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Guaranteeing Primary Education of Children In Western Orissa |
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Migration due to poverty along with the community not valuing education leads to large scale absenteeism and discontinuation of education by children of western Orissa. The Western Orissa Education Watch set up a year ago is about to change this situation through an innovative effort to help children contribute to family income even as they continue to attend and receive quality education in the government schools. |
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Case Study 1 |
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11 year old Susanthi Barik was one of the happy go lucky girls going to the local primary school in Panduri Dungri regularly. The sudden illness and death of her mother two years ago came as a rude shock. Being the eldest child in the family, she had to share the responsibility of maintaining the house and assist her father. Taking care of her younger siblings forced her to drop out from school. No one took notice, as this is the plight of many girls in her situation, until the Education Watch Committee (EWC) of the village was formed and oriented a year ago. |
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EWC met Susanthi and her father a number of times to motivate Susanthi to rejoin school. While talking to her father, the committee realised that her meagre income would be lost if she attends school, putting the family to further hardships. She was encouraged under the project to take up poultry and vegetable growing to support her family in the spare time. EWC also met SHG members in the village and other neighbours of Susanthi seeking their support in helping her rejoin school. The community pressure exerted by EWC together with “Earn While You Learn” activity that she had taken up convinced her father to send Susanthi to school. This academic year Sushanthi rejoined in standard 6. She has earned 200 rupees by selling chicken. She has opened an account in the post office with an initial deposit of Rs. 100/-. She continues to do her household chores not in desperation but with the hope that one day her education will redeem her from the present situation. |
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Case Study 2 |
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Jayadev Karmi of Gaudiswar (Boudh district) dropped out from school when he was 13 to lend a hand to his father who tends their small agricultural land. His father also works for local traders as a labourer to assist them buy and sell animals in different village markets. Sometime, he is out of the house for several days on end. The land and animals become the responsibility of the children. In spite of his elder brother fully engaged in helping the family Jayadev was also pulled out from school to help him. |
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The EWC with the active participation of its child members had a series of meeting with Jayadev’s parents and siblings to motivate them to rejoin school. After much motivation Jayadev is back in school. To make school meaningful, he was supported to take up incense stick making and vegetable cultivation in the school compound. Through profit sharing of the vegetables grown and sold, Jayadev earned Rs. 200/-. He has opened a post office savings account by depositing Rs.100/-. Today, he actively participates with members of the children’s club in his village to monitor students fom dropping out.
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Case Study 3 |
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Ugeswar Sandha, a standard 7 student of Panduridungri primary school is also the Sports minister of the children’s club. He is one of those nine ministers who exude confidence in a matter of less than one year of intervention by WOEW in the region. |
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With the active support and cooperation of the teachers of the government primary school more than 30 children like him have started Earn While You Learn activities. Ugeswar chose to rear ducks and started the activity six months back. The ducks have started laying eggs. He sells the eggs in the local market and through the income has opened a savings account in the post office. He has bought himself a pair of dress. Ugeswar says that he does not sell all the eggs but keeps some for family consumption thereby providing much needed nutrition to his siblings. Ugeswar and his ministerial colleagues in the children’s club want to ensure that none of the children in school going age will drop out of school. |
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Case Study 4 |
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Lipun Hati is proud to show of his vegetable garden which is about 200 sq meters not very far from the village primary school in Gaundiswar where he studies. He is 12 years old and is in standard 6. He planted brinjal (egg plant), tomato and chillies in his garden three months ago with the help of his mother and sister. Now the plants have started yielding. So far, he has sold vegetables worth Rs. 170/-. He is yet to open a savings account although he has kept Rs. 70/- in the safe keeping of his parents. |
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Case Study 5 |
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Sabitri Bariha is 11 years old and in class V. She heard about the Earn While You Learn concept from her friends at school and approached the WOEW for some seeds and training. Together with her elder sister she planted tomato, brinjal and chillies in the backyard of her house three months back. Her mother, brother and sister assist her in tending the garden and she does not have to work long hours affecting her time for studies or play. The plants have started yielding. Apart from consumption of fresh vegetables by the by the family, she has started selling the excess vegetables and has earned Rs. 100/-. She expects that in a year she can earn more than Rs. 2,000 from her small plot. She is eager to go to the market herself to sell her vegetables. Sabitri say that her father no longer tells her that “I do not have money” when she asks him to buy any school materials. |
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Case Study 6 |
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Aruna Ranabida grew up in Gaundiswar village of Boudh district. He joined the local primary school when he was 6 and is in standard 5 now. Coming from a poor family of 7 members, there has always been a shortage of money at home and pressure to leave school and work for daily wages. When Aruna heard of the Earn While You Learn concept from WOEW he was very happy since this was a perfect solution to his dilemma. |
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He started rearing chicken in the beginning of 2008 with 10 chicks that he bought. The chicks grew up and have started laying eggs. Encouraged by the result, he has bought more chicks. He presently has 26 birds.
Apart from what the family has consumed, he has been selling eggs regularly for the past 8 months. From the profit he bought some note books, pencils and pen for use at school. He has bought himself a shirt and shorts that he proudly displayed. He also has a saving of Rs. 2,200 in his post office saving account.Very proudly he says that one day he will have a large poultry farm and make a lot of money.
Though the activity is targeting the poor and vulnerable families, it has created excitement among children in the community as well as parents. WOEW is considering the introduction of other new and innovative production and trade activities that can provide livelihood skills as well as profit to children without adversely affecting their education. |
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Thirty two children like Aruna have opened their savings account and the number is growing! One can be rest assured that this concept, pursued with the right perspectives will stop poor children from dropping out of school. It makes education more relevant to them and both children and parents are very happy. Children now confidently say that once they complete standard 8 they do not have to be unskilled labourers exploited by landlords but can earn money with dignity.
WOEW is working in 18 Gram Panchayats covering 169 primary schools. The concept of Earn While You Learn has taken roots. The idea has not only ensured that children attend school regularly but has enhanced their confidence in the education system. They do not want to see any dropout children within their village. |
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