Every Child Counts - the Campaign Continues

The seeds sown by Door Step School and a passionate group of Volunteers in 2011 have slowly taken root and the branches have now spread across Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad and New Pune areas in the year 2014 in the form of the Every Child Counts-Citizens' Campaign , a Campaign for Universal Elementary Education, a Campaign for educational inclusion of Migrants, a Campaign for reaching and enrolling children into schools at the "right age" of 6-7 years !

Thanks to the involvement and support of Volunteers from Colleges, Companies, Individual volunteers and NGOs across Pune, The Campaign has reached 1584 construction sites, brick kilns, migrant dwellings and 1400 children have been enrolled into mainstream schools since June 2014.  Many generous donors have since made sure these children can travel safely to schools by sponsoring their school transport and lending their school buses.

These children would never have had the opportunity to attend a school, but for the efforts of all those involved !

With seasonal inward migration expected in November, the team launched an Enrollment Drive across all areas with a Volunteer meet on 1st November . Our thanks to all the Volunteers who participated in this meet. Mrs. Rajani Paranjpe, our Founder and President made a moving appeal to all volunteers to help each and every child exercise their "Right to Education" and reach schools across Pune.

Mr. Ajay Dasgupta of The Kahani Project was a special invitee and as usual, he came up with an appropriate story "Darr" to inspire and motivate our Volunteers .

We thank Sangam Girl Guides for making available the venue for this meet.

Over the next few weeks, Volunteer groups stepped in and planned various activities for the School Enrollment drive.

Volunteers from Deepasthambh Counselling Parents at a site

Volunteers from Geometric -Udaan have planned to visit sites in Bhumkar Vasti and Nigdi on 30th November..  With this spirit and so many torch bearers, we are sure that many more children will reach schools this year. !

Geometric-Udaan continues the Campaign!

The Campaign Continues. Join hands by writing to volunteer@doorstepschool.org

The Breakfast Revolution @ Door Step School

Door Step School and Decimal Foundation partner to start the 'Breakfast Revolution' in Pune.

Door Step School, Pune in partnership with the Decimal Foundation launched "The Breakfast revolution" experimentally in Pune on 8th November. 333 children aged 4-12 years at 2 locations in Mohammedwadi and Balewadi where Door Step School runs its Education programs for migrant children were assessed for nutrition levels. The health check-up was done by a team of fifty medical and paramedical professionals who traveled from Mumbai . Over a 3 month period, the children will be provided fortified breakfast and their nutrition levels monitored.

Children in India are more malnourished than children in sub-Saharan Africa (UNICEF). 1 of 3 malnourished kids in the world is from India. This is despite India having the world's largest Midday meal program, serving 120 million kids every day. Midday meals are operated via thousands of vendors, are not standard, lack taste and nutritive value. The solution - supplementing midday meals with a great early morning breakfast!

The Breakfast Revolution aims to provide tasty, healthy, standardized and safe power breakfast for kids. Children in low income schools receive a glass of Soya milk sweetened, flavored (chocolate, vanilla, mango, strawberry) and fortified (Vitamin A, D, Calcium) along with a packet of double fortified biscuits (fortified with iron and folic acid). Each breakfast has GUARANTEED 300 calories, 6-8 grams of protein, 50% of daily requirement of Vitamin A,D, Calcium, iron and folic acid.

Door Step School thanks the Decimal Foundation and our donors for making this initiative possible. !