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ABOUT US
Ek Prayaas is a Non-Profit Organization registered under The West Bengal Society’s Act. It is a project, which envisions in bringing social and economic transformation by educating the less fortunate children among the various communities of Kolkata.
It is an all round effort to support, educate and develop the lives of under privileged children presently living in the slums of Kolkata. We provide breakfast and lunch at school. Besides academics, the school focuses on extra-curricular activities like sports, dance and theatre programs for the children. We strive to transform the lives of these children into economically independent, well-rounded and enterprising adults, who will have a positive impact on the society around them.
With this in mind, Ek Prayaas has a mission to be a role model school that extends "literacy into learning".
After primary school, we constantly motivate the academically driven children through various efforts such as finding sponsors, providing tuition for academic help, counseling etc. Thus enabling them to complete their education and empower them to lead a life of dignity and excellence in their chosen field.
Our motto is "EMPOWER THROUGH LEARNING"
Ek Prayaas is a Non-Profit Organization registered under The West Bengal Society’s Act. It is a project, which envisions in bringing social and economic transformation by educating the less fortunate children among the various communities of Kolkata.
It is an all round effort to support, educate and develop the lives of under privileged children presently living in the slums of Kolkata. We provide breakfast and lunch at school. Besides academics, the school focuses on extra-curricular activities like sports, dance and theatre programs for the children. We strive to transform the lives of these children into economically independent, well-rounded and enterprising adults, who will have a positive impact on the society around them.
With this in mind, Ek Prayaas has a mission to be a role model school that extends "literacy into learning".
After primary school, we constantly motivate the academically driven children through various efforts such as finding sponsors, providing tuition for academic help, counseling etc. Thus enabling them to complete their education and empower them to lead a life of dignity and excellence in their chosen field.
Our motto is "EMPOWER THROUGH LEARNING"
DURATION OF THE PROJECT
This project is continuing strongly for 14 years.
TARGET GROUP
Children from low income background, out of school and Government school students etc.
Age group: 4 to 14 approx.
CHALLENGE AREA
India has been growing rapidly in terms of population and now accounts for almost one-sixth of the world's population. Economic growth on the other hand has not been able to cope up with such rapid increase leading to a huge mismatch with population prosperity. One-third of the world's poor reside in India. Also, India has the largest number of child labours under the age of 14 in the world.
Although poverty is often considered as the cause resulting in child labour, several other factors such as discrimination, social exclusion, as well as the lack of quality education or existing parents’ attitudes and perceptions about child labour need to be considered.
There are also concerns relating to teacher training, the quality of the curriculum, assessment of learning achievements and the efficiency of school management.
LITERACY IN INDIA
The world economic forum has been able to recognize India as the next economic super power. Urban India is growing and shining. At the same time, millions living in the slum area are struggling for two ends to meet. They have been deprived the privilege of fruits of this progress.
We at Ek Prayaas try to bridge this gap by providing quality education to financially backward children. To eliminate poverty, education is the only tool by which people can earn more, know how to raise their standard of living and have a vision of better life.
This project is continuing strongly for 14 years.
TARGET GROUP
Children from low income background, out of school and Government school students etc.
Age group: 4 to 14 approx.
CHALLENGE AREA
India has been growing rapidly in terms of population and now accounts for almost one-sixth of the world's population. Economic growth on the other hand has not been able to cope up with such rapid increase leading to a huge mismatch with population prosperity. One-third of the world's poor reside in India. Also, India has the largest number of child labours under the age of 14 in the world.
Although poverty is often considered as the cause resulting in child labour, several other factors such as discrimination, social exclusion, as well as the lack of quality education or existing parents’ attitudes and perceptions about child labour need to be considered.
There are also concerns relating to teacher training, the quality of the curriculum, assessment of learning achievements and the efficiency of school management.
LITERACY IN INDIA
| As per the latest ASER (Annual Status of Education Report) 2014 - Almost 83% Children in standard 3 in Government schools cannot read 1st standard level para. |
| Almost 52% children in standard 5 in Government schools cannot read 2nd standard level text. |
| Around 74% children in standard 5 cannot do mathematical divisions. In arithmetic, a large fraction of children are lagging several years behind where they are expected to be. |
| Around 50% of Schools do not meet pupil teacher ratio norms as per RTE. |
The world economic forum has been able to recognize India as the next economic super power. Urban India is growing and shining. At the same time, millions living in the slum area are struggling for two ends to meet. They have been deprived the privilege of fruits of this progress.
We at Ek Prayaas try to bridge this gap by providing quality education to financially backward children. To eliminate poverty, education is the only tool by which people can earn more, know how to raise their standard of living and have a vision of better life.
Why are children not coming to school? Many surveys have been conducted to know the causes. Some of the reasons are poverty, ignorance of the parents, not understanding the importance of education etc. but one of the reasons why students are not coming to school is, there is no joy of learning. Education is not interesting and useful. The whole process of education should be joyful.
“Education is the only medium of social change”.
The idea is to bring school and various other amenities like audio visual aids, library, laboratory and computers to urban deprived kids. By arranging these and other various educational programs, we try to raise the educational standard of the students and enrolling more and more such children to the schools. They must learn how to inculcate the higher values in their life and thus become a better citizen of our country with a global outlook.
Through Ek Prayaas, we are addressing two of the eight Millennium Development Goals –
“Education is the only medium of social change”.
The idea is to bring school and various other amenities like audio visual aids, library, laboratory and computers to urban deprived kids. By arranging these and other various educational programs, we try to raise the educational standard of the students and enrolling more and more such children to the schools. They must learn how to inculcate the higher values in their life and thus become a better citizen of our country with a global outlook.
Through Ek Prayaas, we are addressing two of the eight Millennium Development Goals –
- Achieve universal primary education
- Eradication of extreme poverty and hunger
VISION AND MISSION
Ek Prayaas ensures that each student acquires the knowledge, skill and strategies necessary to reach his/her full potential and become a productive, responsible citizen. As a result of this, children will become lifelong learners who are sensitive to the needs of a fast changing world.
Ek Prayaas collaborates with others in this endeavour to ensure that each child housed in its school grows to be a self-confident individual able to activate its own unique potential in a constructive way. It is important that child labour be replaced with adult enterprise.
Ek Prayaas aims to develop a pedagogy that includes both academic and vocational learning. A parent- teacher - student based education is being continually researched and applied in order to ensure that Ek Prayaas never compromises on quality. Presently, Ek Prayaas works with an organisation, Ummeed to create a positive and healthy, mental and emotional well-being through individual and group counselling sessions.
Ek Prayaas has plans to share knowledge and expertise with other organizations which share its goals or with like-minded people who wish to adopt similar processes in the spreading of learning along with literacy. We aim to be a role model school where learning is application based and the benefits are about individual contribution to the larger social picture.
“The most important reason to be educated is to pass on the raising of consciousness and to enhance the quality of life”.
Ek Prayaas aims to ensure that each student grows to be a self-confident individual with belief in his/her unique potential, with the ability to unleash it in a constructive way.
Our students must be able to apply what they learn. At Ek Prayaas, we strive to provide wholesome education which is the first step towards economic independence for each child. We are eager to assist individuals and nisations that share our vision.
GOALS
Ek Prayaas ensures that each student acquires the knowledge, skill and strategies necessary to reach his/her full potential and become a productive, responsible citizen. As a result of this, children will become lifelong learners who are sensitive to the needs of a fast changing world.
Ek Prayaas collaborates with others in this endeavour to ensure that each child housed in its school grows to be a self-confident individual able to activate its own unique potential in a constructive way. It is important that child labour be replaced with adult enterprise.
Ek Prayaas aims to develop a pedagogy that includes both academic and vocational learning. A parent- teacher - student based education is being continually researched and applied in order to ensure that Ek Prayaas never compromises on quality. Presently, Ek Prayaas works with an organisation, Ummeed to create a positive and healthy, mental and emotional well-being through individual and group counselling sessions.
Ek Prayaas has plans to share knowledge and expertise with other organizations which share its goals or with like-minded people who wish to adopt similar processes in the spreading of learning along with literacy. We aim to be a role model school where learning is application based and the benefits are about individual contribution to the larger social picture.
“The most important reason to be educated is to pass on the raising of consciousness and to enhance the quality of life”.
Ek Prayaas aims to ensure that each student grows to be a self-confident individual with belief in his/her unique potential, with the ability to unleash it in a constructive way.
Our students must be able to apply what they learn. At Ek Prayaas, we strive to provide wholesome education which is the first step towards economic independence for each child. We are eager to assist individuals and nisations that share our vision.
GOALS
- Enrolment: All the eligible children of the slum must be enrolled in the school at the nursery level.
- Retention: Every enrolled child must complete the elementary education up to 5th grade. There should not be any dropout.
- Quality Education: Children should get quality education and joy of learning.
- Completion of Education: All children from Ek Prayaas must be capable of raising their quality of life through obtaining a sound and recognizable education milestone.
- Eradication of hunger: By providing Breakfast and Lunch, we ensure that the basic nutritional needs of each child is taken care of.
- Elimination of Poverty: By providing sponsorship for completion of education, they will be able to earn more and come out from poverty, being able to provide economic support for their families.
- Maximise Potential: Education is incomplete until there is a strong sense of value based self belief and self-worth which we strive to bring out in each child
The goal is to see 1000 children access basic education, and good health by 2022.
In an effort to achieve this, emphasis will also be put on improving the skills of these children, initiate income generating project for self -reliance and reduce the burden of over dependence and donor fatigue.
STRATEGIES
The objectives are being realized through:
- Provide support to needy and vulnerable children at pre-school and those already in school.
- Train and nurture children by giving individual attention and continuous counselling throughout their education.
- Improve on the nutritional status of the children at school and home.
Create community awareness of support programs in health, sanitation and hygiene. - Conduct home visit to slums and conduct family counselling services.
Ensure that all children get admission into suitable high schools, and are financially enabled to finish an under-graduate program at least. - Academically weak students are encouraged and guided into a rewarding vocational career-based program.
- By holding regular teachers training workshops to ensure a consistency and allowing us to raise the standards of education at Ek Prayaas.
THE JOURNEY TILL NOW
Ek Prayaas began as an attempt to raise consciousness and a quality of life for those who live a marginalized existence. Ourinitiative which began as a personal contributionhas grown into a thriving school housing the primary classes. Ek Prayaas has achieved full attendance of learners from underprivileged homes in the primary section.
In September 2004, what started as a disparate group of 12 children taught by two adults who had a dream is today Ek Prayaas. The school houses the entire primary section with the basic infrastructure of learning in place. There are currently more than 200 children in the age group of 4 -14 years, belonging to the surrounding slum areas. The children are grouped into 8 classes from Lower Nursery to Class 5. Learning materials have been analysed and put in place as per skill requirements of each age group.
A systematic curriculum has been devised for them keeping in mind their socio-economic background. Extra-curricular activities like art and craft, music, drama, athletics, dance, and excursions have become a regular feature in the school term.
A certified psychotherapist holds regular counseling sessions for the children, and one-on-one sessions are taken individually for those in need. It is deemed the teachers responsibility to identify these children and help them deal with any issues. Yoga and meditation are practiced daily to keep the body and mind active and healthy.
Prayers are said before meals and at the end of a school day. Breakfast and Lunch are provided to the children on a daily basis.
Teachers with experience in non-formal schools have been incorporated to teach and trained to disperse an education of quality.
Health and hygiene have become an intrinsic part of school agenda with regular Medical Camps to look into their health needs.
PROJECT COVERAGE AREA
This project is intended to cover the whole city because the financially backward children are not confined to one area alone and come from different parts of the city. However we are currently working in a particular area at present due to limited financial resources. We are working with many rural migrant communities in our area on a day to day basis.
A DAY @ EK PRAYAAS
- At Ek Prayaas, we believe that a healthy mind and body are essential for a child’s overall development.
- School commences with daily prayers followed by Yoga and Meditation.
- A wholesome breakfast and lunch is provided to all the children in school.
- Our classes begin from 9.00 am and end at 1.30 pm.The core subjects taught are English, Mathematics, Hindi, Science, History, Geography, Computer Studies and Environmental studies. This is done in the form of Basic Teaching as well as through creative games which help increase knowledge of alphabet and basic fundamental of mathematic etc. Emphasis is also given to General Knowledge and Moral Science.Remedial classes are provided to the children who need them. Art & Craft, Conversational Skills, Spoken English and Story Telling are a regular part of their daily routine, which are conducted by volunteers.
- Smart Class is held for all children on a regular basis.
Smart classes cover all subjects and are taught from Class 1 to Class 5 after teachers were given the requisite training. - Occasional Fun Outings are arranged for the children with the help of sponsors.
- Parent meeting on a regular basis concerning good parenting is also one of the essential aspects of the development program at Ek Prayaas.
- Children get thorough knowledge of different subjects by participating in monthly Projects which are activity based, in a team of 10 or more students. Through this, their concept of the classroom teaching is greatly enhanced.
- Sports training in partnership with FUN PICKLE, a sports-oriented organization, takes place for all our children on a weekly basis.
OTHER ACTIVITIES & IT’S BENEFITS
Besides Education, we have several extra-curricular activities, many of which are skill based, in order to give our children more career options and opportunities and a mean to live a dignified life.
Every year in the month of September/October, we hold our Annual Programme in a reputed Auditorium in Kolkata. Our audience include the parents/guardians of the children, our family and friends, all sponsors and donors of Ek Prayaas. We make sure that most of our children get a chance to showcase their talent through dance, drama, singing, speeches, back stage, artwork and handicrafts. We always work around meaningful value-based themes, which are relevant to our present times and are greatly motivational to the children as well as adults.
We have touched on themes such as true struggles and success of great Indian sportspeople,true stories of brave Indian children, armed forces as a career option, Back to the Roots (empowering our villages), I wish Aisa ho Akhbaar(A wishful happy newspaper).
Over the years these programmes have not only been an extreme source of happiness to our children, who may or may not get such an opportunity later in life but has also helped to identify their extraordinary skills and talents.
5 of our children have been picked up by a renowned choreographer to train them in different forms of dance and eventually integrate them in his team. Our theatre teacher has also identified some of the actors and wants them to act in proper theatre productions.
However, it has been our observation that there are some children who loiter on the streets and sidewalks as they simply cannot afford to take admission to any school. Our premise remains unoccupied during most of afternoon and evening. Hence we are very keen to start a session for specifically these children with an aim to impart basic education and therefore dignity to them.
Current Activities needing additional support through funding
- Computer training to students to keep them at par with the changing education pattern.
- FACE- Feed aChild Everyday
- Educate a child
- Imparting value education through dance and theatre showing individual talents
- Afternoon school for street children
- Progressing to Middle school and High School
CHALLENGES
- Construction of conducive classrooms and create a conducive learning environment.
- Supply and establishment of library and computer room for school.
- Provide milk to children at school.
- Training children on life skills through skill development centres
Conducting counselling and guidance to children and their guardians who are sometimes unwilling to understand its importance
BENEFITS
- Comprehensive, value based education in a conducive classroom environment.
- Have scholastic materials provided to them.
- Each child having school uniforms and equipment
- Each child will have access to medical treatment.
- Improved hygiene and sanitation among the children and their guardians.
- Provision of free medical camps, i.e. eye check-ups, dental check-ups etc.
- Allowing the children to escape the poverty cycle
- Successfully integrating the children into enterprising members of society.
IMPACT OF THE PROJECT
a)Reach: We are currently providing educational support, both academic and material, to over 200 students in and around the city.
b)Increase in attendance & performance: Through constant monitoring and follow-up the Ek Prayaas team is able to maintain 95% average attendance of students in schools which has a direct impact in the academic performance of the child. There is a steady growth in the academic performance of the children across years.
c)Reduction in Drop-out rates of girls: Dropout rates of girls, which, at the national level is more than 50% by the time girls reach class 10th, has successfully been curtailed to less than 5% within the programme.
d) Continuity in Education post Primary classes:Since 2004, more than 150 students have completed Grade V. Most of these students are continuing their education and are either studying in higher classes, Colleges or are pursuing vocational courses at reputed Institutes. Among those who have discontinued their education, some have started their own businesses such as tailoring, vegetable vending & setting up their own grocery shops.
While there are still cases of girls getting married at a young age, we are happy to see that children who have passed middle & high school have become instrumental in convincing their parents that education should come first and then marriage
e) Replicable & Scalable: While the teaching learning aids and methodology may be tweaked to meet the perceived needs of the local community where the project is being implemented (for e.g. specific to its language, livelihood and culture), the basic programme strategy can be considered highly replicable in other settings that has helped in achieving scalability.
f) Multi-stakeholder partnerships: The project is an exemplary example of multi-stakeholder partnerships with corporate, government bodies, local communities, students, and school teachers, leading to pooling of resources and expertise and thereby ensuring successful implementation of the programme on one hand and ensuring sustainability of the intervention on the other hand. Systematic, strategic and consistent engagement and involvement of the local community has also ensured a noticeable albeit gradual “shift in culture” in favour of education of the child.
g) Sustainability:We believe that active participation by the community ensures sustainability of any initiative. Once the community develops a sense of ownership, they also become an effective monitoring forum. We work with teachers in terms of improving their skills and with communities to forge closer community-school relationship to sustain the process beyond the project.
COST ANALYSIS
PLANNED ACTIVITY 1 : COMPUTER TRAINING PARTICULARS AMOUNT (Rs.) AMOUNT (Rs.) ONE TIME COST Purchase of 10 computers 2,50,000 RECURRING COST (ANNUALY) Maintenance of computers 15,000 Salary of 2 specialized teachers @ 8000 per teacher 1,92,000 TOTAL VARIABLE COST Per Year 2,07,000 EXPECTED QUALITATIVE OUTPUT To enhance the quality of education and bring them at par with other students.
PLANNED ACTIVITY 2 : FACE – Feed A Child Everyday PARTICULARS AMOUNT (Rs.) AMOUNT (Rs.) Cost per Day Annual Cost BREAFAST (300 DAYS) Banana/Bread and Idli on alternate days 1,100 3,30,000 LUNCH (300 DAYS) Puri, Sabzi or Rice with Sambhar or Chowmein 1,800 5,40,000 Milk (300 Days) 4,000 12,00,000 TOTAL 20,70,000 EXPECTED QUALITATIVE OUTPUT To enhance the quality of health and proper intake of food.
PLANNED ACTIVITY 3 : EDUCATE A CHILD PARTICULARS NUMBER COST MONTHLY (Rs.) ANNUAL (Rs.) Salary of an Administrator 1 22,000 22,000 2,64,000 Salary of Teachers 17 8,000 1,36,000 16,32,000 Salary of Helper/Cleaner 2 3,000 6,000 72,000 Salary of Gatekeeper 1 6,000 6,000 72,000 Power Cost 10,000 1,20,000 Stationery 9,000 1,08,000 Maintenance 10,000 1,20,000 TOTAL 23,88,000 EXPECTED QUALITATIVE OUTPUT To ensure basic and elementary education to maximum number of children PLANNED ACTIVITY 4 : IMPARTING VALUE EDUCATION THROUGH DANCE & THEATRE PARTICULARS AMOUNT (Rs.) Auditorium Charges 60,000 Choreographer 30,000 Theatre Director 30,000 Costumes 35,000 Sound & Light 25,000 Misc. expenses (Props, transport, photography, food, invites) 40,000 TOTAL 2,15,000 EXPECTED QUALITATIVE OUTPUT To bring out hidden talent of the students and give them another platform apart from academics.
PLANNED ACTIVITY 5 : AFTERNOON SCHOOL FOR STREET CHILDREN PARTICULARS NUMBER COST MONTHLY (Rs.) ANNUAL (Rs.) Salary of an Administrator 1 10,000 10,000 1,20,000 Salary of Teachers 4 6,000 24,000 2,88,000 Salary of Helper/Cleaner 1 Sunk Cost Already being spent - Salary of Gatekeeper 1 Sunk Cost Already being spent - Stationery for 50 Children 5,000 60,000 Misc. expenses 2,000 24,000 TOTAL 4,92,000 EXPECTED QUALITATIVE OUTPUT To ensure basic and elementary education to maximum number of children
PROPOSED FINANCIAL BUDGET FOR CURRENT PROJECT
TOTAL OVERALL BUDGET Capital Expenditure Budget Rs.2,50,000 Recurring Expenditure Budget (Annually) Rs.51,65,000
DATA FACTS OF EK PRAYAAS
NAME OF ORGANISATION : EK PRAYAAS EDUCATIONAL SOCIETY
REGISTRATION NUMBER : 28091 West Bengal Act XXVI of 1961
REGISTERED ADDRESS : 75A, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road, Kolkata- 700016
PROJECT OFFICE ADDRESS : 5 Abdul Ali Row, Kolkata- 700016
PERSON-IN-CHARGE : VINEETA GUPTA
PAN NO. : AAATE2966R
Donations are eligible for tax exemption under Section 80G of Income Tax Act 1961.
For More Information on our cause:
email us at : ekprayaas.ekprayaas@gmail.com
or call us at: +91 033 2226 7307
www.ekprayaas.org
