Campaign Story
About the project
Kaptipada block in Mayurbhanj district Orissa has 72.63 % of households living below poverty line. The education scenario in this regard is not only dismal but also remains beyond the reach of the administration due to lack of will and accessibility. As most of the parents are illiterate and unaware about their rights and entitlements, they rarely demand any facility in the school and accept all cases of mismanagement as natural or beyond their control.
Making a difference
CRY America’s Project Shikshasandhan works towards enrolling and retaining children in schools and fulfilling the basic RTE provisions and strengthening of the committees. The children who are engaged in child labor are mainstreamed into the education system with creating awareness in the community. The key activities under the project are enrollment drives, home visits in the community and strengthening of SMCs.
The way forward
● Ensure all the children in the age group of 3-6 years in all the 37 villages are enrolled
● Maintain tracker of all 1582 children of their enrolment status
● 1100 home visits to be conducted to map the irregular and dropped off children
● 11 Anganwadi centers will be provided with teacher learning manual support
● Parent counseling of all 467 students to transit from Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) to primary school
● Capacity Building of SMC members
● SMC will ensure that all the children are receiving mid-day-meal
● Drop-out children and never enrolled children re-enrolled in school
● Bridge course learning
● Language support and remedial classes
Project Impact
100%
Enrolment and retention of children from 3 to 18 years in schools
96
Dropout children enrolled back to school
3154
Children enrolled in schools
42
Children enrolled in bridge classes
Last Year’s Grant Disbursed: $13,594
Current Year’s Approved Grant
Against All Odds: Salman’s Journey to Education and Empowerment
Salman, a 10-year-old boy, belonged to the tribal Kolha family. His parents struggled to make ends meet. His family relied on the meager earnings of his father and elder brothers, who worked as daily laborers.
When the COVID pandemic struck, tragedy befell the family as Salman lost his mother. Left with only his father and the support of his brothers, he had to grow up quickly. He dropped out of school and started taking care of his younger sisters.
Determined to contribute to the family’s income, Salman engaged in various odd jobs. He collected leaves and skillfully wove them into leaf plates, which he sold in the local market. He also gathered firewood and prepared meals for his family. The burden of these responsibilities left him with little time for his own dreams and aspirations.
The group leaders discussed his case during a children’s collective meeting. The team took it upon themselves to counsel Salman’s father. They motivated the community to organize child care for Salman’s younger sisters, allowing him to return to school.
Through the support of the Matru Committee and the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) center, Salman’s father received the assistance needed to ensure his daughters’ well-being while Salman pursued his education. With renewed hope, Salman eagerly returned to school, grateful for the opportunity to continue his studies and pursue his dreams.
Salman’s journey exemplified resilience and determination in the face of adversity. His story demonstrated that even in the harshest of circumstances, education and community support could light the way to a brighter future.
Project Photo Gallery
