Adult Literacy for women, Orissa

Region Demographics

•  Target areas on the banks of Salandi river are flood-prone with women’s literacy rates in the low 20s
•  A plethora of socio-economic issues have been afflicting people in multiple village in these areas

Project Description

This project aims to provide literacy to women enabling their socio-economic and cultural development, and to universalize primary education in the rural areas. VARRSA has an intensive programme approach in 20 villages of 4 Gram Panchayats viz. Kadabarang, Anijo, Padhanpada and Ramachandra Pura (R.C. Pura). The villages are of mixed caste groups and some are with a co-habitation of multi-caste Hindu and Muslim families.

Project Roadmap

•  Literacy for 1000 adult women: Centers are run for women to learn for 1 to 2 hours a day, learning place sometimes being a family verandah, President/secretary's house or SHG meeting place
•  Orientation, facilitation and support services to 500 children for mainstreaming and school retention
•  Legal education for 1000 women

Financials

2007 Funding: $5,450

Accomplishments

•  500 women are neo-literates and 382 more will be neo-literates by June 2007
•  Developed a primer for adult literacy working with the Department for Mass Education
•  29 Education centers are run with SSA help
•  Learning centers for children in school less villages/hamlets under Education Guarantee Scheme(EGS)