🎉 Celebrating Builders Honored for Supporting the Education and Welfare of Children at Construction Sites

In a remarkable effort to recognize and encourage exemplary practices in the construction industry, CREDAI-Pune Metro recently hosted the fourth annual ‘Pride Best Facility Awards’ ceremony at the Rathi Auditorium in Pune. This prestigious event celebrated the contributions of builders who have gone above and beyond in providing essential facilities, health services, skill training, and growth opportunities to their construction workers.'

As a crucial partner in this endeavor, Door Step School Foundation (DSSF) has been working tirelessly across several construction sites in and around Pune, focusing on the education and care of children from construction workers' families. Through literacy and study classes, along with Creche facilities, DSSF ensures that the children of these workers receive the education and care they deserve, right at the construction sites. These efforts are supported either fully or partially by the builders, who recognize the importance of such initiatives.

We are thrilled to share that several builders, who have been instrumental in supporting DSSF’s mission, were honored at this year’s CREDAI Awards:

VILAS JAVDEKAR DEVELOPERS (Project Yashwin Urbo Centro) - Gold Award in the Category for 101 to 300 Workers

VTP Realty (Project VTP Alter) - Gold Award in the Category for 21 to 100 Workers

B.G SHIRKE CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY PVT.LTD (Project PMC River Revival) - Special Category Award for Crèche Facilities

Panchshil Realty (Project Vantage Tower) - Special Category Award for Health Services

These accolades reflect the builders' commitment to creating an environment where the welfare of construction workers' families is prioritized. By supporting initiatives such as awareness creation among construction workers, enrolling their children in schools, and providing education, health, and nutrition support at some of their sites, these builders are setting a high standard in the industry.

We hope this recognition encourages more builders in Pune to take similar steps, ensuring the well-being of construction workers' families, with a particular focus on the health and education of the younger children living at these sites.

Let’s continue to build not just structures, but stronger communities that support and uplift every member involved.

This report was brought to us by our colleague Swati Shende. 

An Inspiring Story of Our Student Pallavi Gunjal

Heartening news comes to us about the achievements of Pallavi Siddhappa Gunjal from Supervisor Rupali Behere from the Community Learning Center at Door Step School.

16-year-old Pallavi started coming to our DSS 2 years ago. She is from a Kannada-speaking family. Her mother is a homemaker and her father a casual labourer. Her parents recognise the importance of education. Her father studied till Class 8 but her mother was not able to continue her studies after Class 3. However, it is her mother who inspires her to achieve her goals. Pallavi’s voice grows soft when she says her mother shows such great joy and enthusiasm every time she achieves something that it spurs her on to do better. Her brother and sister were not very interested in their studies, she says, so she felt she should support her mother by studying and achieving something. Her older brother started working after dropping out of school in Class 9 and an older sister, now married, who didn’t want to study further beyond her first year of college.

“When she first came” says Supervisor Rupali, “she was so reserved, it was difficult to get a word out of her. But slowly, she warmed up to the group activities that were presented by our teachers and started taking part in all the activities. As she gained confidence from the guidance, encouragement and praise our teachers gave her, she came into her own and started showing many talents, and started taking part in activities and competitions in her school too.”

In December 2022, she stood first in the Pune Talent Search Exam 2022, conducted on the occasion of National Mathematics Day. This won her recognition, praise and prizes from her school, which further motivated her to work harder.

In 2023, she stood first in Class 10 in Hutatma Rajgurunagar School, with 63% marks. “I made lot of progress because of the DSS classes”, says Pallavi. “As I experienced success thanks to the guidance I received here, it is my responsibility to help others here in their studies as much as I can”.

Getting to this point has not been easy for Pallavi. She has her share of household chores like cleaning and cooking - sometimes before school, sometimes after. Collecting water for the household is usually her mother’s responsibility, but Pallavi helps whenever she can. It is a very time-consuming daily activity, as the supply at the common taps shared by everyone in the tenements is only between 3 and 6 pm. Everyone rushes to stand in line. Study time is late evening, then.

Now, as she waits to start her new academic year in Class 11, Pallavi comes in to help other DSS students in the 7th , 8th , 9th and 10th classes in Maths. She explains that this helps her keep in touch with her own studies too. Her supervisor mentions that Pallavi is good at time management; and that sounds like one of her secrets of success!

Asked about her future plans and other interests, she says she wants to do Chartered Accountancy and study even beyond that. She is also very interested in mehendi and hairstyling. Pallavi says confidently that instead of settling for just one career, she would be a chartered accountant as well as a beautician!

Contributed by: Rupali Behere, Coordinator, Community Learning Center Program

Translated by Ms Gita Nair, Volunteer, DSS

Resolution chit handi

Community Learning Centre (CLC), Hadapsar children seeking help from their teachers organised an activity on Janmashtami. One of the mythological kids stories on Krishna and his friends, inspired children in CLC to ideate their activity. Every child wrote one resolution in a chit and all these chits were deposited in a handcrafted handi made by them. This handi was hanged on the sealing. Girls in the centre were excited to form a pyramid and Krishna climbed up on the pyramid too. He pulled down the handi. Later, the handi was circulated among other children them to pick-up chits from it. It was decided that everyone will follow their respective resolution from the chit for at least a month. 

Festivals are celebrated in every projects in Door Step School keeping the importance of education as its basic theme. The efforts are in the direction to inculcate healthy habits in these children and should continue as they grow. 

Kirloskar WaSH Award for Door Step School

Water and Sanitation Hygiene (WaSH) is a programme developed by Kirloskar Foundation. Objective of the programme is to create awareness on sanitation, hygiene, and cleanliness among children. The programme is being implemented at educational activity centers of Door Step School since year 2011-12. Our implementation staff receives formal trainings organized by Kirloskar Foundation every month. Apart from trainings, the Kirloskar foundation team also provides all the centers with printed material to conduct the activities with children. 13 DSS supervisors have received 4 WaSH trainings during year 2016-17.

Below topics were covered this year since the programme started in July:

July 2016 - Formation of WaSH Club, WaSH processions in the communities (1,096 children participated)

August 2016 - Segregation of Waste (1,173 children participated)

September 2016 - Personal Hygiene (937 children participated)
November 2016 - Hand  Wash (988 children participated)
December 2016 - Awareness about Adolescents’ hygiene (29 children participated)
January 2017 - Parents Meeting (625 children and parents participated)

Children learnt importance of hand washing, clean water, personal and environmental hygiene, and cleanliness through practical methods. Significant impact is seen in many children in their awareness of these issues. Children are seen implementing these not only at home but also in their communities and schools. Door Step School has also bagged an award from Kirloskar Foundation, Pune for the year 2016-17 for "Incredible Contribution in Kirloskar WaSH Initiative"

'वॉटर ॲन्ड सॅनिटेशन हायजिन' (वॉश) हा 'किर्लोस्कर फाउंडेशन'चा एक उपक्रम आहे. सार्वजनिक व वैयक्तिक स्वच्छतेविषयी मुलांमधे जागरुकता निर्माण करणे, हा 'वॉश' उपक्रमाचा प्रमुख उद्देश आहे. २०११-१२ पासून हा उपक्रम 'डोअर स्टेप स्कूल'च्या शैक्षणिक केंद्रांवर राबविला जात आहे. हा उपक्रम प्रत्यक्ष राबविणा-या आमच्या कार्यकर्त्यांना 'किर्लोस्कर फाउंडेशन'तर्फे दर महिन्याला औपचारिक प्रशिक्षण दिले जाते. तसेच, या केंद्रांवर मुलांसोबत उपक्रम राबविण्यासाठी आवश्यक छापील साहित्यही 'किर्लोस्कर फाउंडेशन' तर्फे पुरवले जाते. २०१६-१७ या वर्षात आमच्या १३ कार्यकर्त्यांना 'वॉश' अंतर्गत ४ प्रशिक्षणांचा लाभ घेता आला.

गेल्या वर्षी जुलै महिन्यात हा उपक्रम सुरु झाल्यापासून खालील विषयांवर काम करण्यात आले.

जुलै २०१६ - 'वॉश क्लब'ची स्थापना, वस्तीमधे 'वॉश' प्रक्रियेची सुरुवात (१,०९६ मुले सहभागी)
ऑगस्ट २०१६ - कच-याचे वर्गीकरण (१,१७३ मुले सहभागी)
सप्टेंबर २०१६ - वैयक्तिक स्वच्छता (९३७ मुले सहभागी)
नोव्हेंबर २०१६ - हात धुणे उपक्रम (९८८ मुले सहभागी)
डिसेंबर २०१६ - किशोरवयीन मुलांच्या स्वच्छतेबद्दल जाणीव जागृती (२९ मुले सहभागी)
जानेवारी २०१७ - पालक सभा (६२५ मुले व पालक सहभागी)

या उपक्रमातून मुलांना हात धुण्याचे, स्वच्छ पाण्याचे, तसेच वैयक्तिक व परिसर स्वच्छतेचे महत्त्व प्रात्यक्षिकांच्या माध्यमातून शिकायला मिळाले. या विषयांबद्दल मुलांमधे लक्षणीय जागरुकता निर्माण झालेली दिसून येत आहे. यातून मिळालेल्या माहितीचा वापर मुले घरीच नव्हे तर वस्तीमधे व शाळेमधेही करताना दिसत आहेत. शिवाय, 'किर्लोस्कर वॉश उपक्रमा'मधील महत्त्वपूर्ण योगदानाबद्दल 'डोअर स्टेप स्कूल'च्या टीमला २०१६-१७ साठी किर्लोस्कर फाउंडेशन, पुणे यांच्याकडून विशेष पारितोषिक देऊन गौरविण्यातही आले आहे.

The Lit Bug Fest - Children's Festival

The Lit Bug Festival was organized by The Story Station on 29th of April 2017. 101 children from Door Step School's centers across Pune city attended and enjoyed the activities, such as songs, dance, and story telling sessions at the Fest. Children also explored variety of books kept on display. Special features of this year's Lit Bug Fest were Nukkad Natak and children's theatrical plays, by Akanksha Rangabhoomi and Pushkar Rangmanch.

We would like to thank the organizers for giving our children an opportunity to experience and enjoy this innovative festival along with other children in the city!

SSRBM Kids Meet New Friends at DSS Bavdhan Center

पुण्यातल्या बावधन भागामधे बांधकाम मजुरांच्या मुलांसाठी ‘डोअर स्टेप स्कूल’तर्फे वर्ग चालवला जातो. साधारण तीन वर्षांपासून ते चौदा वर्षांपर्यंतची मुले दररोज या वर्गाला येतात. ‘डोअर स्टेप स्कूल’च्या शिक्षिका या मुलांना मराठी अक्षर ओळख, अंक ओळख, वाचन, लेखन, तसेच विविध खेळ व प्रकल्प शिकवतात. बावधन भागातच ‘श्री श्री रविशंकर बालमंदीर’ ही लहान मुलांची शाळा आहे. या शाळेतील मुलांनी व शिक्षिकांनी नुकतीच ‘डोअर स्टेप स्कूल’च्या बांधकाम साईटवरील वर्गाला भेट दिली. बालमंदीराच्या मुलांनी पपेटच्या माध्यमातून एक गोष्ट सादर केली. त्यांच्यासोबत आलेल्या शिक्षिका ज्योत्स्नाताई यांनी दोन्ही गटातल्या मुलांचे एकत्रित खेळ घेतले. मुलांनी एकत्र गाणी म्हटली आणि डान्सही केला. दोन्हीकडील मुलांच्या चेहर्‍यांवर नवीन मित्र मिळाल्याचा आनंद स्पष्ट दिसत होता.

श्री श्री रविशंकर बालमंदीरच्या संचालिका सायली कुलकर्णी यांनी या भेटीबाबतचा अनुभव छान शब्दांत लिहून पाठवला आहे.

“आज ‘डोअर स्टेप स्कूल’च्या बावधन प्रकल्पाला भेट देण्याचा योग आला. आणि त्या योगाने एका मस्त अश्या छोट्या दोस्ताची ओळख झाली. 'हरी' - हरिहर यादव, वय वर्ष अवघे १० ते १२ असावे. बांधकाम करणाऱ्या कामगारांचा मुलगा. 'हरी' - पहात क्षणी नजर खिळवून ठेवणारे चुणचुणीत व्यक्तिमत्त्व. खरेतर या वयाची बरीचशी मुले अशीच असतात. पण हा हरी मनाच्या कोपऱ्यात घर करून गेला ते वेगळ्याच कारणाने. ते म्हणजे - हरीची सगळ्या ऍक्टिव्हिटीज मध्ये असणारी इनव्हॉलमेंट. आसपासच्या मुलांची चुळबुळ, आजूबाजूने येणारे मोठे आवाज, काढले जात असणारे फोटोज, या आणि यांसारख्या कोणत्याही व्यत्ययांचा त्याच्या एकाग्रतेवर काडीचाही फरक पडत नव्हता. गाणे म्हणणे, नाच करणे यांसारख्या कृती तो अगदी १००% करत होता. भूत-भविष्याचा कसलाही परिणाम न जुमानणारा, साधनामग्न योगीच जणू हरीच्या रूपात माझ्यासमोर होता. मनात विचार आला की, परमेश्वराचे कार्यमग्न हरिरूप असेच असेल का? आणि मग दिवसभर मनात या हरी नामाचा गजर रंगला. आपण स्वतः खरंच प्रत्येक गोष्ट एवढी मनापासून, १००% करतो का? भूतकाळातील अनावश्यक ओझी नि भविष्याची अकारण चिंता यामध्ये वर्तमानात जगणे विसरूनच जातो. कोण आपल्याबद्दल काय विचार करेल नि काय म्हणेल, यात नैसर्गिक हालचालींवर बंधने आणतो. आजूबाजूच्या छोट्या छोट्या अडचणी घेऊन स्वतःच स्वतःपुढे व्यत्ययांचे मोठे डोंगर उभे करतो. आज या हरीच्या रूपाने पुन्हा एकवार स्वतःला ओळखण्याची, स्वतःच्या जवळ जाण्याची संधी मिळाली. आणि या मुलांना काहीतरी द्यायला गेलेल्या मलाच खूप काही असे मिळून गेले. आज मला या 'हरी'च्या रूपाने जणू माझ्यातील 'हरी' भेटला.”

- सायली कुलकर्णी

Taking Education to Every Child’s Doorstep…

Thousands of people migrate every day from villages to cities in search of employment. The industrial and infrastructural developments in a city like Pune attract people from various states in the country. Majority of the migrants are unskilled and semi-skilled labourers, who often get employed on construction sites coming up everywhere in and around the city. Usually, the labourer families are provided hutments in the construction premises. The families include children from various age groups, who keep moving from one place to another along with their parents. Most of them do not speak the local language and prefer to avoid unnecessary local interaction. Due to lack of awareness or special attention, the children remain deprived of education during the parents’ struggle for survival. Around 15 years ago, Door Step School identified the need and decided to provide learning opportunities for these children at their own doorstep. The concept of Educational Activity Centers was thus developed and implemented at various construction sites in Pune.

Over the years, there have been lots of experiments and changes in the original model of a construction site class. However, the objective with which it was started and the passion with which it was being run have remained unchanged. The Project Foundation team of Door Step School recently decided to exhibit the journey and methodology of these centers, for the knowledge of various stakeholders involved in the cause. An open-to-all exhibition was organized at the labour camp on Clover Forest County construction site in Kharadi, Pune on 17th and 18th of March 2017.

Colourful charts were put up displaying information about the organization and various steps and procedures to start and run an Educational Activity Center on a construction site. Books and teaching aids specially designed by Door Step School for these children were made available for the visitors to view. The exhibition counters were manned by DSS teachers and the children actually benefitted by the EACs being run at nearby construction sites. Layout of a typical EAC and its functioning were explained through 3D models prepared by the teachers. Visitors were also taken on a tour to the actual EAC on this construction site – which consists of a Balwadi, a Study Class, and a Literacy Class, in a semi-constructed facility provided by the builder.

The teachers and children explained to the visitors, how events are celebrated and science activities are conducted at the centers. Evaluation methods and registers maintained for tracking children’s progress were put on display, along with drawings and craft items prepared by the children. At one stall, children narrated their own journey from dirty and careless appearance to proper health and hygiene habits, while at another stall, children performed science experiments like eruption of a volcano and functioning of a handpump.

The exhibition was visited by teachers and children from other centers and projects of Door Step School, along with volunteers and representatives of funding partners. It was an opportunity for individuals and organizations interested in starting such educational activities for children from similar background in the city or outside. The Door Step School team behind organizing this exhibition was led by Nagesh Alkunte, Dipika  Pawar, Tehasin Shaikh, and Meghna Vittubone. The teachers Kalpana Talekar, Neeta Bhalerao, Sajna Tikhole, and Namrta shinde took efforts in preparation, display, and overall management of the event, with enthusiastic and tireless participation from the children.