism:

Progress report of the children will be sent on quarterly basis. Special occasion of the children like birthday, promotion in class, excellence in education or others activity will be included in the report.

Learning from the project:

Education is the key of knowledge which enlightens the window of opportunity. “Nayantara” programme highlighted not only the educational growth of a child but also her overall development. It has been observed; the students getting interest in their studies, accepted the hygiene kits & using properly, maintaining hygienic behaviour and taking part in extra-curricular activities. They do not depend on their families for education which has a two way benefit. For them, these back up supports make them confident in their studies and for the family it is a great relief as they do not have the money to support their children, especially girls for their education. They always feel them as burden and do not want to spend money for them. In this project it has been seen that; each of the girls has the probability to do good in various fields; whether it is education or in extra-curricular activity or in art, if the directions for them are channeled in the proper way.

Case Study:

“I want to be a teacher and I will definitely continue my education whatever the situation arises”.

This was the quote of Suchitra Jana, a 15 years old girl. After getting tuition support for two months through this “Nayantara” project, she is now in class IX. She is a very studious girl and as quoted before, she has a keen interest in studies. But there are many obstacles to fulfill her dream. She lost her father two years ago who was a cancer patient. She is middle of her another two sisters and one brother. Her mother was housewife and did nothing except household work until her father was alive. But after his

husband’s death she suddenly falls into limitless misery. For her husband’s treatment entire savings was spent and all the assets were sold. Her mother had to sell her house and now lives with her kids’ in-laws. Her problem worsened when her father-in-law died suddenly. The worst part was, her mother is an illiterate woman and now she is working as domestic helper for their survival and there was no other option. Suchitra has an elder sister who will appear in Higher Secondary examination this year (2017). Her education needs more expenses. She has another younger sister who reads in class VII and has a tumor in her forehead. She needs to be treated immediately but for their extreme monetary crisis her mother cannot give her minimum treatment. She just took medicines from a quack doctor of nearby locality. In these circumstances, though continuation of study is almost impossible in her situation, but she has not given up hope, but has zeal to learn and want to do something in her life so that, she can improve her family’s condition. Her mother, despite this miserable condition, wants that; her daughter will study and learn.

Her mother Angur Jana, said,

“If Suchitra gets support with all things, which are needed for her education and development, I will not force her to stop education. I am an illiterate and I know how it feels when the situation becomes worse. I don’t want to let her suffer like me”.