Projects on Education

ChildFund India’s educational interventions focus on ensuring quality education, improving enrolment, and reducing school dropout rates among children with limited resources. In this regard, we work towards improving the learning abilities of children between the ages of 3 and 18 years. We develop their critical thinking abilities and make them sensitive human beings by including age-appropriate learning outcomes and socio-emotional learning skills in our approach. In this process, we use different assessment tools and context-based multilingual and scientific teaching–learning methods to gauge the skills of children and create a conducive learning environment. ChildFund India has been carrying out educational interventions from remote villages to complex urban communities, implementing them directly or by engaging government and like-minded agencies, community-level networks, and groups.

Safe, Effective and Inclusive School

ChildFund India with the support of Radiohjälpen has undertaken an 18-month project titled ‘Children’s Access to Child-Friendly and Climate-Ready Schools’ in the Gogunda block of Udaipur district in Rajasthan. The project seeks to improve the quality of formal education in 20 public schools, making them child-friendly and climate-ready, where children can thrive in a safe, inclusive, and stimulating learning environment.

Using a comprehensive approach to enhance children’s learning outcomes, the project targets three layers of society: the children, the school community, and the society, with the child at the center. This project applies scientific child-centric pedagogical teaching in schools and helps children from communities experiencing deprivation to have access to quality education and school safety. This is achieved through a holistic and child-participatory approach, and incorporating climate actions, which improve the competence and resilience of the school environment. By 2022, under this project, we envisage enabling 1000+ school children (6–14 years old) in the schools to enjoy a children-friendly, safe learning environment and have improved age-appropriate skills in literature, numeracy, and SEL skills. In addition, we are working towards ensuring that all 20 public schools have increased capacities to identify and minimize risks for a safe learning environment with a climate-change focus.

Geographies Covered

Gogunda block, Udaipur, Rajasthan

SDGs Covered

Supported By

Radiohjälpen

Under the ‘My School’ project of the ‘Uday’ program undertaken by HCL, ChildFund is supporting the education of 5,000 students of grades 8–10 in 15 selected high schools in the Jigani Hobbli area in urban Bengaluru. The project aims to improve the learning competencies and socio-economic skills, including arts and sports, of the high schools with children experiencing marginalization in the selected schools. Under the project, we establish libraries, STEM labs, and art corners in schools. The aim has been to build the capacities of government teachers and School Development and Monitoring Committee (SDMC) members to use these facilities. Also, we reach children, teachers, parents, and community members to enhance the socio-emotional skills of the children and sensitize them towards gender equity and inclusiveness. To ensure that school governance meets the successful implementation of all these facilities and training, we engage with SDMCs, Panchayati Raj Institutions, and communities so that greater leadership on the part of the community is achieved.

Geographies Covered

Jigani Hobbli, Bengaluru

SDGs Covered

Supported By

HCL

In 2019, ChildFund India implemented ‘SPLASH’ with the support of Technicolor India Private Limited to promote arts for children living in underprivileged communities. The project worked towards encouraging exploration, intellectual growth, self-expression, logical thinking, self-esteem, imagination, and creativity in children and young people.

It was conducted in 13 government schools and community blocks in areas including Kavalbyrasandra, Devanahalli and D J Halli, Bengaluru. Under this, we established digital centers in the schools and children resource centers in the communities, conducted summer camps, theatre workshops focusing on graphics, videography, animation, storytelling & writing, drawing/painting/sketching and theatre (street play/playback theatre) and organized volunteer engagement programs.
In this, we reached 2750 children from socio-economically challenged communities, who thoroughly enjoyed the exposure to arts and crafts through workshops, training and street theatre.

Geographies Covered

Kavalbyrasandra, Devanahalli, and D J Halli, Bengaluru

SDGs Covered

Supported By

Technicolor India Private Limited

‘SMART Classes’, initiated in 2019, addressed the need for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education by providing interactive learning material in schools for children in grades 6 and above. The intervention aided robust critical thinking, problem-solving, and innovative attitudes in children. Besides, SMART classes at three selected government schools in slum/semi-urban areas of Bengaluru and a SPLASH Center in the neighboring area to support the three schools were established. Furthermore, a volunteering program for the employees of Aryaka was organized, wherein they participated by directly connecting with children in various program activities and contributing towards the difference.

Geographies Covered

Bengaluru

SDGs Covered

Supported By

Aryaka Network

In 2016, the iStar project was initiated to enhance the learning levels of the most marginalized and at-risk children through quality early childhood education and non-formal education. The three-year project was implemented in four villages, namely, Baligotha, Trijanga, Kantipur and Kiapada of Danagadi block in Jajpur district of Odisha. It included non-formal education sessions for out-of-school children and potential drop-outs through customized learning interventions with a focus on improving reading skills. Besides, we established libraries and reading corners with age-appropriate teaching and learning materials at child-friendly educational centers to help children develop reading habits. Teachers were trained on reading improvement programs, classroom processes and the development of session plans to teach children. Also, children were provided with school uniforms. The project addressed the learning needs of 200 children of age 3–5 years in pre-schools and 150 children in the age group of 6–14 years in the centers established in the villages.

Geographies Covered

Jajpur, Odisha

SDGs Covered

Supported By

Jindal Steels Limited

Vidya aimed to ensure quality primary education by strengthening the capacity of teachers and school management committees, creating a conducive environment in classrooms and encouraging community participation in schools. In 2014-15, Vidya was implemented in close collaboration with the local government to help primary school children in Ranka block of Garwa district and Satbarwa block of Palamu district in Jharkhand achieve grade-appropriate learning levels in language and math. In this project, we reached more than 7,000 primary school children in 80 schools and trained about 245 government school teachers and 800 community members.

Geographies Covered

Garwa and Palamu districts, Jharkhand

SDGs Covered

Supported By

Post Code Lottery

Reading for Leading

The project ‘Reading Improvement Program’ (RIP), implemented in Alwar and Khairtal districts of Rajasthan between 2015 and 2018, aimed at enhancing the reading and writing skills of children in the age group of 6–13 years. Under this project, ChildFund India established ‘Anandshala’ – a child learning center – in 13 government schools and trained community education facilitators to maintain Anandshalas and facilitate learning activities such as opportunities for children to learn individually, in pairs and in groups. Besides, we created a wide range of context-specific teaching-learning materials for children. The project reached out to 3,118 children through 13 Anandshalas and it was observed that the intervention led to 31% increment in the reading ability, improvements in reading habits, better school attendance, etc. of the children.

Geographies Covered

Alwar and Khairtal districts, Rajasthan

SDGs Covered

Supported By

Fullerton India Credit Company Limited

The Mobile Library project aims to improve the literacy skills of marginalized children between the ages of 6 and 14 years and encourage them to become lifelong readers. The project was first implemented in Karnataka with the support of Axis Bank and then in the Bokaro district of Jharkhand with State Bank of India’s support, before reaching across our program areas.
The mobile library was equipped with curated, age-appropriate and context-relevant books (bilingual, vernacular and English), teaching materials and other educational materials along with provisions for video screening. Children were regularly engaged in reading through sessions conducted by a librarian.
After the project, 45% of children of the schools showed their increased interest in reading, 99% of the children accessed the mobile library’s facilities, 3,325 books were issued and 13 children’s reading clubs were formed. It also engaged parents and school management committee members and capacitated them on their roles and responsibilities along with teachers and government officials from the Education Department.

Geographies Covered

Bokaro district, Jharkhand

SDGs Covered

Supported By

State Bank of India

Early Childhood Education

The ‘Safe and Stimulating Anganwadi’ (SASA) project aimed to develop and implement a comprehensive and holistic set of ‘child-friendly’ guidelines in two pilot Anganwadi centers in the slum of Delhi, between July 2017 and February 2018. In the eight months, SASA was able to provide better-quality care and education to nearly 200 children of ages of 0–6 years. Both the Anganwadi centers were equipped with necessary teaching, learning and play materials along with hygiene and safe drinking water materials. Parents and caregivers were sensitized about their important role in enhancing their children’s learning ability.

Geographies Covered

New Delhi

SDGs Covered

Supported By

Bernard van Leer Foundation

ChildFund India had assisted the ‘Centre for Early Childhood Education and Development’ (CECED), Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University, Delhi, in conducting a project on ‘Early Learning and Development Standards (ELDS)’ in 2017.
The project brought together professionals and organizations engaged in early childhood education and development to collectively work towards the development of nationally accepted and culturally appropriate early learning and development standards for the young children of the country.

ChildFund supported CECED in conducting a study in Jharkhand, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh, for which it developed and translated learning outcome assessment tools. Also, we conducted an on-ground survey, which included 1140 adults and 360 children in the age group of 3–6 years, covering six blocks in Palamu (rural) and five wards in Ranchi (urban), respectively.

Geographies Covered

Palamu and Ranchi, Jharkhand

SDGs Covered

Worked with

Centre for Early Childhood Education and Development (CECED), Dr B.R. Ambedkar University, Delhi

Back to School

The project Promoting Access and Continuity in Education (PACE) aimed to mobilize communities to ensure educational continuity for children, strengthen community-based learning centres (CBLCs) through training teachers and school management committees, community-based organizations and local self-governance and develop effective educational workbooks, teacher handbooks, etc. The project was implemented from January 2018 to December 2019 in Kotra block of Udaipur district, Rajasthan.
By the end of the project, in 2019, we reached out to almost 1,000 children. PACE helped 52% of the out-of-school children to join government schools and 93% of children were enrolled in five CBLCs. Besides, more than 75 CBLC committee members were actively participating in advocacy for the ‘Right to Education Act’ and 384 Panchayati Raj Institution members reported increased skills with regard to leadership, networking and advocacy.

Geographies Covered

Udaipur district, Rajasthan

SDGs Covered

Supported By

Kavlifondet and Barnfonden

ChildFund India implemented the ‘Community Based Learning Centers’ (CBLCs) project to improve the literacy skills of children in the age group of 6–14 years, between 2016 and 2018, in the Kotra block of Udaipur District in Rajasthan.
The project aimed to reintegrate children into formal education with CBLCs serving as an alternative basic education facility for children in communities. At the end of the project, a total of 171 drop-out students were re-enrolled in neighboring government schools and 71 children from CBLCs were enrolled in two schools for the first time. Additionally, 575 children’s literacy skills were improved significantly.
Overall, the project led to significant improvement in children’s learning levels, perception of community members about education and creation of a conducive learning environment in schools.
With the success of this project, Barnfonden and ChildFund initiated a 2-year PACE project in 2019, wherein five new CBLCs have been set up beyond the boundaries of a regular classroom. These CBCLs are managed and monitored by the communities themselves and equipped with age and grade-appropriate learning materials and properly trained instructors who take care of the learning and developmental needs of children.

Geographies Covered

Udaipur district, Rajasthan

SDGs Covered

Supported By

Barnfonden

Higher Education

UDAAN was initiated in March 2018 to support young women experiencing deprivation and urban households living in poverty across Bengaluru to access higher education and pursue careers of their choice. Until the project’s completion in October 2020, the project supported 52 girl students from marginalized backgrounds.

Also, we conducted career guidance workshops, wherein 456 students from government schools and colleges participated, and life skills training sessions for 1160 students from government schools. We ensured that all these students were well-trained to develop confidence, and goal setting, adapt to the changing environment, and make decisions to choose viable careers. Additionally, we created awareness among parents and communities about the rights of a girl child with regard to access to education.

Geographies Covered

Bengaluru

SDGs Covered

Supported By

ChildFund Deutschland (Germany)

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