Teaching Good Habits At Right Age

Door Step School runs a reading skill development programme for children studying in government schools across Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad cities. Over the years, we have observed the interest in reading among children and their reading skills are improving, mainly due to availability of appropriate reading material and regular teaching and monitoring activities. This year, Door Step School has decided to extend the educational activities at schools to inculcate good sanitation habits among children. Under the new project - 'Teach Them Young' - we are trying to build awareness and good habits among children, at the right age.

At most of the schools, we observed that eating activity of children is unmonitored and they have their mid-day meal in the classroom, in the veranda, in the playground, or anywhere they find a place. Usually, these places are unclean for using as eating area. Also, the children are found unaware and negligent about certain good habits like washing hands before eating, sitting in a clean area for eating, not spilling food, finishing entire tiffin/dish and avoid wastage of food, etc. After analyzing the situation, we realized that regular monitoring could be the only solution.

To start with, We selected few schools in Pune, where daily monitoring of mid-day meal activity was planned. We ensured that Door Step School Taai's would be present at the selected schools during lunch hours every day. Our Taai's informed the school teachers about this activity and also identified specific areas for eating, mostly common halls or covered spaces in the school premises. Some helps were appointed to ensure cleanliness of the eating area before and after children had their food. Since all government schools provide mid-day meal to the children, we also had to involve the food serving person in this activity.

Now, the children are taken to eating area during their lunch break. The Taai's confirm all children washing their hands before joining the queue for mid-day meal. The children are made to sit in rows, with their own tiffins or the food provided by school. Everybody sings the prayer before starting to eat. The Taai's keep moving through rows of children, monitoring how they are having the food. Children are being told about importance of good eating habits and cleanliness. They are encouraged to avoid wastage  either by spilling or by halfway leaving food. The Taai's ensure that every child is looked after and the area remains clean.

We are receiving very good response for the monitoring activity from children as well as the school teachers. Initially, we started this activity only for the primary classes, from 1st till 4th. But eventually children from upper classes, from 5th to 7th, found the whole exercise interesting and they have joined the group as well. Some of the school teachers help Door Step School Taai's in handling the children, communicating with the food serving person, and monitoring the eating activity.

We are planning to start similar activity in more schools across the city. We are also trying to involve parents of the children in daily monitoring activity, to make it more inclusive and sustainable at school level.

We are hopeful that the children are taking these good habits back to their homes and also making these a part of their lifestyle.

पुणे आणि पिंपरी चिंचवडमधील सरकारी शाळांमधे 'डोअर स्टेप स्कूल'चा 'वाचन संस्कार प्रकल्प' चालविला जातो. गेल्या अनेक वर्षांपासून हा उपक्रम राबविताना आमच्या लक्षात आले आहे की, योग्य वाचन साहित्याची उपलब्धता आणि नियमित पाठपुराव्यामुळे मुलांची वाचन क्षमता वाढत असून त्यांच्यात वाचनाची गोडी निर्माण होत आहे. या वर्षी, 'डोअर स्टेप स्कूल'ने शाळांमधील आपल्या शैक्षणिक उपक्रमांची व्याप्ती वाढवून, मुलांना स्वच्छतेच्या सवयी लावण्याचे कामदेखील हाती घेतले आहे. 'लहानपणीच गिरवू धडे' (टीच देम यंग) या नव्या उपक्रमांतर्गत मुलांना चांगल्या सवयींविषयी माहिती देण्याचा व त्यांना योग्य वयातच या सवयी लावण्याचा आम्ही प्रयत्न करीत आहोत.

बहुतांश शाळांमधून, मुलांचे दुपारचे जेवण ही एक दुर्लक्षित गोष्ट असल्याचे आम्हाला आढळून आले. मुले वर्गखोल्यांमधे, व्हरांड्यामधे, मैदानावर, किंवा जागा मिळेल तिथे बसून माध्यान्ह भोजन किंवा डबे खात असल्याचे आम्हाला दिसले. या सर्व जागा जेवण्याच्या दृष्टीने अस्वच्छच असतात. शिवाय, मुलांकडे जेवणाच्या वेळेत कुणी लक्ष देत नसेल तर, जेवणापूर्वी हात धुणे, स्वच्छ जागी बसून डबा खाणे, अन्न न सांडणे, डब्यातील किंवा ताटातील खाऊ पूर्ण संपवणे, अशा सवयी त्यांना लागत नाहीत. या परिस्थितीचा अभ्यास केल्यावर आमच्या लक्षात आले की, मुलांकडे सतत कुणीतरी लक्ष ठेवणे हाच या गोष्टीवर उत्तम उपाय आहे.

सुरुवातीला आम्ही रोजच्या माध्यान्ह भोजन उपक्रमासाठी पुण्यातील काही शाळा निवडल्या. या शाळांमधे रोज जेवणाच्या सुट्टीत 'डोअर स्टेप स्कूल'च्या ताई हजर राहतील याची आम्ही व्यवस्था केली. आमच्या ताईंनी या उपक्रमाची माहिती शाळेच्या शिक्षकांना दिली, तसेच जेवणासाठी शाळेतील विशिष्ट जागा शोधून ठेवल्या. या जागा म्हणजे शक्यतो शाळेचे हॉल किंवा शाळेच्या परीसरातीलच आडोसा असणा-या मोकळ्या जागा. मुलांच्या जेवणापूर्वी व जेवणानंतर या जागांची स्वच्छता राखण्यासाठी स्थानिक मदतनीस नेमण्यात आल्या. सरकारी शाळांमधे सर्व मुलांना माध्यान्ह भोजनाचा खाऊ पुरविण्याची सोय असते, त्यामुळे हा खाऊ वाढणा-या व्यक्तींचा सहभाग देखील आमच्या उपक्रमात आवश्यक होता.

आता, जेवणाच्या सुट्टीत मुलांना जेवणाच्या जागी नेले जाते. 'डोअर स्टेप स्कूल'च्या ताई माध्यान्ह भोजनाच्या रांगेत उभे राहण्यापूर्वी सर्व मुलांनी हात धुतल्याची खात्री करुन घेतात. मुलांना आपापले डबे किंवा शाळेत मिळालेल्या खाऊच्या ताटल्या घेऊन रांगेत बसविले जाते. जेवण सुरु करण्यापूर्वी सर्व मुले प्रार्थना म्हणतात. जेवण सुरु असताना ताई रांगांमधून फिरत मुलांच्या जेवणावर लक्ष ठेवतात. मुलांना जेवणाच्या आणि स्वच्छतेच्या चांगल्या सवयींचे महत्त्व सांगितले जाते. मुलांनी जेवताना अन्न सांडू नये किंवा ताटात उष्टे टाकू नये याकडे विशेष लक्ष दिले जाते. जेवणाच्या वेळेत प्रत्येक मुलाकडे लक्ष दिले जाईल व जेवणाची जागा स्वच्छ राहील याची काळजी ताई घेतात.

या माध्यान्ह भोजन उपक्रमाला मुलांचा आणि शाळेतील शिक्षकांचा खूप चांगला प्रतिसाद मिळत आहे. सुरुवातीला आम्ही फक्त प्राथमिक शाळेच्या म्हणजे पहिली ते चौथीच्या मुलांसाठी हा उपक्रम सुरु केला. परंतु, वरच्या वर्गातील म्हणजे पाचवी ते सातवीच्या मुलांना या सर्व गोष्टींची इतकी मजा वाटू लागली, की ती मुले स्वतःहून यामधे सहभागी झाली. शाळेतील काही शिक्षिकादेखील 'डोअर स्टेप स्कूल'च्या ताईंना मुलांना सूचना देणे, खाऊ वाढणा-यांशी बोलणे, आणि एकूण उपक्रमावर लक्ष ठेवण्यात मदत करु लागल्या आहेत.

आम्ही पुण्यातील आणखी काही शाळांमधे असाच उपक्रम सुरु करण्याचा प्रयत्न करीत आहोत. शाळा पातळीवर हा दैनिक उपक्रम टिकून राहण्यासाठी आम्ही मुलांच्या पालकांना यामधे सहभागी करुन घेण्यासाठीही प्रयत्नशील आहोत.

या चांगल्या सवयी शाळेपुरत्या मर्यादीत न राहता, आतापासूनच मुलांच्या रोजच्या जगण्याचा भाग बनतील अशी आम्हाला आशा वाटते.

Even they want to go to school...

Let us help every child get education.

Call 986-000-8070 to report

out-of-school children in your area.

'Every Child Counts'

A citizens' campaign
to ensure every child gets its right of
free and compulsory education.

Independence Day - No Child Should Get Left Behind

This Independence Day, 15th of August 2016, The Kahani Project got along with Door Step School to take the message of continuous education and schooling for all kids. Ajay Dasgupta and Chetan Vohra from The Kahani Project, along with Ankita and team from Door Step School engaged the parents and children  through storytelling, dance, and songs. At the end of the session, children promised the team of going to school everyday. This event was organized for communities in Dighi, Alandi Road, Pune. Here are some snapshots of the activities -

What do you use to hear stories - your ears and not the mouth.

Everybody broke into some impromptu dance.

So much fun with dancing and singing before the stories started.

Getting ready for some storytelling.

Chetan Vohra from The Kahani Project has the kids enthralled with Sochu.

Chetan Vohra and Sochu.

Chetan Vohra tells the tale of Chotu as everyone listens spell bound.

Ankita and Sadashiv from Door Step School explaining to parents and elders why it is important to go to school.

"We must go to school everyday!"

Thumbs up to a promise that we will go to school everyday.

Everyone sang the national anthem.

Another venue with over 60 children.

Ajay Dasgupta from The Kahani Project in the middle of a telling.

Buddhu Chalak is a hit wherever the story goes.

Chalak is on Buddhu's back.

Need Financial Support for a Sincere Needy Student

Ganesh Baburao Sutar is a 15-year-old boy studying in 7th Standard at District Primary School in Undri, Pune. He has two sisters - Pooja studying in 6th Standard and Poonam studying in 5th Standard. After demise of their parents 10 years ago, all three kids are looked after by their three maternal uncles. The uncles work as construction workers in Pune and have their own families and kids, too. Despite their low-income jobs, they take very good care of these three children and are concerned about their education. Ganesh and his sisters are enrolled in government schools and the uncles ensure that all of them attend the school regularly and learn well.

Three years ago, Door Step School launched a project focused on empowering parents to send their children to schools. During surveys and meetings for this project, our field team met Ganesh and his family in Undri, Pune. Ganesh was already attending a school then, but his sisters were not. Our team met the guardians and got the two sisters enrolled in the same school. During our first visit to his community, Ganesh enthusiastically helped the team in approaching other households for collecting information about out-of-school children. He has always been a smart and helpful child.

Ganesh is very regular and sincere at school. He is good at studies, especially in Mathematics -  a subject which most children his age are afraid of. He also helps other students with their studies. Naturally, teachers at the school are all praise for him.

Ganesh’s prowess at Mathematics prompted us to look for ways to further his knowledge of the subject. We approached Mr. Barve of Bhaskaracharya Institute, Pune, who facilitated Ganesh to attend a four-day Maths workshop at the institute. After the workshop, Mr. Barve suggested we send Ganesh to attend Prof. Gore’s Coaching Class in Shanivar Peth. We have enrolled Ganesh to the class and he has now started attending it regularly and is also liking it.

Although Ganesh has started with the class, there still is a big question mark on availability of funds for his education. He travels to Shanivar Peth from his house in Undri, which is ahead of Kondhwa. The annual fees and transport costs are summing up to Rs.18,000/-, which are beyond the financial capacities of Ganesh’s uncles. Taking care of day-today needs of the three children was just about what they could afford so far.

We are looking for sponsor to support further education of a bright child like Ganesh Sutar. If you wish to contribute or know someone who could help, do contact us on pune@doorstepschool.org or 9371007844. You can also help by sharing this post with your contacts. Thanks!

Celebrate Independence Day with DSS Children

Celebrate this Independence Day

with parents and children at

construction sites and slums across Pune city...

Schedule:

** National Anthem **
** Games for Children **
** Parent Awareness **
** Puppet Show **
** Food Distribution **

Locations:

Baner, Bavdhan, Pimple Gurav,

Chinchwad, Ravet, Balewadi, Hinjawadi,

Dighi, Chakan, Pirangut, Kirkatwadi,

Lonikand, Hadapsar, and others...

Confirm Your Participation to volunteer@doorstepschool.org

Now Donate Online to Help Children Reach Schools...

Funds are required to arrange school transport for underprivileged children enrolled in Government schools in Pune. Approximate cost of transport for one child is Rs.450/- per month or Rs.4,500/- for one academic year. We have identified more than 150 children from various slums and temporary shelters across Pune city, who cannot attend school only due to lack of school transport facility. Government schools provide free education from Grade 1st till 8th. However, they do not provide everyday transport facility. The parents are often illiterate and cannot afford to pay for the transport. Total cost of transportation for 150 children comes to Rs.6,75,000/-.

If you want to support the cause and help us in educating children from the marginalized communities, visit the campaign page at https://milaap.org/campaigns/helpdoorstepschoool and contribute any amount you wish to. (80G Certificate will be provided to all donors.)

Thank you!

Door Step School at 'Josh Meets Mumbai'

JOSH talks is a conference that showcases India’s most inspiring stories. It aims to disrupt, move, motivate and inspire. Josh Meets is the smaller, informal format of Josh Talks conceptualised with the aim to foster conversations. Josh Meets Mumbai marks the coming together of inquisitive minds who wish to bring a change in the society. It is about people who believed in their passion and took the road less traveled. This is your chance to strike a one-to-one conversation with them. Come, listen to their stimulating stories and become a part of their revolutionary journeys.

This Saturday, 6th of August 2016, Door Step School Founder Rajani Paranjpe will be speaking at 'Josh Meets Mumbai'. Please find details of the programme at - https://facebook.com/events/848974695238702