PRAJAYATNA
 Quarterly Newsletter : July - September, 2023

Karnataka

In our latest updates, we're excited to share progress in empowering Anganwadi workers and teachers. Training sessions in Bengaluru covered the new National Education Policy and foundational learning. We also wrapped up a dynamic 2-day language development training for teachers in Yelahanka, engaging 137 Anganwadis. Parents in the area actively participated in meetings, learning about early education and supporting their child's learning journey at home. The positive feedback we received from parents speaks volumes. Additionally, Prajayatna is working on baseline assessments in Anganwadis to ensure  tailored learning strategies. We joined in celebrating National Nutrition Month, emphasizing the importance of healthy nutritious food for child development. We also collaborated with Oracle employees to transform an Anganwadi.

Capacity building for Anganwadi teachers

Training was conducted for 60 Anganwadi workers in Bengaluru. During these training sessions, we focused on two essential aspects: the new National Education Policy (NEP) and foundational learning. The significance of ECCE in the policy was highlighted along with the role of AWC in the context of the policy.

Language development training for Anganwadi Teachers

We concluded an enriching 2-day training on language development for Anganwadi teachers in our project area of Yelahanka, Bengaluru. Four sessions for four circle areas were organized, bringing together teachers from 137 Anganwadis. Together, we dove into the importance of language development for children aged 3-6. We are thrilled to have helped these dedicated Anganwadi teachers understand the different stages and skills of language development which is crucial in setting the foundation for young children. We also facilitated a hands-on TLM (Teaching-Learning Material) making session where the teachers learnt how to craft enchanting puppets and masks for storytelling, igniting creativity and engagement in children!

Parental engagement to ensure development of children

Parents in Yelahanka, Bengaluru, actively participated in the meetings Prajayatna organized. At these meetings, we teach parents about early education, what children learn at the Anganwadis, and how they can support their child’s learning at home. By involving parents, we empower them to support their child's learning journey both at the Anganwadi and at home.

“This meeting has helped me understand the benefits of early education and how I can help my child learn at home too.”

- Nisarga (Singapura AWC, Abbigere)

“This parent’s meeting has helped me understand how to take good care of my child and support his learning at home. Before joining the Anganwadi, my son was hardly speaking, he would not interact with other children. Now he speaks well, loves to interact and has made many friends too! ”

- Laya (Singapura AWC, Abbigere )

Understanding the level of development of children - baseline assessment in AWC

Prajayatna conducts these assessments which involve interactive activities that not only looks at the cognitive skills of the children, but also their socio - emotional skills as well. The data collected will help us understand the needs of the teachers and help us create better learning strategies and training modules for the teachers.

Celebrating National Nutrition Month

Anganwadi teachers in our project areas in Bengaluru, celebrated Poshan Maah 2023 (National Nutrition Month). The teachers set up meetings with parents, discussed the importance of nutrition for child development and discussed ways for parents to create healthier meals for children

UTTAR PRADESH

Latest updates from Uttar Pradesh include: A day-long camp organized in collaboration with the education department and ALIMCO successfully provided specialized assistive devices to 201 children with disabilities, addressing their specific needs. Teacher collective meetings in Bahraich and Chitrakoot emphasized strategies for effective classroom facilitation, fostering a collaborative environment. Prajayatna's representation at a state-level consultation, chaired by the Director of the Department of Women and Child Development, underscored our commitment to understanding and addressing challenges in collaboration with organizations working in Anganwadis across the state.

Camp organized for Children with disabilities to receive assistive devices

The education department and ALIMCO organized a one-day measurement camp for assistive devices at Chitrakoot Inter College in Uttar Pradesh. Prajayatna’s involvement in the camp included not only providing support to the team but also ensuring the participation of children by encouraging parents to bring their children to the camp.

281 children with disabilities from various blocks registered for this camp. The ALIMCO team assessed these children and found that 201 were eligible to receive assistive devices that will cater to their specific needs, including chairs, kits, canes, and hearing aids, which will enable them to live a dignified life.

Teachers meeting

Teacher collective meetings were held for 51 teachers in 2 clusters each of Bahraich and Chitrakoot for teachers fo Std 1 to 5. The teachers and the Academic Resource Person came together to discuss challenges and share insights and ideas. The main objective of the collective was to get the teachers to become effective facilitators in the classroom. Better ways to facilitate learning and keep children curious & excited was discussed. The session was also to help the teachers define learning outcomes through the mapping of the concepts for the month. Effective lesson planning was also done by planning activities according to the learning outcomes. They realised that this helped them in making everyday effective. This included accommodating children with disabilities in the classrooms and helping all children succeed in class.

The objective is to enable teachers to facilitate the children in an active learning process that will encourage them to ask questions, explore topics on their own, develop their capabilities and develop the capacity for self-directed learning.

Prajayatna participated in a State-Level Consultation in Uttar Pradesh

Our Chief Functionary, Mary Punnoose, represented Prajayatna in a state level consultation in Uttar Pradesh. The consultation was chaired by the Director of the Department of Women and Child Development. The gathering brought together various organizations working with Anganwadis across the state in Uttar Pradesh.

The primary aim of the meeting was to gain a deeper understanding of the work being carried out by these organizations and the challenges they face on the ground along with working in collaboration with the state. The meeting also aimed to explore how the different tools and resources offered by these organizations could be shared and consolidated to prevent duplication.

We are excited about the possibilities that emerge from this collaboration and look forward to contributing and ensuring a bright future for our children!

Oracle employees bring colour and life to the Abbigere Anganwadi!

On August 5th, a team of 23 enthusiastic volunteers from Oracle embarked on a mission to transform the Abbigere Anganwadi in Yelahanka, Bengaluru.

Thanks to the dedication of the volunteers, the Anganwadi now boasts vibrant, cheerful yellow walls that instantly brighten the surroundings. The children are excited to come to the Anganwadi every day and are in awe of the transformation. The blackboard looks completely new! The garden has been transformed into a thriving kitchen garden, bursting with life and colour. The freshly grown spinach ready to harvest from the garden is now being used by the assistant teacher to prepare nutritious meals for the children.

Prajayatna extends our heartfelt thanks to all of them for their efforts in making this transformation possible. We eagerly look forward to collaborating with Oracle volunteers again for more uplifting experiences like this one. Together, we can continue making a positive impact and create brighter futures for children. 

Make a difference

As we continue to make a difference in providing quality education to thousands of children, let's not forget the vital role each of you plays in making a difference. Nelson Mandela's words resonate: "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."

Your support matters. To continue empowering teachers, facilitating learning, and providing essential resources, we need your support. Your donation can be the spark that ignites brighter futures for countless children.

Follow our journey on social media for real-time updates, and consider making a donation today. Together, we can transform lives and shape a world where every child has the opportunity to learn and thrive.

All donations to Prajayatna are tax-exempted under section 80G of the Income Tax Act, 1961. In recognition of the good work being done by Prajayatna, we have been awarded the Guidestar Certification. Guide Star India validates NGOs based on their legal and financial compliance, as well as on their level of public disclosure of information.

Prajayatna

331, 1st A Main Rd, 7th Block, Jayanagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560070
www.prajayatna.in, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

    Updates from Uttar Pradesh

In this quarter, our focus has been to ensure that children are in schools after a long gap induced by the Covid-19 pandemic and efforts have been directed towards ensuring that the classroom learning process becomes interesting leading to an increase in retention of children in the schools. Efforts have been made to engage and strengthen the anganwadis during this quarter.

Training of Anganwadi workers to develop TLM

A major focus of Prajayatna’s work has been on strengthening the state-run anganwadis. With the focus on ensuring a child-centric learning process in the Anganwadi centers.

Prajayatna team members provided training to 49 Anganwadi workers to make teaching-learning materials. The training was organized in Chitrakoot and Bahraich districts (Sector Bamboura and Kapsethi of Jarwal and Karvi development blocks) in collaboration with the Department of Women and Child Development. The training aimed at empowering teachers to create educational resources in puzzle making, puppet making for children's stories, sound boxes, etc that would make pre-school education lively and interesting. The workshop was organized so that teachers are equipped to understand the process of holistic development of a child keeping in mind their emotional, cognitive, language, and social development. In the workshop, not only the use of learning material was discussed with the Anganwadi workers, but suggestions were also given to prepare learning materials from local resources that could be found around the village.

Profiling of Children with Disabilities

In an effort to understand the needs and challenges being faced by the children with disabilities, (such as certificates, Aadhar cards, bank accounts, etc) Prajayatna team members visited the homes of such children and met their parents in both Chitrakoot and Bahraich districts. The objective of knowing the needs of children with disabilities was to ensure that the children received their entitlements from the government from time to time and to ensure that the child's family was also given information and the necessary support to provide a conducive environment for the child.

Orientation of Head teachers

With the beginning of the new academic year, to make the process of Kalikayatna, our quality learning initiative, in schools more robust, orientation was done with the head teachers of schools of Bambhaura and Badrauli Nyaya Panchayat regarding the Kalikayatna process. In this meeting, a presentation was given on National Education Policy (NEP) & National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN), and its alignment with Kalikayatna was discussed in detail. Teachers from 15 schools participated in the orientation program.

Parents Meeting

Parents play an important role in the education of children and help in continuing the learning process beyond the classrooms. Prajayatna has always taken measures to empower the parents’ community so that they can further enrich the process of learning in children beyond classroom hours.

At the end of the 27-day summer vacation, when the school re-opened, it was observed that the number of children coming to school was very less. To increase the number of children and to make parents aware that the schools had re-opened and the children needed to attend school regularly, a meeting was held in the communities of Jolahanpurwa and Abullahpur. In this meeting, a discussion was held about sending children to school every day and ensuring their enrollment.

A total of 4 meetings were held with 49 parents in different communities of Bahraich and Chitrakoot to discuss the education of children. Along with enrollment and regular attendance of children in schools, issues of ensuring that children with disabilities were also regular was discussed along with ways of enabling their learning in the classroom.

Events
We at Prajayatna believe in the holistic development of a child. Taking part in events helps to boost a child’s confidence levels and develop their leadership skills. Following are the key events in which children participated in the districts.

• World Environment Day

World Environment Day was celebrated in Khutha village in Uttar Pradesh on 5th June in Khutaha Gram panchayat in which the Block Development Officer, District Welfare Officer, President of District Business Board, and other community leaders participated. People of the village also participated in the event wherein children showcased charts on environmental issues. Later, a tree plantation drive was also undertaken in presence of the respected dignitaries and children. Certificates were awarded to children by the Block Development Officer and District Welfare Officer. 

• Summer camp

Prajayatna has always emphasized the need to foster the holistic development of a child through its various programs and ensured that learning is activity-based, experiential and interesting.

To this end, Prajayatna organized a 5-day summer camp which was kick-started in Bhabhai village, Kapseti cluster, Chitrakoot district, and later also held in other schools in Kapsethi and Asoha clusters, Chitrakoot district and two clusters - Badrauli and Bambhaura - in Baharaich district.

The purpose of the summer camp was to create an environment for children during the school holidays in which children could develop their creativity and learn through sports and other activities. It was also to keep them engaged in the learning process during the holidays and get them back to school when it reopened.

In the camp, children engaged in various activities such as drawing, playing games, making clay toys, storytelling, reciting poems, and learning the concepts of mathematics in a structural framework through various interesting activities.

The activities conducted in this camp were planned carefully by local volunteers and were presented in a very exciting way to the children to ensure their active participation.

In the Chitrakoot district in UP, a total of 5 summer camps were organized in which a total of 173 children participated. Similarly, in the Bahraich district in UP, a total of 5 summer camps were organized in which a total of 81 children participated.

Workshop for parents of children with disabilities

Prajayatna has been interacting with the concerned stakeholders at different levels for the last five years to protect and promote the rights of children in the Chitrakoot district. At present, there are some children around us, in society and school, whose needs are slightly different from other children and whom we also refer to as children with disabilities. The parents of these children not only need the training to take care of their children and help them to live independently, but the problems of these parents are also of a different kind in themselves

Recognizing this, a parents’ meeting was organized on issues related to education and care needs of children with disabilities in which 52 parents of Kapsethi and Asoh clusters in Chitrakoot district participated. In this meeting, a committee was also formed, whose main objective was to place the issues related to children with disabilities in front of the responsible authorities. In the meeting, representatives from the Inclusive Education Department, CHILDLINE, and Children’s Welfare Committee (CWC), tried to resolve various problems of children with disabilities and their parents. An advocate working on human rights in the district along with an activist who works for the community apart from the parents were also part of the meeting.

Key outcomes of the meeting:

• A group of parents of children with disabilities was formed to take up the issues related to the children with the competent authorities.

• 6 children with disabilities were enrolled in different schools.

• Children's disability certificates are now easily made by the health department on the prescribed days.

Did you know?
National Education Policy (NEP) 2020

The National Policy on Education was framed in 1986 and modified in 1992. Since then; several changes have taken place that calls for a revision of the Policy.

The NEP 2020 is the first education policy of the 21st century and replaces the thirty-four-year-old National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986. Built on the foundational pillars of Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability, and Accountability, this policy is aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The National Education Policy 2020 proposes various reforms in school education as well as higher education including technical education

The NEP also stresses the importance of the universalization of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) with a 2030 target to ensure that all students entering Grade 1 are school ready.

It aims to transform India into a vibrant knowledge society and global knowledge superpower by making both school and college education more holistic, flexible, multidisciplinary, and suited to 21st-century needs.

Updates from Jharkhand

This quarter the focus has been to make the School Management Committees (SMC) more active and empower the community. Special emphasis was put on making the community aware and enrolling the children back into schools. Responsibility was entrusted to the school to solve problems affecting learning such as shortage of teachers, construction of boundary wall and availability of water. 
 

Community meeting and SMC follow-up meeting

We at Prajayatna have always believed in a theory of change that relies heavily on community participation and empowerment. Prajayatna regularly participates in these meetings where the parents of the children (some may be members of the SMC) are made aware of the importance of education. They are  also made aware of the importance of sending their children to school regularly, following a daily study routine when at home, taking care of cleanliness, and how the community can take an active part in the management of the school. In this quarter, a total of 70 community meeting were held in Ghaghra block of Gumla district to discuss the responsibilities of the community in ensuring the smooth functioning of the school and developing a sense of ownership so that children have access to quality education. Following the meeting, the community members took proactive steps to get children enrolled in the school. Similarly, a total of 8 SMC meetings were conducted in which the topic of discussion included the enrolment of children and the roles and responsibilities of the SMC members.

CLCC centers operational in Raidih, Gumla

Community Learning and Cultural Centers (CLCCs) were established by Prajayatna in response to the demand for alternatives for the children by the parents to keep them engaged after school. CLCCs are entirely managed by the community. The centers are creative learning spaces where children come together and learn and do various activities that are interesting for the children and develop different abilities in the child along with academic support. The centers also serve as a source for conducting various cultural activities. The centers are run for 2-3 hours after the school closes. During the weekend, special sessions are conducted on art, craft, and other activities. In Raidih block, 4 such CLCC centers are run by Prajayatna.

The activities conducted at the centers are designed to develop various lifeskills such as leadership, collaboration and ability to work in groups etc. The activities and environment in the centres also ensures that values are inculcated in the children which enables them to develop into responsible and empathetic individuals.

Updates from Karnataka

The focus of this quarter was to engage and build a relationship with the teachers and enrich the learning processes within the Anganwadi center along with strengthening the Bal Vikas Samitis. Efforts have been made to orient teachers and helpers/ assistant teachers on several aspects of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) that would help them understand the objectives behind the care and learning activities

Bal Vikas Samiti (BVS) workshops follow-up meeting

Prajayatna's work on improving the State-run Anganwadis has primarily focused on facilitating stakeholder involvement and on institutionalizing these initiatives through our work with community-based and constitutionally recognized structures thereby ensuring that the Anganwadis become dynamic centers for the overall development of the child. The key objective of such intervention has been to bring a focus on early childhood needs, especially in the areas of learning and health, and enhance the all-round development of a child. Bal Vikas Samiti meetings and workshops are conducted frequently towards this end.

In this quarter, BVS workshops held in Karnataka have enabled BVS members to understand their roles and responsibilities in the development of children and thus ensure the efficient functioning of the Anganwadi centers. BVS follow-up meetings have been held in 3 AWCs -Venkatala, Kondappa Layout AWC 2 and in Manavanthi Thota AWCs to discuss the progress of the plan that the Angnawadi workers and BVS members had drafted in the BVS workshops.

As a result of the workshop, the committee, which used to meet once in a while before the workshop, was seen to be more proactive towards making efforts to understand the issues faced by the anganwadis, as well as take proactive steps to resolve the issues faced by the teachers and children.

Assistant teachers' training

The role of the Anganwadi helper is not just limited to taking care of cleanliness, maintaining a hygienic environment of the center and preparing nutritious food, and feeding the children. It is difficult for a single teacher to handle 25-30 children in a center and hence the helper needs to play the role of an assistant teacher who helps out with the learning activities in the center. Hence we have redefined the role of the helper as an ‘assistant teacher’. Her role becomes all the more crucial when the teacher gets engaged in other department-related work, goes away for department-related meetings, takes leave, etc. Sometimes, it has been observed that when a teacher retires, the recruitment and appointment process takes so long that all the responsibility of the managing center falls on the shoulders of the assistant teacher. An equipped assistant teacher can handle it much better in creating a safe and nurturing environment within the possible limitations than an untrained assistant teacher. Keeping this in consideration, assistant teacher training has been designed and implemented in all three new circles. The total number of Assistant Teachers who participated in the training in Abbigere, Shankarnagar, and Chikkabanawara circles are 18, 24, and 26 respectively. 

Distribution of play and learning materials in Anganwadi centers

In the early years of childhood, learning happens effectively through play. This helps children learn about how to conduct oneself in society, connect with others, and much more. Learning through play helps the development of different domains of a child. Understanding the significance of play and learning materials, Prajayatna has provided learning kits consisting of teaching-learning materials and stationary items to AWCs which would help teachers engage with children and use them in facilitating the learning process as per the weekly theme.

Teacher training for the planning of daily activities

After the first round of the teachers' training, teachers gathered at a commonplace to prepare an Anganwadi learning activity plan as per the theme or the concept of that particular week to impart the activities at the center and make the learning processes interesting for the children.

The team enabled the teachers to identify questions relating to free talk/ open conversation with children on the topic, and also conduct pre-literacy and numeracy activities, and outdoor games

A format has been used where teachers had to fill the planned activities in the format as per the timetable of AWC. This process helped the teachers to understand what is a concept, and plan concepts-based daily activities in the classroom where each component of the theme is made explorative and interesting for the children. In this quarter, the team has held planning sessions covering all the new 97 AWCs.

In the Spotlight: Meet our Anganwadi teacher Ms. Anitha G

Working as an Anganwadi teacher in Gandhinagar Anganwadi center, Anita G is a shy woman who is reticent about her achievements. Be it educating people about how to protect themselves from Covid or providing pregnant and lactating women with supplementary nutrition, she takes her duties seriously braving the adversities that come her way wearing a smile and a positive attitude. In this brief interview, she shares her work as an Anganwadi teacher in a candid conversation with Prajayatna team.

Any challenges that you face in your job?

During Covid times, while doing the Covid survey; all I had was a mask and sanitizer. Even though I was scared to deliver the rations at home fearing I might contract Covid, I visited the households.

We did a Covid awareness rally and talked with the parents on how to protect themselves during Covid, the precautionary measures to be followed and even referred those suffering from Covid-related ailments to hospitals.

I also faced a lot of hurdles in the implementation of the Mathrupoorna scheme, especially in the enrollment of eligible beneficiaries. However, with regular counseling, things have improved.

How has your association with Prajayatna helped you in your work?

I owe a lot to Prajayatna. From learning how to mobilize the community to how to conduct meetings with parents, it has been a great learning experience. After joining Prajayatna, regular training has helped me to improve as an Anganwadi teacher.

What do you wish to do to improve the functioning of the Anganwadi center in the future?

Going forward, I want to ensure that locals do not dump garbage on the premises of the center on the days it is closed. My wish is to make sure that the Anganwadi center has a compound gate. It will also be a dream come true for me when the center is housed in its building. Right now, we operate from rented premises. I enjoy working with children the most. They are a source of joy. I love my work as an Anganwadi teacher and every day is memorable for me.

Inspiring stories from the ground

Including every child: Ensuring access to education for children with disabilities

Children with disabilities in India are subject to multiple deprivations resulting in limited development opportunities. Their families also go through challenges in having a person with a disability at home, especially in rural areas which ultimately leads to further discrimination and often isolation of these children.

Inclusive Education (IE) is an approach that believes in educating children with disability and learning difficulties along with mainstream children and seeks to maximize their potential.

Prajayatna believes in inclusiveness and providing quality learning opportunities for groups who have traditionally been excluded including children with disabilities.

Living up to its principle, Prajayatna reached out to help a child named Abhijeet (name changed) who had lost his parents to the deadly pandemic two years ago. The child is suffering from hearing impairment and didn’t have the opportunity to go to school and learn. He lives with his sister in Kapsethi block in Chitrakoot district in Uttar Pradesh. Prajayatna team working in Uttar Pradesh ensured that the child is enrolled in Amanpur school in the seventh standard. The team is also putting in efforts to get him a disability certificate. According to an estimate, about 4-8% of the population in India is differently-abled which means one in every 10 children is born with or acquires a physical, mental, or sensory disability. Only 35.29% of all people living with disabilities have access to schools.

Carry books, not bricks: Enrollment of children of Para Parasrampur brick kiln

A survey of brick kilns in Para Parasrampur Gram Panchayat of Bamboura Nyaya Panchayat in Bahraich was done with the help of a teacher. Prajayatna team members also spoke to workers of brickkilns which revealed that they were originally a native of western Uttar Pradesh (Bareilly, Pilibhit). The education of their children was hampered as they migrated from one place to another in search of livelihood opportunities.

It was found in the survey that the enrolment of some children is at their native place, while some children are not enrolled in school at all. During the survey, a total of 7 children, who were never enrolled in school, were enrolled in the neighborhood Composite School Para Parasrampur in age-appropriate classes with the help of a teacher.

A report and documentary by Anti-Slavery International and its partners have revealed “appalling” levels of slavery in India’s brick kiln industry, including the endemic presence of debt-bondage and child slavery.

There are at least 100,000 functioning brick kilns in India that employ an estimated 23 million workers.

Prajayatna is working in the field of education of children for the last 6 years in Bambhaura Nyaya Panchayat of Jarwal development block and the main objective of the organization is to provide access to quality education for every child so that no child is deprived of his fundamental right to education.

Donor Testimonial

Testimonials from other stakeholders

Here's what Ms. Garima Singh, Lead CSR-Cargill India has to say about us!

"We had the good opportunity to support the Kalikayatna learning initiative of Prajayatna in Arakera K and Kandakur clusters of Yadgiri district of Karnataka. We partnered with Prajayatna and supported their efforts especially when schools were closed during COVID times. It was heartening to work with a team that is committed and always willing to walk the extra mile towards the goal of providing quality education for all children. The team's relentless efforts to reach out to the disadvantaged children and communities during the difficult Covid times are commendable. It has been our pleasure to work with this wonderful organization. I wish the team all the success!"

Ms. Garima Singh,
Lead CSR-Cargill

“We got to learn about various developments in children and ways of conducting learning activities”

Ms. Nitya Sri,
Kempapura Colony AWC. Chikkabanawara Circle

“So far, we thought conducting learning activities is the job of a teacher alone but now we got to learn a lot more about children, developmental domain and what role we can play to support children's learning.”

Ms. Manjula,
Assistant teachers. Abbigere AWC2, Abbigere Circle

“We use to conduct learning activities without knowing the reason behind them, but in this training, we have been able to understand the abilities that get developed from every activity that we conduct."

Ms. Sowbhagyamma C,
Goraguntepalys AWC, Shankarnagar Circle

You too can join our journey!

• Spread the Word

At Prajayatna, we believe that each one of us can contribute in our little ways to enable children’s access to universal education. Our strength lies in our ever-growing supporter base --- volunteers, donors, and the media and together we can do so much more in championing our cause. If you’re equally passionate as us and want to be a part of our journey, spread the word about Prajayatna with your friends, and relations.

• Volunteer with Us!

Are you a student and looking for some great opportunities to make an impact through your work? Here's your chance. We at Prajayatna have excellent volunteering opportunities that will not only provide you with an opportunity to champion the cause of children’s access to education but also build your skills in your chosen area of expertise. It will also provide you with a first-hand experience of understanding the ground realities in India.

We also provide our volunteers and interns with a Certificate of Experience on successful completion of the project assigned. If you find our work exciting and would like to join our team as a volunteer, please write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Donate to our Cause!

Prajayatna meets India's education challenges at the community level every day by engaging directly with the schools and Anganwadis, creating training materials, and educating and empowering communities and teachers. Your donation, no matter how small, will support the work and help our children access the means to quality education. As they say, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step!

All donations to Prajayatna are tax-exempted under section 80G of the Income Tax Act, 1961. In recognition of the good work being done by the Prajayatna Team, we have been awarded the Guidestar Certification. Guide Star India validates NGOs based on their legal and financial compliance, as well as on their level of public disclosure of information.

Donor Spotlight

We take this opportunity to thank our donors for this quarter, Nevin Gonsalves, Nandini Vasudevan, Dominic Sunil Jacobie, Mona Maria Pakianathan, Sandra DSouza, Johnson Bandela, Seema Mathew, Balmurli Natrajan,  Alexander, Vinod Thomas and Aparna Sundar   for believing in us and donating to the cause of education for children. Your generous contributions have helped to implement our campaigns and programs on the ground at a time when we are still grappling with the aftermath of Covid. We look forward to your continued support.

For partnerships and donor-related queries, write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Prajayatna is in the news!

Bengaluru
Prajayatna - Head Office
No. 331, 1st ‘A’ Main, 7th Block,
Jayanagar (West), Bengaluru 560 070
P: (+91) 080-26769676  www.prajayatna.in

We are delighted to bring you the latest updates from our work towards strengthening of the anganwadis and government schools. In the past few months, we have made significant progress in empowering the teachers, facilitating exposure visits, distributing learning materials, training the assistant teachers of the anganwadis and building the capacities of the community structures. These initiatives are aimed at ensuring holistic development and high-quality education for young children in our communities.

UPDATES FROM KARNATAKA

Updates from Bangalore Urban District

Empowerment of Anganwadi Teachers

Storytelling training
 
As part of our efforts to enhance the skills of the anganwadi teachers, we collaborated with Kathalaya, an organization founded by renowned storyteller and academician Ms. Geeta Ramanujam. The training conducted by Ms. Ramanujam emphasized the importance of storytelling as an effective educational tool. Through interactive sessions, teachers learned various storytelling techniques, such as voice modulation and using body language. Additionally, they discovered how storytelling could foster qualities like curiosity and concentration in children. The training also introduced puppetry as another engaging storytelling method, enabling teachers to create puppets and incorporate them into their teaching practices.

Exposure visit to Anganwadi Resource Centres

Recognizing the need for teachers to observe well-functioning Anganwadis centres, as part of the teacher training, we organized an exposure visit to the model resource centres that we had developed out of some of the Anganwadis that Prajayatna has been working with. These visits provided an opportunity for teachers to witness effective teaching practices and gain inspiration to implement similar strategies in their own centres. The coordination between teachers and assistant teachers, the engaging learning activities, the learning materials and the overall cleanliness and hygiene maintained at the centres amazed the teachers. The visit was followed by a session where the teachers reflected on what they had seen and learnt from the visit, and the aspects that they would follow in their own centres. The exposure visits left teachers motivated and inspired to improve their own centres and deliver high-quality education to the children in their care.

134 teachers participated in the exposure visit. There has been 5 teacher trainings in the past year, with a participation rate of 95%.

Assistant Teachers Training

We conducted training sessions specifically designed for the helpers who are equivalent to assistant teachers, focusing on their roles in language development, creative activities and facilitating learning activities. The training also covered the importance of nutrition for children and how to make use of the nutrition that is being provided for pregnant and lactating mothers as well as 0-3 year old children, by the Department of Women and Child Development, such as the multi-grain protein powder which is not appreciated by most of the women. They were then taught to make a nutritious millet malt from scratch for the children. The feedback received from the assistant teachers was very positive, with many expressing how the training helped them to improve their storytelling techniques and engage children better.

Three rounds of Assistant teachers training have taken place in the past year, with a participation rate of 95%.

Distribution of learning materials

To enrich children's learning experiences, we distributed a range of teaching and learning materials. These materials, included picture cards for storytelling, alphabet and picture matching cards, action cards, emotion cards, and pre-numeric concept flashcards, were designed to support language and cognitive development. The training sessions highlighted the importance of using these materials effectively and encouraged teachers to engage children in hands-on learning experiences. Furthermore, teachers were encouraged to develop their own resources using local materials, fostering creativity and resourcefulness in the teaching-learning process.

Learning materials were distributed to 137 AWCs

Teachers and Assistant Teachers Excursion

To foster better relationships and collaboration between teachers and assistant teachers, we organized an excursion. We visited different sites in Channapatna and Mandya - Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, Janapada Loka, Balmuri Falls, Ranganathaswamy Temple, and Nimishamba Temple. It was important for the efficient and effective functioning of the AWC that there was a good relationship between the teacher and the assistant. This was not the case in many of the centres and this was seen to have an impact on the quality of the centre. The Anganwadi teachers and assistant teachers remarked that they really enjoyed the trip as they rarely ever get a chance to travel, and that it was a great opportunity for them to bond with one another.

190 teachers and assistant teachers were part of this trip

Enhancement of learning of the children

We have observed a significant improvement in the learning outcomes of the children across various aspects. To ensure comprehensive assessment and progress tracking, we have developed an ability-based learning framework based on the recommendations of the National Education Policy 2020. This framework encompasses three broader development goals: cognitive development and conceptual understanding, oral language and emergent literacy, and socio-emotional well-being.
 
Baseline and endline assessment was done with 305 and 255 children respectively, which is 10% of the total children, to evaluate the programme quality and identify any gaps.  

Let's take a closer look at the findings:

In contrast to the previous year when half of the children were at the evolving level (49%), this year about half of the children (53%) have moved up in the learning trajectory and have reached to the involved level of learning. This means that about half of the total children have now understood and experienced the identified concepts or competencies and they just need little reinforcement in order to become proficient in them and apply in day to day life.

Symposium: Reimagining the Role of Anganwadi Workers

Prajayatna organized a symposium in collaboration with the Women and Child Development, Karnataka, and HT Parekh Foundation. The symposium, titled "Reimagining the Role of the Anganwadi Worker in the Context of NEP," aimed to discuss the current state of Anganwadi workers and explore ways to enhance the quality of early childhood care and education. The symposium featured three main panel sessions:

1. Anganwadi worker as ECE Educator
2. Engagement of Anganwadi workers with parents
3. Collaboration of Anganwadi workers with community structures

We had a fantastic panel of esteemed speakers who led engaging discussions and shared their valuable insights. Together, we explored the challenges faced by Anganwadi workers and generated suggestions to create a conducive environment for their work. The conversations were rich with diverse perspectives and experiences.

There were 80 participants in the symposium 

Testimonials

We got to learn about various developments in children and ways of conducting learning activities

Ms. Nitya Sri, 
Teacher, Kempapura Colony, Chikkabanawara Circle

So far, we thought conducting learning activities is the job of a teacher alone but now we got to learn a lot more about children, the developmental domains and what role we can play to support children’s learning.

Ms. Manjula,
Assistant Teacher, Abbigere AWC2 , Abbigere Circle

We used to conduct learning activities without knowing the reason behind them, but in this training, we have been able to understand the abilities that get developed from every activity that we conduct.

Ms. Sowbhagyamma C,
Teacher, Goraguntepalya AWC, Shankarnagar Circle

From unruly to a curious learner!

Satvik, a 4 year old boy, was initially known to be difficult and had trouble interacting with others. He would often get angry, bite, hit and throw objects at other children in the Anganwadi, and was reluctant to participate in any activities. He would sit alone in the corridor and refuse to mingle with other children. He would not even eat the food provided, including milk, chikki, and lunch. As a result, his attendance was also very irregular.

However, Prameela, the teacher, decided to step in and help Satvik. She spent time understanding his behaviour and started engaging him in his favourite activities alone. Gradually, as he began to show interest, he was integrated with the other children. The teacher showed patience and compassion, helping Satvik to build trust and confidence in himself. Prajayatna also provided training to the teacher and helper to improve their teaching capabilities. As a result of the time and effort invested in him, Satvik's behaviour began to change. He started interacting, playing, and participating in all the activities with the other children. He listened attentively and began to enjoy singing, vegetable printing, drawing, playing with beads, and building blocks. Moreover, he started having meals along with the other children. Satvik's attendance became regular, and he began to thrive in his Anganwadi.

Now, Satvik's parents are extremely happy. His mother said, “I was very worried about my son’s behaviour, but now he loves to learn and continues to engage in activities at home. I feel very happy and I am extremely grateful to Prajayatna and the Anganwadi teacher and helper.

It just goes to show that with a little bit of help, any child can thrive and succeed.

The case of Savitha, the assistant teacher of Raghavendra colony AWC!

Savitha, a 36-year-old has been working as an assistant teacher in Raghavendra colony AWC for the last twelve years. Many changes have been observed in her involvement in the last few months. Earlier, she kept her duties limited to cooking, cleaning, and never showed interest in getting involved in learning activities. A marked change was seen in her after the trainings given by Prajayanta to the assistant teachers, which enabled her to redefine her role.

After undergoing assistant teacher training, she says that she has been able to organise her centre in a better manner. The centre’s hygiene has improved, as she now understands the value of hygiene of the centre, while cooking food, etc. She is able to communicate with the parents in a more empathetic manner.

The information on the kind of role she needs to play to support the teacher during the learning time as well as the activities that could be done when the teacher was not there made her feel confident. She now finishes her cooking and other cleaning-related responsibilities quickly and joins the teacher in conducting learning activities. While conducting sensorial activities and other cognitive activities, the teacher and assistant teacher divides the children equally and conducts the activities efficiently. When the teacher is not in the centre, she conducts all the activities beginning with prayer and all other sessions in the timetable. She talks to children with affection and she visits the homes of children who are absent for two or more days, thereby building a connection with the community.

Updates from Yadgir District

Cluster Level Monthly Teachers Collective Meetings

Four monthly teacher collective meetings have been held from January to March with the main objective of shaping and empowering school teachers as facilitators. In these meetings, the following issues were discussed and concept plans were formulated. Here are the key highlights:

• Mutual learning was promoted through the sharing of classroom experiences, allowing teachers to address concerns and find solutions within the classroom setting.

•  The assessment, recording, and discussion of the competencies children need to learn took place in the classrooms.

•  Learning outcomes for each school were analysed and documented, providing valuable insights for future planning

• The condition and progress of children with disabilities were reviewed, and appropriate plans were developed to support their learning.

• Necessary tools for conducting Summative Assessment were prepared, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of student's understanding.

• As a result of the group meetings, teachers gained a better understanding of the qualitative learning program and actively engaged in the classroom process, facilitating concept-based learning experiences for the children.

• Teachers individually prepared a concept map extension plan, further enhancing the learning experience for the children.

Teachers Educational Field Visit

In February 2023, a one-day educational tour to Bidar was organized for all the teachers from Arakere and Kandakuru clusters. Two teams of teachers participated in the field visit. The first team visited Basavakalyan, where they explored Nagavi Yallamma, Changalera Sri Veerabhadreshwar Temple, the 108-feet Basavanna idol, Akka Mahadevi Gavi, and Anubhav Mantapa.

The second team visited Bidar city, where they visited Chandrapalli Dam, Bidar Airport, Papanasha Temple, and Gurdwara Sri Nanak Jhira Sahib. They also visited Sri Narasimha Jarana Temple, the historical fort, and the Medical Veterinary Research Center.

These field visits aimed to provide teachers with exposure to various sites and experiences, enhancing their understanding of the outside world. The shared field study experiences and consultations served as opportunities for teachers to exchange knowledge and insights, further supporting their professional growth and the facilitation of qualitative learning in classrooms.

98 teachers participated in the visit

School Development and Management Committee (SDMC)

We facilitated a workshop with the School Development and Monitoring Committee (SDMC) Presidents & Vice Presidents from 21 schools in Kandukur and Arikera K clusters.

Through this workshop, they learned about their roles and responsibilities in more depth and how to develop a School Development Plan (SDP). The SDP embodies the vision held for the school and covers various aspects of school development such as academic performance, infrastructure development/maintenance, governance of the school, etc.

The SDP serves as a roadmap for the school's development, and it helps the SDMC to monitor the progress and make necessary adjustments. The SDMCs are important structures for improving the quality of education in schools. They enable decentralized governance and community involvement in the school's functioning and promote a collaborative approach to school development.

The SDMC leaders made a resolution to actively engage in the school development process and make their schools a model for others to follow.

18 SDMC presidents, vice presidents and 17 head teachers participated in the training.

Learning Assessments of Children

All schools were supported to consolidate annual learning assessments of children using teacher-prepared child assessment codification tools, providing the necessary assessment tools to all children in the learning process of grades 1-5.

This helps to identify the learning progress of how many children are at the beginning of the year and at which stages (evolving, interested, involved and self-directed) and at the end of the year and to make effective plans for the future. This was done by the teachers themselves.

Children’s learning exhibition

This event was a one-of-a-kind opportunity for the entire local community to get an inside look at the learning processes and environment in their schools. Children's work from the entire year was displayed, and their individual progress was discussed with their proud parents. The day concluded with the children showcasing their talents through cultural performances.

But, the best part of this event was that it helped the local community understand better the efforts the teachers were putting in and how their children were learning and encouraged them to become more involved in the process. We had an amazing turnout with Department officials, SDMC (School Development and Monitoring Committee) members, Gram Panchayat members, parents, village elders, and children from the local community all attending. The true meaning of education was understood by all attending and they shared their positive feedback about the event.

These learning exhibitions were held in 21 schools and more than 1000 parents and others from the communities have participated in them.

UPDATES FROM UTTAR PRADESH

Resource Centre for Children with Disabilities

In Chitrakoot district, Prajayatna and the Department of Education launched a resource centre for children with disabilities. The centre was inaugurated by District Basic Education Officer Mr. Luv Prakash Yadav. The centre aims to provide necessary therapeutic activities and support for children with disabilities, including parent training, braille literacy, foundational learning, speech and language development, and physiotherapy. The officials commended Prajayatna and emphasized the importance of regular assistance and support for parents. The centre also provided assistive to devices some of the children to support them in their daily routines.

Individual Education Plan (IEP) for Children with Disabilities

Home visits were made to the houses of children with disabilities in the Chitrakoot and Bahraich districts. These visits were part of our overall education campaign, focusing on the wellbeing and development of children with disabilities. The purpose was to improve their attendance to school and also to support the efforts of the parents through dissemination of information. Parents were informed about the certificate camp and were encouraged to participate. The government's provision of allowance and stipend for children with disabilities was also highlighted. We collected the necessary documents for these allowances and ensured timely submission to the department. Furthermore, equipment was distributed to the children with disabilities. In consultation with the parents, the Individual Education Plan was made for all the children. The IEP had the holistic development of the children in mind and planned for both the therapy and rehabilitation to be done at home as well as the academic outcomes which were identified and planned with the teachers as well.

IEP of 184 children were made.

School Management Committee Meeting

The School Management Committee plays a crucial role in improving children's learning and addressing school-related issues. This committee serves as a bridge between parents, the community, and teachers, focusing on the school environment's academic and physical aspects. Effects of the meeting at the school level:

• Clarification of the roles and responsibilities of committee members, and thereby ensure better governance of the schools.

• Discussion on enhancing parental participation in children's education in the next meeting.

• Commitment from the President and Vice President of primary schools Mazhar and Chakoundh to ensure the active involvement of all committee members.

• Identification of absent children and contact made by committee members to address the issue.

Teacher’s collectives

Teacher's collectives are organized every month at the cluster level to enhance the conceptual understanding of the teachers through training and prepare a strong action plan for the upcoming month. This quarter's training focused on the capacity building of teachers to facilitate foundational language and maths teaching and make it more effective, for which the use and utility of the library, teaching learning materials, etc was discussed and decided upon. In the month of March, the focus was on assessment. The need for formative and summative was discussed and a plan made for the summative assessment at the end of the academic year.

5 rounds of teacher training has happened in the past year with an attendance of 90% of the teachers.

Strengthening of Anganwadi centres in Uttar Pradesh

Efforts have been made to improve the education provided at Anganwadi centres in both Chitrakoot and Bahraich, resulting in better developmental outcomes. Anganwadi workers are now more actively engaged in children's education, and regular centre operations have been established to facilitate play-based activities and enhance children's learning abilities. Two trainings were conducted on cognitive and language development. The trainings were interactive and engaging with all the activities being demonstrated as well. This helped the teachers to understand better.

6 rounds of training has taken place for the Anganwadi teachers with 90% attendance.

Anganwadi level Parent Meetings

Parents meetings were conducted to create a learning environment for the children at home and strengthen the engagement of the parents with the children. For this to happen, there was a need for the parents to understand the importance of ECCE and the anganwadi centre. They needed to know what was happening in the centres. Support was also required from them to identify and address the issues of the lack of basic facilities for the anganwadi centres. Efforts were made to address all these challenges through these meetings.

Impact

• Following the meeting at Anganwadi Center Rehuta, the Pradhan (village head) arranged for the installation of a water tank, light fitting, and ladder outside the centre.

• The parents of the children of Bhabhai Anganwadi centre, now prioritize sending children to the centre, and the functioning of the centre have improved has well.

• The Anganwadi centre in Kuli Talaiya, which previously was very irregular in its functioning, now opens regularly. The number of children attending has increased from 5-6 before to 10-11 now , and parents actively participate in the meetings.

These positive outcomes demonstrate the effectiveness of the meetings in addressing specific issues, improving infrastructure, increasing parental awareness and involvement, and enhancing the overall functioning of the Anganwadi centres.

UPDATES FROM JHARKHAND

Children’s Learning and Cultural Centres

Children's Learning and Cultural Centres (CLCC) were established with the purpose of engaging children during post-school hours. These centres aim to provide a separate space beyond the confines of their school and homes, and are managed by the community. They serve as a gathering place for children, fostering a conducive environment for learning and engaging in activities distinct from their academic curriculum. Moreover, these centres enhance the children's abilities, including life skills, and value education. The value education classes conducted in these centres have had a transformative impact on the children's lives. Their communication and interactions with peers and teachers have shown remarkable improvement. Each centre is supported by two facilitators who guide and assist the children.

There are 210 children attending 4 CLCC in Raidih block, Gumla District, Jharkhand

Vishal Tets's journey of learning and development!

Vishal Tete, a 10-year-old boy from Pibo, Jharkhand, was struggling with his education until he enrolled at the CLCC (Community Learning and Competency Centre). He was irregular and would disappear for weeks, but the facilitator, Nomitha Sindu, didn't give up on him. After several visits to his home and discussions with his parents, Vishal started attending the CLCC regularly.

Although he participated actively in the centre's activities, his academic performance remained poor, especially in writing, due to undeveloped fine motor skills. Nomitha worked closely with Vishal and helped him understand the concepts, built his confidence, and encouraged him positively. With the support and motivation he received, Vishal's learning levels improved significantly, and he started doing better in school.

Today, Vishal is a confident and enthusiastic learner, thanks to the CLCC and the dedicated efforts of the facilitator. Prajayatna continues to work towards providing quality education and support to more children like Vishal, helping them achieve their full potential.

Want to make a difference?

Prajayatna was founded in 2008 to improve the quality of education and learning outcomes for children in Government schools and Anganwadis (govt run preschools). Our vision and mission is to ensure that every child gets quality education to be able to thrive and live a life of dignity and we aim to work towards bringing about a systemic change in the education system. Our programmes include Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) for Anganwadis and a Quality Learning Program called Kalikayatna for the primary level. We work on Inclusion and for Children with disabilities (CWD) for including them into mainstream education and making sure that they are not left out. Having worked in 6 states, presently we are working in Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand. We work with teachers, school leaders, communities, and government officials to create a learning conducive ecosystem and implement innovative solutions for improving education. Our approach is based on data-driven decision-making and collaborative problem-solving.

At Prajayatna, we believe that each one of us can contribute in our little ways to ensure that all children have univeral access to quality education. Our strength lies in our ever-growing supporter base --- volunteers, donors, the communities and different stakeholders that we work with and the media and together we can do so much more in championing our cause. If you’re equally passionate as us and want to be a part of our journey, spread the word about Prajayatna with your friends, and relations.

So please, consider making a DONATION today and join us in our mission to ensure that all children have an equitable and inclusive education which gives them a chance to a life full of hope and opportunities. Together, “A better world is possible”.

Click here: link to the donation page

All donations to Prajayatna are tax-exempted under section 80G of the Income Tax Act, 1961. In recognition of the good work being done by Prajayatna, we have been awarded the Guidestar Certification. Guide Star India validates NGOs based on their legal and financial compliance, as well as on their level of public disclosure of information.

Bengaluru
Prajayatna - Head Office
No. 331, 1st ‘A’ Main, 7th Block,
Jayanagar (West), Bengaluru 560 070
P: (+91) 080-26769676, www.prajayatna.in

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Updates from Uttar Pradesh (Bahraich and Chitrakoot districts)

Prajayatna provides inclusive learning materials in 75 schools

Education can be challenging in a classroom, especially for children with special needs. To make such classrooms more inclusive, Prajayatna has introduced new digital learning tools designed by Tactopus Learning Solutions, in the 75 government schools that Prajayatna is engaging with.

The inclusive learning tools have helped many children to overcome their learning disabilities and progress in school. Here’s a case study on how a teacher was able to support Shani, a second-standard student in U.P., in his learning path with the help of the learning materials.

Shani was a boy with hearing impairment. Like all children, Shani’s learning was greatly affected due to the closure of the school for two years, which was further compounded due to his disability. When the school reopened, the teacher wanted to understand Shani's  current educational

situation to make an effective educational plan for Shani. For Shani, the teacher did a number matching activity in which the same number was to be matched with the number card. Since the number cards were both colour matched as well as tactile sensitive it helped Shani to first identify by matching colors and then through actually counting the objects on the flashcards. This helped him to learn the numbers and it also helped the teacher to understand the level of the child. The tool helped in understanding Shani's learning needs and drafting a learning plan for him accordingly.

With the help of the learning material, the teacher was able to know not only the present mathematical ability of Shani but also the mathematical ability of the whole class. In this way, Prajayatna is making learning fun and inclusive in schools, impacting thousands of children including children with disabilities. It also advocates for inclusive quality education in all government schools.

Capacity building of Anganwadi teachers in Chitrakoot and Bahraich

In a bid to strengthen the anganwadis, an Anganwadi teachers’ training was held in Chitrakoot and Bahraich districts. The total number of teachers who participated from the two districts was 22 and 26 respectively. Additionally, 1 supervisor and CDPO from Chitrakoot and 4 supervisors from Bahraich participated. The aspects that were discussed were how small children learn, what the different learning stages are and how to look at ECCE in the context of Anganwadis. In the training, the teachers have engaged in lots of activities and group discussions. They also planned for ways of making their centres more child-friendly and to conduct different types of learning activities to be done with children over the next month.

Did you know?

Anganwadi is a rural mother and childcare centre. Anganwadi is a Hindi word that when translated to English means a ‘courtyard shelter’. Anganwadi centres were started by the Government of India in 1975 as a part of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme to combat the problem of child hunger and malnutrition. The services provided by the Anganwadi centres are supplementary nutrition, non-formal pre-school education, growth monitoring, immunization monitoring, health check-ups, and health and nutrition education classes. The main beneficiaries of the programme are children below six years of age, adolescent girls, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. According to government data, the country has 13.77 lakh AWCs. They play a pivotal role in anchoring community development and are core to the development of the children. With the changing needs and aspirations of the community, there is a need to redefine the role of the anganwadi and make them centres for the holistic development of the children.

Workshop on Disability Rights

For the past few years, Prajayatna has been working relentlessly in improving the education system along with all stakeholders. Our sincere attempt has been to empower each child to reach his/her potential and provide them with a conducive learning environment.

 As an organisation, we have been trying to create awareness among the community about children with disabilities and their rights. The aim is to make everyone think about the overall development of a child and prevent activities that are harmful to them. A workshop to this end to discuss the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 in the context of children in Chitrakoot, U.P was organized in collaboration with the Department for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. for the members of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and staff of CHILDLINE and Bachpan Day Care Centre (special school run by the department.)

Prajayatna’s e-therapy videos help CWD children learn while at home

The Covid-19 pandemic led to the closure of schools disrupting learning. It was all the more difficult for children with disabilities who were unable to get even the basic services required for rehabilitation, learning, and development. Keeping in mind the needs of the children, Prajayatna developed e-therapy videos on various topics such as toilet training, bathing, and feeding and shared them with parents in Bahraich and Chitrakoot districts. Prajayatna team members did home visits and guided the parents on what activities to do with the child after watching the video. The videos were specially devised to help children with disabilities continue to learn new skills even when at home.

Mohalla class teacher Vibha Devi ensures learning continues unabated during the pandemic

School closures owing to the global pandemic led to social and economic repercussions for people across communities. The disruptions added to the existing disparities within the education system, especially for the disadvantaged population.

Prajayatna began Mohalla classes after holding discussions with small community groups in villages and local educated youths were identified by SMC members to work as the learning facilitators in the Mohalla classes. Prajayatna conducted Mohalla classes in 28 centers reaching out to 668 children in UP and Jharkhand. Mohalla classes have helped students continue their engagement with studies, despite the lockdowns and lack of smartphones.

Mohalla class youth facilitator in Chitrakoot Vibha Devi talks about her experience as a Mohalla class volunteer for a brief period of three months.

"As a Mohalla class teacher, it gave me immense satisfaction to be able to fill the learning gaps and make parents realize the importance of education.

 When children learnt something new, I felt very satisfied as a teacher,” she says with a smile.

Initially, parents were reluctant to send their children to the Mohalla classes during the pandemic. But Vibha Devi counselled the parents and explained to them the importance of Mohalla classes.

Vibha Devi first used games and activities to engage the children and then eventually engage with foundational literacy and numeracy.

She feels that the Mohalla classes have helped children in continuing their studies and have instilled a sense of discipline in them. The fun-filled activities replete with poems and rhymes helped to evoke children's interest in studies and they all enjoyed the Mohalla class sessions. Vibha Devi created various innovative activities with the help of local materials making the Mohalla classes all the more interesting and enjoyable.

The District Magistrate of Chitrakoot has also taken notice of her good work and has awarded her with an appreciation certificate for her exemplary work in conducting the classes and keeping the learning going for children even when the schools were closed during difficult Covid times.

Updates from Jharkhand

GP meetings held in Jharkhand to discuss the future of children’s education

The education system of Jharkhand state was greatly impacted due to Covid. Primary schools remained closed for a long time disrupting children’s education. Apart from the e-content that was being sent by the Department of education, to which majority of the children had no or little access, resulted in further deepening the learning crisis.

During these challenging times, Prajayatna conducted 23 Mohalla classes with the help of volunteers in his Ghaghra block. However, after a time Prajayatna realized that there was a need for the Gram Panchayat President and community members to take charge of the children’s education.

When the school is closed during the lockdown, what can be the role of Gram Panchayat and how can the Gram Panchayat and the youth of the village help the children to learn were some of the key issues that needed to be discussed. To this end, a meeting was held in which the mukhiya (president), members of the school management committee, the youth of the village, didis of self-help groups, and teachers of schools participated. The meeting also discussed the role of the Panchayat. During these meetings, the Gram Panchayat President took responsibility for the continuance of education of the children, and the selection of volunteers and initiated the mohalla classes When the school reopened for the children, the children studying in these Mohalla classes. did not face any problems in attending the regular school as they had been attending the mohalla classes in their village.

Prajayatna participates in 100-day reading campaign

Going by statistics, over 600 million children and adolescents worldwide are unable to attain minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics, even though two-thirds of them are in school. The gaps in learning were further widened after the Covid-19 pandemic hit, leading to the closure of schools.

Even though several initiatives were taken by the government and civil society organisations to continue the learning pace of children, the learning levels of the children had decreased. Against this backdrop, the 100-day Reading Campaign or ‘Padhe Bharat’ was introduced by the Jharkhand government. The campaign aimed at improving the learning levels of students in foundational literacy and numeracy.

In Ghagra block in Gumla district, Prajayatna played a key role in collaboration with the district administration in spreading awareness about the campaign by conducting community meetings with parents and engaging in various activities with school-going children. The objective was to reiterate the importance of education so that parents send their children to school regularly and create a conducive learning environment for children at home. A sense of togetherness was inculcated so that a child feels inspired to bring his classmate along, study together and develop their leadership qualities. An oath was taken by children where they pledged to bring their classmates along to school, and help each other in their studies.

Motivated and inspired by the campaign, Chandni Kumari, a student in one of the government schools in the Gumla district said, ‘‘हम जब भी विद्यालय आएँगे अपने साथी को भी साथ लेकर आएँगे | " (Whenever we come to school, we will also bring our friend/classmate along.)

Celebration of World Water Day in CLCC, Raidih

World Water Day is held annually on March 22 as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. It is about taking action to tackle the global water crisis, in support of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.

It was felt that children in Community Learning Centre too must know the significance of fresh water and how the currently available sources of freshwater are getting contaminated as a result of global warming.

A discussion was held on the sources of water, uses of water at home and community environment (agriculture), the importance of water, what happens to life on earth if water gets over at once etc. was discussed with children. Through the discussion, children were able to learn how important water is in day-to-day life, life on earth especially forest, animals. Overall they could understand that water is a life source on earth and it is important to protect and conserve water. Children were also made to draw pictures connected to the theme ‘Water’. This was a completely new activity for children in the centres. Children were taught what is slogan and how to write them. With the help of a volunteer facilitator, children created the following slogans.

“Save water and save your tomorrow.”
“Water is the real gold, don't forget to lose it.”
“We all have to save water for a wonderful tomorrow.” “Save water, because it doesn't grow on trees.”

“If you save water today, you will be called wise man for tomorrow.”
“Water is the real gold, don’t lose it.”  

Later, these slogans were written on placards and a small rally of children holding placards in the village was held.

Pyarimuni Bai, who works in a CLCC Karanjkur village and has been associated with Prajayatna since July 2021, feels the centers promote a questioning culture where children are encouraged to ask questions and indulge in joyful and meaningful learning.

“Every month different days are celebrated through different activities. The intent is to inculcate leadership skills and encourage children to be curious about their surroundings,” Pyarimuni Bai explains.

Updates from Karnataka, Yadgiri district

Teachers’ Collective meetings

With the schools re-opening after a long gap, teachers needed a complete orientation about the learning method as almost 85% of the teachers were new to this approach as they either had recently been appointed or were transferred from other schools.

This collective helped sensitize the teachers about the condition of the children in the pandemic hit situation and also the impact on the learning of children due to the prolonged closure of schools. The Block Resource Person, who was present in the meeting, provided detailed information about the Quality Leaning Programme approach that is being implemented in Arakera and Kandakur clusters of the block. He also called on the guest teachers to use their academic knowledge gained during their courses towards implementing the classroom process with a better understanding of the approach. He also shared about learning outcomes that children needed to achieve as per their class.  

The impact of the collectives is visible in the teacher’s interaction with children and implementation of classroom activities. Teachers have been equipped to make a plan based on the theme, and use locally available and appropriate resources in making learning more interactive, and constructive in the classroom.

SDMC and parents meetings

To strengthen the existing School Development and Monitoring Committee (SDMCs) and enhance the parents’ participation at the school level, two rounds of SDMC and parents’ meetings have been held in 8 schools.

The meetings focussed on developing an understanding of a range of aspects including the importance of education, the need for schools, loss of learning during COVID, the importance of community involvement with the school for its development, NEP 2020 and Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, and other programmes of the department.

Key Outcomes:

• These processes helped community-level stakeholders have a better understanding and reaffirm their roles and responsibilities and various aspects of school and children's development.

• The long-pending reformation of SDMCs was made possible in the villages where doing this was almost impossible due to various factors.

• The dysfunctional SDMCs began to function after the reformation of 18 schools, SDMCs have drafted School Development Plan (SDP)s based on the needs assessment of the school.

In the Spotlight: Meet our Anganwadi supervisor Ms. Geetha Kachur

Name: Ms. Geetha Kachur
Place: Yelahanka Circle Anganwadi Supervisor

Anganwadi supervisors are the key person for the implementation of the ICDS programme at the ground level. Anganwadi supervisor Ms. Geetha shares with us the many impediments that she faces in her role as a supervisor and how she overcomes them with sheer grit and determination.

Q1. Since how long have you been associated with Prajayatna?

I have been working as a supervisor in the Yelahanka circle for the past one year.

Q2. What are your work responsibilities as a supervisor?

As an Anganwadi supervisor, we are supposed to make regular visits to the Anganwadis, check the registers, inspect the premises, provide necessary guidance to the Anganwadi worker and inquire about any problems that she might be facing. Besides these responsibilities, we also have to do home visits, ensure the implementation of different schemes such as Bhagyalaxmi scheme, update records and attend Panchayat meetings.

Q3. What do you like most about your work?

I feel as an Anganwadi supervisor, all the different roles and responsibilities are equally important. However, if I have to choose one particular thing that I like the most about my job that would be working in the rural areas and imparting quality education to the children of the age group 3-6 years.

Q4. Any challenges that you face in your job?

One of the key challenges that I encounter in my job relates to achieving 100 percent immunization. Also, even though Anganwadi teachers have been provided with mobiles they face network issues in the rural areas and many of them also cannot operate the mobiles properly. Also, many children are affected by moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) and severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and consequently, they have to be referred to hospitals for treatment where they are generally advised to stay for 15 days. However, in most cases, parents do not want to stay in hospitals for such a long duration leaving their families behind. I have also faced a lot of hurdles in preventing child marriages. 

Q5. How has your association with Prajayatna helped  you in your work?

When I first started work in Yelahanka circle there was a lockdown due to Covid and children were not coming to schools and were at home which is why children's education and learning also suffered. We spoke with parents to understand how important pre-school education is and how important it is to keep children engaged in different activities. Through frequent interactions, I developed an understanding from Prajayatna on how to convince the parents. Prajayatna also arranged training for Bal Vikas Samitis in different places. After getting regular training from Prajayatna on ECCE, I now know how to make ECCE more effective in the Anganwadis. The regular training opportunities from Prajayatna helped as from the WCD we get training only once in 2 years.

Geetha is one of the many frontline workers who are playing a crucial role in providing quality education to children. Prajayatna's work on the ground is made possible by their relentless efforts.Their zeal and enthusiasm remains unfaded and inspires us to battle the many adversities that come our way with a smile.

Bengaluru
Prajayatna - Head Office
No. 331, 1st ‘A’ Main, 7th Block,
Jayanagar (West), Bengaluru 560 070
P: (+91) 080-26769676  www.prajayatna.in

Ghar Par Seekho Sikhao

The extended closure of schools due to the pandemic saw the continuation of our Ghar Par Seekho Sikhao (Learn and Teach at Home) initiative in the year 2021. The programme was started to engage parents and local community structures to ensure children's learning at home. It engaged children and used application-based learning to create an experiential and holistic learning experience. WhatsApp and SMS were used as modes of communication to send worksheets, audio files, links to stories, and Youtube videos. For people without network access, local community structures were leveraged to distribute worksheets to engage parents in the learning process. In UP alone, we reached out to 1000+ children. All these worksheets were then consolidated and made into workbooks. These activity workbooks consist of concept based worksheets that focus on :

• Understanding of concepts integrated with Life-skills leading to awareness of Self/Community/World, Health & Nutrition

• Clear identification of the learning outcomes, Math and Language skills, and the application of them in every worksheet

The developed content was sent in two groups:- one plan for children of class 1-2, and another set for children of class 3 - 5. these have been distributed to 2421 children.

This issue:

Ghar Par Seekho Sikhao
Page 01

SMC Training in Jharkhand
Page 02

Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)
Page 02

Vaccination Awareness
Page 03

Distribution of Ration and Hygiene Kits
Page 03

Special Mention
Page 04

Workbook for Children with Disabilities
Page 04

Training Of Government Resources
Page 04

Support Our Fundraiser
Page 05

The Department of Education in Ghaghra block came up with a plan to hold School Management Committee (SMC) trainings in schools and approached Prajayatna to conduct the training process effectively. This was also an opportunity for Prajayatna to reach out to a large number of SMCs in collaboration with the department and as a result, SMC of 71 schools have been trained in the month of February-march, reaching out to around 1000 members. Establishing and effectively using a library was one of the key agenda that Prajayatna had planned and have been able to facilitate in the schools. The common aspects most of the SMC planned for were:

• Increasing attendance of irregular children, and decreasing dropout rates.

• Cleanliness and Hygiene levels of the schools.

• Provisions to provide drinking water at the schools.

• Availability of first-aid and medicinal supplies.

• Organizing regular monthly meetings for the SMC

A blended learning approach - 'Namma Mane Namma Kalike' is based on the national ECCE curriculum and consisting of a total of 10 themes, including Me and Myself, My Family, My neighbourhood,etc. All activities can be conducted by parents using local materials along with digital content which is provided in written and oral form that includes e-posters, text messages & audio content in the local language, instructional videos, YouTube links, and other online resources providing stories, rhymes and guidance for Artwork and other activities.

Home learning kits were provided to all the children to ensure that basic learning materials and stationery along with local materials helped the children engage actively in the learning process. This initiative was implemented in the 32 anganwadis of Yelahanka circle in Bangalore. The Anganwadi teachers who attend the AWCs and are not allowed to have physical classes facilitate the learning of the children by sending content over phones and then following up with the children and parents through phone calls. These teachers were also trained to be able to utilise technology and reach out to more children, and this approach impacted over 600 children at Yelahanka circle, Bangalore.

Vaccination Awareness

A poster campaign was run by sending information about the pandemic and the importance of vaccination through posters sent via Whatsapp to all the parents, SMC, GP members, and other community members. This campaign reached around 4000 people of our working areas in UP, Jharkhand, and Karnataka.

Prajayatna then took up the initiative of conducting awareness campaigns and vaccination drives in communities that don't fully understand the effects of COVID-19. This was done in partnership with the Department of Health in Chitrakoot and Bahraich of Uttar Pradesh. Prajayatna conducted vaccination campaigns and door-to-door awareness campaigns along with public announcements explaining every detail related to COVID - symptoms, medication required, the importance of vaccination, and maintaining proper social distancing and hygiene in their daily lives. We reached around 20000 households and got around 800 people vaccinated.

Jayashree is an Anganwadi worker who even after many years of service is as enthusiastic and energetic as the day she first joined. Her dedication was especially displayed during COVID-19 where she undertook the following initiatives :

• Ensured distribution of nutrition to AWC children, and educate them about maintaining self-hygiene and cleanliness around them.

• Identified marginalized communities around her Anganwadi and ensured the distribution of dry rations to over 250 families in these communities. Continued her efforts through the second wave helping provide ration and hygiene kits to 50 impoverished families.

• Surveyed 3828 households for COVID symptoms, and provided extended support to those who tested positive.

• Conducted awareness campaigns for COVID vaccinations, monitored vaccination protocols at the centres and ensured that community members took their vaccines.

• Distributed sanitary napkins to adolescents in her Anganwadi’s community, conducted awareness sessions for all the girls in the community regarding menstrual hygiene.

• Ensured distribution of e-learning content to all children through Whatsapp and helped implement Prajayatna's remote e-learning program.

Special efforts were made by Prajayatna to leave no child behind, especially those with disabilities. Keeping in mind their special needs we created a workbook for inclusive education, consisting of activities and worksheets to help all children especially those with visual, speech, developmental or intellectual impairments. This workbook is concept-based, incorporating motor and cognitive skills and language-based activities to support the holistic development of the child. We broke it down into four themes - family, our home, our village, and the community. It has been made inclusive so that all children have equal opportunities to learn. These sections in the workbook are designed to help identify one's difficulty and help overcome it by learning in a different way, THEIR WAY.

Prajayatna is part of the ECCE Technical Committee for Karnataka, and is part of the efforts of the Department of Education to initiate pre-primary sections in government schools. Prajayatna along with other members of the committee(consisting of other NGOs and Universities) worked on training the master trainers from the Department of Education to implement their Early Childhood Care and Education(ECCE) programs in the state. We conducted these trainings for more than 107 staff including Master Resource Persons, Cluster Resource Persons and DIET staff from all 30 districts in Karnataka.

Now that the world is opening up post-COVID lockdowns, Prajayatna is looking to continue its community initiatives through a mix of blended education, group sessions and remote learning activities to ensure the continuation of the learning process for children. To achieve this, Prajayatna plans to use three different programs each aimed at targetting specific focus areas of the child, their stakeholders and their entire community:

• Mohalla Classes at INR 2000/month: Prajayatna plans to initiate and run Mohalla classes(community centers) for small groups of children facilitated by a volunteer from the local community. 10 mohalla classes are already up and running in both UP and Jharkhand, and Prajayatna is planning to start another 50 more in the near future.

• Ghar Par Seekho Sikhao at INR 100/child per month: The extended closure of schools due to the pandemic saw the continuation of our Ghar Par Seekho Sikhao (Learn and Teach at Home) initiative into the year 2021 as well. Prajayatna plans to continue sending e-content for this program but will need to provide the children with activity worksheets. This will reach children in 125 schools and 10000+ children across the remote villages of UP, Jharkhand and Karnataka.

• Namma Mane Namma Kalike at INR 400/child: 'Namma Mane Namma Kalike' (Our home, Our learning) is based on the national ECCE curriculum and comprises a total of 10 themes, including Me and Myself, My Family, My neighbourhood, etc using local contextualized materials that are readily available for parents and children to use. The program includes providing e-content alongwith home learning kits and worksheets to children and aims to reach 80 AWCs in UP and Karnataka covering 2500+ children.

BLENDED LEARNING DURING SCHOOL CLOSURE IN YADGIRI DISTRICT

The blended learning program-‘Maneyalli Kaliri Kalisiri’ (Learn and Teach at Home) - was initiated in 21 schools of Arakera K and Kandkur clusters of Yadgiri district in Karnataka.

Prajayatna's initiative used a blended learning process where e-content was provided to the children of classes 1-5 of all the 21 schools in Arakera K and Kandkurclusters.

It was sent separately for two groups – Std 1 and 2 and Std 3 to 5. The content was theme-based and used activities for conceptual understanding of the themes, relied on youtube links to use related stories and songs, along with language and maths activity worksheets.

The audio content was provided as well to support those parents who were not literate. This was sent by Whatsapp to the parents directly by the teachers. The worksheets were also handed to the children physically to reach all children who might not have access to digital devices. Stationary materials were distributed to all children to support them in engaging with the learning process at home.

A total of 2,671 children were engaged through this process till November until the primary schools reopened.

WEBINAR HELD TO CELEBRATE TEACHERS' DAY

The webinar was held for the occasion of Teachers Day for the teachers of the schools that Prajayatna has been working in for the past couple of years. It was held in collaboration with CBM, our partners in Uttar Pradesh who have been working in the field of disability for more than 50 years. In this webinar, Prajayatna celebrated the joy of being a teacher, the future of the profession, and the difficulties faced in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 150 teachers had participated in the webinar.

INDEPENDENCE
DAY CELEBRATION

On the 75th Independence Day this year, Prajayatna in collaboration with the Department of Education along with the help of students, BEO, teachers, School Management Committee members, senior citizens, Gram Pradhan and community members paid their respect to all the leaders who fought bravely for our nation's freedom in the past. The day was also celebrated in the Mohalla classes with the support of the youth who have been conducting classes for the children during the closure of schools.

MOHALLA CLASSES

School closures owing to the global pandemic led to social and economic repercussions for people across communities. The disruptions add to the existing disparities within the education system, especially for the disadvantaged population. As schools continued to be closed due to the effect of the pandemic, children had to undergo not only loss of academic learning but also missed out on physical and social interactions with teachers and peers in the school which played a highly significant role in their development. To reduce the effect of the pandemic and support children’s learning in the best possible way, efforts were made to reach out to children by providing learning worksheets that were theme-based.The activities were designed in such a way that most parents and members at home could provide support and help the children in accomplishing their identified goals. Yet it was seen that all these efforts were not bearing fruit with less than 20% of the community only having smart phones. It was then decided to initiate small groups of children and thus was born the Mohalla class.

Prajayatna began Mohalla classes after holding discussions with small community groups in villages and local educated youths were identified by SMC members to work as the learning facilitators in the Mohalla classes. Prajayatna conducted Mohalla classes in 28 centers reaching out to 668 children in UP and Jharkhand.

USING TECH FOR GOOD

Prajayatna in collaboration with Force For Good, the CSR wing of JP Morgan Chase and Company, developed the school governance app. This app has been developed for the school management committees and teachers to track the progress of their school. The app will help in tracking the progress along three parameters – learning of the students, infrastructure and its maintenance and performance of the School Management Committee.

This android application will also be used by the stakeholders themselves among other things to document their meetings and to track the implementation of their plans. Based on all the inputs, the school will be given a grade, which will in a way also assess their performance as the management committee (including teachers).

INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLANS FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

We here at Prajayatna believe in catering to every child's needs to help them learn in a an environment that enables them to grow at their own pace.

For this we created Individualized Education Plans for each child based on the baseline assessment data. Given above is Prajayatna conducted baseline assessment for 175 children with disability from 4 clusters Asoha and Kapseti in Chitrakoot and Bambhaura and Badrauli in Bahraich, UP.

IMPACT STORY : DISABILITY CANNOT HOLD BACK THE CHILD FROM LEARNING

Lakshmi studies in fifth standard of PS Ahmedganj in Kapseti cluster of Chitrakoot block.
 
Her parents work as daily wage labourers mostly in brick factories. Lakshmi was enrolled in school for the first standard but was found to be highly irregular, almost not going to school. It was during her second standard when Prajayatna facilitator came across her. At that time, it was learned that she was irregular and had many complaints of being a distraction in the class and Lakshmi was facing many challenges as it was not a conducive environment for her to engage in learning.

Later, with the intervention of the facilitator, she was identified as a child who needed special attention as she had an intellectual disability and also required a different kind of learning orientation.

A meeting with parents and teachers was held to understand Lakshmi better and set a direction for the right intervention. Understanding the challenges, the best

possibilities to engage her in school as well as at home was discussed. Though intellectually, she was not at the level of Std 5, a plan to support her learning based on her needs level was planned for in the IEP.

Following this, an Individual Education Plan was also drafted. The teacher went ahead with maintaining a profile for Lakshmi and sensitizing the children in her class. This became a beginning to set a positive inclusive environment in the school. Lakshmi became regular in the class and very happy with all her friends.
Talking about Lakshmi’s improvement, Lakshmi’s mother said, “When Lakshmi was provided with the workbook by Prajayatna, all the schools were closed due to the pandemic which is why Lakshmi really liked the workbook.”

When Lakshmi started to use the workbook, the rest of the children in the house also helped her achieve her goals and in no time Lakshmi learnt basic alphabet and numbers.

BAL VIKAS SAMITI WORKSHOP

Bal Vikas Samiti is the community structure created to support and ensure the proper functioning of the Anganwadis(AWC). Capacity building workshops for all the Bal Vikas Samiti (BVS) members of the AWCs in Yelahanka circle were conducted which was attended by BVS members, AWC teachers, and the AWC supervisor.

After key discussions about the role of BVS, the schemes, and programmes offered, the teachers and BVS members sat together as per their AWCs to identify the current issues and requirements they have.

Some key issues identified through these discussions were improving building infrastructure, awareness campaigns about the AWC and its importance to the community, and how the community can champion the maintenance and upkeep of the AWCs.

CHILDREN'S LEARNING AND CULTURAL CENTRES

Prajayatna has been working in Raidih block in Gumla district for the past few years. All the activities and processes of the organisation have been focused on creating an environment where different stakeholders come together and ensure that the schools are functioning in an accountable manner and thereby children are learning. This is done by building the capacities of the different institutional and community structures in order to ensure that the children’s needs are addressed.

It was in this context that the Children’s Learning and Cultural Centres (CLCC) were established, to engage children in the evenings after school. These centres were meant to create a space outside the school and their homes as well which would be managed by the community. These served as a space for children to come together and learn and do activities which were different from that of the school and would help in building their abilities such as life skills and learning more about their culture as well.

These centres were established with libraries and provision of play materials for children to engage with each other.
 
Every centre had one local volunteer facilitator to guide the activities and engage with the children. The centres were supported and managed by the Self help groups in the community with a few women taking responsibility to ensure their smooth functioning. The centres had an enrollment of around 50 children each and were functioning effectively when they were then disrupted due to the pandemic from April 2020.

Since then the CLCC became places where children gathered to learn. The youth volunteers who ran these centres were trained through online and offline workshops to work with the children on their foundational literacy and numeracy skills alongwith developing their other social and life skills as well. These Centres reached out to more than 250 children.

Relief to COVID affected person with aid from Give India

In collaboration with Give India, Prajayatna identified 15 families from the economically disadvantaged sections who have lost their primary bread winner to COVID and is now below the poverty level. A total of 13 beneficiaries out of 15 applications uploaded in the Give India app received Cash Relief Campaign benefit which really helped them overcome the highly challenging situation that they had encountered after losing their spouse.

STATE LEVEL SDMC TRAINING

Prajayatna was part of the state level technical committee that worked on content development for training of the SDMCs and parents at the school level as well as at the cluster level across Karnataka. The training content aimed at empowering SDMCs and parents at the school level with ample understanding about the formation, roles and responsibilities of SDMCs and also the role of various community level stakeholders in development of children and school. Prajaytna played a key role in contributing facilitator’s note, posters about parents’ engagement with children to facilitate learning at home (Maneyalli Kaliyiri, Kalisiri), a video conveying the understanding about School Development Plan (SDP) and drafting of SDP at the school level and also shared the school need analysis format and other necessary formats that are used while drafting the plan.

Prajayatna also shared a local resource directory booklet that would be useful in curating information about local resources for the school that can consecutively be used in connecting with local resources while facilitating a particular content in the classroom.

Following this, the committee facilitated a virtual training for the officials of all the educational districts across Karnataka consisting of DIET representatives, BEOs, BRCs, ECOs, CRCs etc. about the training content and implementation in the districts.

TRAINING FOR THE MASTER RESOURCE PERSONON ECCE AT THE STATE LEVEL

Prajayatna is a part of the ECCE Technical Committee for Karnataka involved in the efforts of the Department of Education to initiate and create pre-primary sections in government schools. Prajayatna worked with the other members of the committee (consisting of other NGOs and Universities) to work on the curriculum. The existing curriculum of the Department of Women and Child Development known as Chilipili was revamped and upgraded to Chilipili+, to be used in the preschool section of the 276 Karnataka Public Schools (model schools of the Department of Education). The School Development and Monitoring Committees of around 900 schools had also initiated preschools, on demand from the community and also to ensure enrolment in Std 1.

All the teachers of these preschools were all selected from the community and needed to be trained. Master Resource Persons from each district was selected to be trained by the technical committee who in turn would train the preschool teachers in their respective districts.

The committee members trained the master trainers from the Department of Education to equip them with knowledge and skills to implement the ECCE programme in UKG in their respective districts. Prajayatna being one of the main trainers, conducted these training sessions for more than 107 personnel staff including Master Resource Persons, Cluster Resource Persons and DIET staff from all 30 districts in Karnataka.

Bengaluru
Prajayatna - Head Office
No. 331, 1st ‘A’ Main, 7th Block,
Jayanagar (West), Bengaluru 560 070
P: (+91) 080-26769676  ww.prajayatna.in