Implementing NGO: IRCDS, Established in 1986,
Partnership Start Year: 2008
Project Start Year: 2008
Project Location: Pondi Block, Thiruvallur District, Tamil Nadu

Project Financials

2008 Actual: $5,666
2009 Plan  : $10,227 

Region Demographics

Tiruvallur, a northern district of Tamil Nadu is plagued by issues of bonded labor and child labor. Children do not attend schools regularly, and many also drop out of school as parents show no interest in their education. Those children continuing in school have to walk up to 2-½ miles to reach their middle/high schools. Many schools are lacking basic infrastructure. Teacher-Student ratio is inadequate. Most of the primary schools have 2 or 3 teachers for 5 classes. Most of the Parent–Teachers Associations / Village Education Committees (VECs) are also inactive. Representatives of tribal communities are not playing any role in the VECs.

Boys and girls get married when they are 15-18 years old and 13-15 years old respectively. Lack of awareness regarding health, immunisation and personal hygiene is very common in some communities.

Intervention Details

Objective
This project aims to empower the VECs and the community to ensure education for all children in the target villages. Enrollment, retention and quality of education will be improved with a focus on creating a recipe for sustained success. 1268 children in 20 villages will be covered in this project.

Empowering the VECs
•    Strengthen VECs in 16 villages, 40 Self Help Groups and 12 Gram Panchayat members to identify and motivate children to join school.
•    Conduct door-to-door campaigns.
•    Educate VEC on needs for school infrastructure.
•    Create and enable committees and parents council to monitor schooling methodologies.
•    Provide a system to monitor learning outcomes/ quality of education through VECs and Gram Panchayats.

Prevent School Drop-outs
•    Visit the schools frequently and monitor attendance.
•    Conduct motivational meetings with parents
•    Increase attendance to 90%.

Create a Child-Friendly Environment
•    Encourage and enable children to express their thoughts freely.
•    Enable children to participate in community development programs.
•    Form 16 Child Rights Clubs in various schools.

Appropriate Utilization of Funds
•    Educate Gram Panchayat members on the benefits of monetary support for education programs.

Project Challenges

•    Caste system is deep rooted in this area and poses a sizable challenge.
•    Infrastructure - electricity and transportation facilities – can be a challenge to the process of putting all children in school and retaining them.