Annual Presentation of Door Step School - Report

The Annual Presentation of Door Step School NGO, which works for education of underprivileged children in Pune, was organised on 7th of May 2016 at the auditorium in Nivara Oldage Home, Navi Peth. Employees, volunteers, donors, and well-wishers attended the event in large numbers. Door Step School was started in Mumbai by Mrs. Rajani Paranjpe and her ex-student Bina Sheth Lashkari in 1989, with an objective of addressing social problems like inequality, unemployment, and poverty, through education. Later Mrs. Paranjpe shifted to Pune in 1993 and started a branch of Door Step School in Pune. The organisation aims at developing basic literacy skills among underprivileged children through various innovative projects. Door Step School has successfully taken the school, along with teachers and teaching aids, to the doorstep of children especially from migrant communities in the city. Major projects run by Door Step School are - ‘Reading Classes’ for students in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation schools, ‘Community Learning Centers’ for children living in slums, ‘School-on-Wheels’ Mobile Classroom for children on the roads and in temporary shelters, ‘School Transport’ facility for children living on construction sites, ‘Every Child Counts’ citizens’ campaign to bring out-of-school children into mainstream of formal education under Right To Education Act, ‘Parents’ Participation in Child’s Education’, and other various activities like Science Exhibition, Book Fair, and Action Groups working for Child Rights, etc. During last year, 63,743 children from 240 government schools and 3,748 locations (construction sites, labour habitats, slums, etc.) in Pune and surrounding area benefited from above-mentioned projects of the organisation. Activities conducted during last year under these projects were reviewed in the Annual Presentation Event. The teachers and field-staff from these projects presented their work in an innovative way. An exhibition of teaching aids prepared by and books published by Door Step School was organised on the occasion. A recent addition to the School-on-Wheels buses was also put on display for the guests. While talking about future plans of the organisation, Founder-President Rajani Paranjpe introduced a new project ‘Teach Them Young’, which aims at developing good sanitation and eating habits among students from government schools in Pune. Under this project, awareness about health and hygiene, sanitation, etc. will be created at school-level by involving children and their parents. The project has been launched with survey of sanitation facilities in government schools. The work of making these facilities available wherever required has already been started by coordinating with respective Ward Offices of the Municipal Corporation.

पुण्यातील वंचित मुलांच्या शिक्षणासाठी काम करणा-या ‘डोअर स्टेप स्कूल’ या समाजसेवी संस्थेचे वार्षिक सादरीकरण दि. ७ मे रोजी नवी पेठेतील ‘निवारा’ वृद्धाश्रमाच्या सभागृहात पार पडले. या कार्यक्रमास संस्थेचे कर्मचारी, कार्यकर्ते, स्वयंसेवक, तसेच देणगीदार व हितचिंतक यांनी मोठ्या संख्येने हजेरी लावली. समाजातील असमानता, बेरोजगारी, गरीबी, अशा अनेक समस्यांवर शिक्षण हा एकमेव उपाय असल्याचे दिसून आल्याने संस्थापिका सौ. रजनी परांजपे व सहसंस्थापिका बीना सेठ लष्करी यांनी १९८९ साली मुंबईत ‘डोअर स्टेप स्कूल’ची स्थापना केली. १९९३ मधे सौ. परांजपे यांनी पुण्यामधे 'डोअर स्टेप स्कूल'ची शाखा सुरु केली.  विविध अभिनव उपक्रम राबवून पुण्यातील वंचित गटातील मुलांना किमान साक्षरतेपर्यंत पोचविण्याचे उद्दिष्ट संस्थेने ठरविले. विशेषतः स्थलांतरित मजूरांच्या मुलांची समस्या लक्षात घेऊन, शिक्षक व शिक्षणसामग्रीसहित शाळाच त्यांच्या दारी नेण्याचा प्रयोग संस्थेने यशस्विरीत्या केला आहे. पुणे व पिंपरी-चिंचवड म.न.पा.च्या शाळांमधून ‘वाचन वर्ग’, रस्त्यांवरील मुलांसाठी ‘फिरती शाळा’, वस्त्यांमधील मुलांसाठी ‘अभ्यासिका’, बांधकाम साईटवर राहणा-या मुलांसाठी शालेय वाहतुकीची सोय, शिक्षणहक्क कायद्यांतर्गत शालाबाह्य मुलांना शिक्षणाच्या मुख्य प्रवाहात आणण्यासाठी ‘एकेक मूल मोलाचे’ हे नागरिक अभियान, मुलांच्या शिक्षणामधे ‘पालक सहभाग’, तसेच विज्ञान प्रदर्शन, पुस्तक मेळावा, व सरकारी शाळांमधून मुलांच्या हक्कांसाठी काम करणारे ‘बालगट’ अशा विविध उपक्रमांद्वारे ‘डोअर स्टेप स्कूल’ शिक्षणप्रसाराचे कार्य करीत आहे. गेल्या वर्षी पुणे परिसरातील २४० शाळा व ३,७४८ ठिकाणी (बांधकाम साईट, मजूर वस्ती, झोपडपट्टी, वगैरे) मिळून एकूण ६३,७४३ मुलांनी संस्थेच्या उपक्रमांचा लाभ घेतला. संस्थेच्या विविध उपक्रमांच्या गतवर्षातील कामांचा आढावा वार्षिक कार्यक्रमात घेण्यात आला. या उपक्रमांमध्ये काम करणार्याग शिक्षिका व कार्यकर्त्यांनी अनोख्या पद्धतीने वार्षिक अहवालाचे सादरीकरण केले.  संस्थेच्या शिक्षिकांनी तयार केलेल्या शैक्षणिक साहित्याचे व ‘डोअर स्टेप स्कूल’ने प्रकाशित केलेल्या पुस्तकांचे प्रदर्शन यावेळी लावण्यात आले होते. ‘फिरती शाळा’ उपक्रमांतर्गत नवीन बस उपस्थितांना पाहण्यासाठी या ठिकाणी उपलब्ध करण्यात आली होती. संस्थेच्या पुढील वाटचालीबद्दल बोलताना संस्थापिका-अध्यक्ष सौ. रजनी परांजपे यांनी ‘लहानपणीच गिरवू धडे’ या नव्या उपक्रमाबद्दल माहिती दिली. म.न.पा. शाळांमधे शिकणा-या मुलांना स्वच्छतेच्या सवयी लावणे व त्यासाठी मुलांच्याच सहभागातून जागृती करणे, असे या उपक्रमाचे स्वरुप राहील. या अंतर्गत, म.न.पा. शाळांमधील स्वच्छतेच्या सुविधांचा आढावा घेऊन त्यांचा अभाव असलेल्या ठिकाणी म.न.पा. क्षेत्रिय कार्यालयांच्या मदतीने त्या उपलब्ध करुन देण्याचे काम सुरुही झाले आहे.

Helpline to report out-of-school children started - Sakal Times

Helpline to report out-of-school children started
Sakal Times Correspondent | Sunday, 15 May 2016

Pune: Door Step School (DSS), a Non-Governmental Organisation, has started a campaign called Every Child Counts (ECC) to find out-of-school children. The ECC campaign has launched a helpline number, which will help them locate out-of-school children. Any concerned citizen can report out-of-school children found in his/her area on the helpline number 986-000-8070 .

DSS is creating awareness among parents and helping students get enrolled in nearby government (Corporation or Zilla Parishad) schools. This campaign was launched in November 2011, under which DSS has enrolled more than 8,000 students up till now from Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.

Any citizen can participate in this campaign from their own area of residence or work, at their own convenient time. The helpline number is expected to help in finding out out-of-school children across the city, expediting their admission process.

[Source: http://www.sakaaltimes.com/NewsDetails.aspx?NewsId=5515674776725003022&SectionId=5171561142064258099&SectionName=Pune&NewsTitle=Helpline%20to%20report%20out-of-school%20children%20started]

Lighting The Fire of Education...

Gangaram lives at the construction site of Sai Vatika in Dhanori. He is in the 6th standard.  His family migrated from Andhra Pradesh to Pune in 2012 and was enrolled in a school with the help of Door Step School. His parents work at the construction site from 9am till 6pm and earn Rs.500 a day. Gangaram’s father says that they enrolled him in a school as he would have no work to do at the construction site. His mother also explains that they had earlier enrolled him in a school at their village where he was learning Telugu. His father hopes that Gangaram will make use of his education and do something for the family. Before going to school he was like a typhoon, jokes his father, but now he studies and is occupied. His school timing is from 7am till 12pm. He loves going to school and never misses it. He even spoke a bit about his family in English. His parents attend the parent teacher meetings to discuss about their son's progress. His family has decided to work nearby only so that he can attend school regularly. Unfortunately, Gangaram’s sisters have not been enrolled in school, but they ensure that Gangaram studies at home. He wants to become an engineer when he grows up.

The Every Child Counts programme started by Door Step School has encouraged many more children like these to start studying and has brought a significant change in their lives. It is inspiring to listen to their innocent and ambitious plans and know that the future of this country rests on these spirited minds. After all, it is rightly said, “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”

गंगाराम धानोरीतल्या साई वाटिका कन्स्ट्रक्शन साईटवर राहतो. सध्या तो सहावीत शिकतोय. २०१२ साली तो आपल्या आईवडिलांसोबत आंध्र प्रदेशातून पुण्यामधे आला आणि 'डोअर स्टेप स्कूल'च्या मदतीनं त्याला जवळच्या शाळेत प्रवेशही मिळाला. त्याचे आई आणि वडील दोघेही सकाळी ९ वाजल्यापासून संध्याकाळी ६ वाजेपर्यंत बांधकाम साईटवर मजुरी करतात. गंगारामचे वडील म्हणतात की, बांधकाम साईटवर काम करण्याइतका गंगाराम मोठा नव्हता, म्हणूनच त्याला शाळेत घातला. त्याची आई म्हणते की, गावाकडं असताना तो शाळेत जात होता आणि तिकडं तेलुगु शिकत होता. गंगारामला मिळणा-या शिक्षणाचा तो काहीतरी चांगला उपयोग करुन घेईल आणि आपल्या कुटुंबाला हातभार लावेल, अशी आशा त्याच्या वडिलांना वाटते. शाळेत घालण्यापूर्वी गंगाराम म्हणजे एक वादळ होतं, असं त्याचे वडील गमतीने म्हणतात, पण आता तो अभ्यासात गुंतलाय आणि शांत झालाय, असंही ते सांगतात. त्याची शाळा सकाळी ७ ते दुपारी १२ वाजेपर्यंत असते. त्याला शाळेत जाणं फार आवडतं आणि तो कधीही शाळा चुकवत नाही. गंगाराम आता स्वतःबद्दल आणि स्वतःच्या कुटुंबाबद्दल थोडं-थोडं इंग्रजीतूनही बोलू शकतो. आपल्या मुलाच्या प्रगतीबद्दल शिक्षकांशी चर्चा करण्यासाठी गंगारामचे पालक शाळेतल्या पॅरेन्ट-टीचर मीटिंगलाही नियमित जातात. वारंवार शाळा बदलाव्या लागून त्याच्या शिक्षणात खंड पडू नये म्हणून गंगारामच्या पालकांनी एकाच ठिकाणी राहून जवळपासच काम शोधायचं ठरवलं आहे. गंगारामच्या बहिणी अजून शाळेत जात नाहीत, पण गंगारामला घरीदेखील अभ्यास करता यावा यासाठी त्या शक्य ती मदत करतात. गंगारामला खूप-खूप शिकून मोठ्ठा इंजिनियर व्हायचंय.

'डोअर स्टेप स्कूल'चे 'एव्हरी चाइल्ड काउंट्स' अभियान गंगारामसारख्या अनेक मुलांना शालेय शिक्षणाच्या मुख्य प्रवाहात आणण्यासाठी प्रयत्न करते. या मुलांच्या निरागस महत्त्वाकांक्षा आणि फ्युचर प्लॅन्स ऐकणं फार मजेशीर तर असतंच, पण तीच पुढचं काम करण्याची प्रेरणा असते. म्हणतात ना, "शिक्षण म्हणजे एका बादलीतून दुस-या बादलीत पाणी ओतणं नाही, तर शिक्षण म्हणजे एका ज्योतीनं दुसरी ज्योत पेटवणं!"

वंचितांसाठी 'डोअर स्टेप' - महाराष्ट्र टाइम्स, १४ मे २०१६

'डोअर स्टेप स्कूल'च्या विविध शैक्षणिक उपक्रमांचा संक्षिप्त आढावा 'महाराष्ट्र टाइम्स'च्या 'संस्था परिचय' सदरात - दि. १४ मे २०१६

When Parents Say, 'No Compromise on Education!'

Vikrant Rathod lives at the construction site of Mayur Kilbil in Dhanori. Vikrant's family migrated to Pune from Pusad in Yavatmal in 2011. Door Step School staff helped him get enrolled in nearby government school in the same year. Vikrant started attending the school in 4th standard and now he has reached the 7th standard. He enjoys attending school just as much as he did when he got the admission. Vikrant also appeared for the scholarship exam in the 4th standard.

Vikrant’s school timings are from 7am till 12pm. However, he wakes up at 4am to help his mother. His mother, Varsha Rathod told us that they did not enrol Vikrant in any school earlier just because of their lack of awareness about importance of education and about the admission process. Varsha works as a maid at various households nearby. Her working hours are from 6am till 2pm. She explained that they have determined to work at places near the school as she does not want her son to miss out on his education. She has decided to support him in any career choice he wishes to make. Vikrant wants to be a pilot when he grows up. She said that she had attended a few parent teacher meetings earlier, but her son manages well now and she doesn’t find the need to go to his school any more. Vikrant even spoke a few sentences about his family in English as his mother watched proudly.

Vikrant has a younger sister about 6 years old who also wants to go to school with him, and very soon she will too. His mother said that although she has spoken to other parents about sending their children to school, they are unwilling since they feel that the roads are very dangerous for the children to go to school. She claims that it is okay even if they die, but education should not be compromised in any case. Till 7th standard, Vikrant attended a government school, but now he will have to attend a private school. His mother says that she will pay the fees but will not let his education stop. As the school is far from their place, he will go to the school on a bicycle. His mother is very thankful to Door Step School for helping them start education of Vikrant.

Vipul Rathod is Vikrant's cousin. His family also stays at the same construction site, Mayur Kilbil in Dhanori. Vipul was 11 years old when he started schooling. Currently he is in the 8th standard. He loves going to school and told us that the school teachers teach very well. He wants to become a police officer when he grows up. He says that he studies at home as well. He appeared for the scholarship exam this year. His mother works as a maid and his father works on the construction site.