CHENNAI

Educational Programme for Children Of Domestic Workers in 5 Slums and a

Resettlement Colony of Chennai City

This is an after-school support programme that runs evening learning centres for children of

domestic workers and unorganized workers from 5 slums and a resettlement colony in the

city of Chennai. It provides tutorial support for those children who are first generation

learners, to assist them in their daily study.

Their parents work as domestic help and are unable to support their educational needs. Most

of these children go to government or corporation schools and the inability of parents to

guide their children coupled with their illiteracy adds to the poor performance in their studies.

Most of the domestic workers are single parents and sole bread winners in the family, unable

to send their children to paid support classes that can mentor and coach them in regular

studies.

The programme runs each centre in the major slums including Choolaimedu, T. Nagar,

Vyasarpadi, Mylapore and two centres in Perumbakkam resettlement colony in Chennai. The

programme works very closely with the parents and organizes training programmes on

different issues faced by children, various activities as part of children’s club and workshops

for the children to develop personality and leadership qualities, thus, bringing down the

dropout rate and reducing child labour.

Curative Education and Vocational Training Program for Children and Adults with

Psycho-Social Impairment

This project provides curative education, vocational training and home care for the

cognitively challenged to prepare them to lead an independent life.

The students are trained in different vocations such as paper and cloth-based material making,

tailoring, horticulture, jute based products, arts & crafts etc. They also provide them with

physiotherapy, occupational physiotherapy and play therapy.

Children and adults with psycho-social impairment are enrolled in curative education

focusing on money management, self help skills and games for their locomotor development.

Sanitation Drive, Health Camps and Installation of RO Water Purification System In

Kanchipuram District

The rains that lashed out in Tamil Nadu in the months of November and December 2015

caused excessive damage. Concern India Foundation in partnership with a corporate worked

in Kanchipuram district, one of the worst affected areas during floods.

a) Sanitation Drive Programme- Conducted in 20 villages with the purpose of dealing

with diseases associated with poor sanitation. The objective was to encourage

people’s participation and create awareness on self hygiene and public sanitation

among the residents of flood affected villages in Tamil Nadu. The programme

included cleaning of private and public lavatories, overhead water tanks, balwadi

centres, PDS shops, etc. The programme also included sensitizing the community to

use local methods to keep cleanliness and hygiene.

b) Concern India Foundation conducted Health Camps where 20 villages were selected

on the basis of poor economic condition, high mortality rates, loss of livestock, places

which had not received help from the government or NGOs during the flood. The

medical camp aimed at improving health condition of flood affected Dalit and tribal

communities, controlling the outbreak of water borne diseases, providing effective &

special health facilities to pregnant women, children and the elderly, ensuring proper

medicines

c) Installing of RO water purification systems as the unprecedented heavy rains caused

severe damage to the water bodies because of which the quality of the drinking water

took a sudden fall and resulted in the villagers getting affected with water borne

diseases. Communicable diseases like typhoid, viral fever, cold, infection in

respiratory systems became very common among them. In order to reduce the

morbidity issues in the villages, Concern India Foundation had installed the RO water

purification systems in 10 villages in Kanchipuram district. The RO water purification

system installation work in the villages has proven to be one of the model

interventions to provide clean and hygienic drinking water. The installation of RO

system lessened and prevented health issues among the Dalit community members.

The active participation of the villagers along with the panchayat bodies in identifying

the land and other support systems have ensured the community ownership in getting

purified drinking water.

Educational support Project

Chennai as part of it re-development; especially post-floods, the Municipal Corporation has

moved majority of the slums from the city to the outskirts which is nearly 35 to 40 kms from

the main city. Semmencherry, one such resettlement colony which faces it own issues and

problems especially stability of children and youth. With long distance from the city,

education of the children is affected leading to drop-outs. Educational Support project has

directly reached out to children studying in government schools through Activities cum

Resource Centres (ARC) located in Semmencherry, which provides them supplementary

education and additional skill based trainings. The centres are facilitated by trained

“Motivators” and assisted by volunteers from the community. The Motivators and the

Assistants supports children with their daily

homework & lessons and engage them in

various activities to improve their extra-

curricular skills like writing, singing, orator,

dancing, miming personality development,

life skills etc. The centers also targets children with learning disabilities, slow learners and

dropouts. It focuses on reducing mental stress and provides psycho social care by counseling.

Educational programme for children from tribal communities in, Kanchipuram district

The project is in Uthiramerur, Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu, works for the

upliftment of the most economically backward among the scheduled tribes including the

Narikuravar (gypsies), Malaivaazhum makkal (inhabitants of mountain regions) and Irular

(traditionally snake catchers) communities through education. Almost all children in the

project are first-generation learners. Tribal children are given skill enhancement training on

computer and English language apart from their regular academics. After completing basic

education, the children are encouraged to pursue higher education, depending on their

capability and area of interest. Career guidance sessions are organized in a timely manner,

for children of higher grades, aiming at supporting them to choose the right courses and

career paths. The programme has been able to curb school drop-out ratio within the

communities to a considerable extent and is helping them weave a brighter future.

School Infrastructure Restoration Project

The incessant rain in November and December 2015 not only caused havoc in the livelihood

of the community but also among the students studying in Government schools. The schools

sustained severe damage in buildings, electrical instruments & fittings, pipelines and as a

result the students started to be irregular and even dropped out from the schools.

Concern India Foundation with the support of partner organization immediately conducted

situational assessment in 12 Panchayat Union Primary/Middle Schools, Adhi Dravida

Welfare Primary/Middle School and Aanganwadi’s of Thiruporur block. The assessment

report revealed that the schools in Kanchipuram district were worst hit by the floods due to

prevailing poor infrastructure. The class rooms, compounds walls, toilets, etc. of the schools

were damaged due to stagnant water. The leakages in the school buildings damaged the

school property like class tables / teacher’s tables and lab equipments. 5 schools were

shortlisted based on the assessment and support was provided to 2 schools located in

Thiruporur.

2 class rooms were renovated in an Adhi Dravida Welfare Middle School and toilets were

newly constructed in Adhi Dravida Welfare Primary

School, Thiruporur which were damaged during the

floods. The renovated schools enabled students to

attend school in a conducive environment and the

infrastructure facilities had resulted in increase in

school enrolment in both the schools. The school Management Committee monitors and

follow up action has been taken towards bringing lasting change in sustaining the usage of

the class rooms and children’s toilet.