Snehalaya

Snehalaya

Bal Bhavan project provides a positive path for women, children and youths of the slums.  "Child Education" is the aim of Bal Bhavan project. This project is working diligently in slums to re-enroll children in school who have dropped out.  Our project staff determines the standard school and follows-up with each school and child to ensure enrollment and success.  The project has achieved successes in changing the attitudes and thinking of the slum-based community. As per our survey we can say that slum-based community members do not believe that a quality educational facility is available to their children. Through the projects of Bal Bhavan & English primary school, Snehalaya has changed the underserved children’s uncertain future, giving them a new hope and a new life. In 2010, Snehalaya started the English primary school especially for children of slums, children from  the red light area, orphans and HIV-infected children. Today, about 57% of students are from slums through Bal Bhavan project. Attendance levels of the children is high, especially because they enjoy coming to the school's warm, homely environment. The children’s behavior has started changing.  Their parent’s attitudes and future family-planning process is also changing as a result of the sharing of the children’s own experiences in the classroom & school. And now people from slums as well as other sections of society have started supporting and endorsing Snehlaya’s movement. Presently the school offers lower as well as upper kindergarten, and also 1st to 3rd Standard classes. From 13th June 2013, the school will not only inaugurate the 4th standard, but also shift the school to the newly-constructed school building.

The Students are comprised of inhabitants of the rehabilitation center, children living in red light areas and slums, children in various institutions and children from poor families in neighboring villages. The delicacy of these children’s situations makes it necessary that they are given special attention. The private schools in the area are not able to provide special attention. Currently 156 students attend school regularly. We can say that their future in now in safe hands. Snehalaya’s experienced, qualified, competent and devoted teachers are working to change children’s lives. Snehalaya’s school project’s aim & objectives is as follows.

1) To provide good quality education.

2) To develop versatile growth of the student.

3)  To enable the student to become a sensitive and responsible citizen trough  education.

Snehalaya provides vehicle facility for transportation of students from slums to school and school to slums. On 26th January, 2013, Snehalaya inaugurated the "Satyamev Jayate" new dining hall and started the midday food program for school children. Students are happy to sit at tables and enjoy the food, with good facility of drinking water, fresh environment, happy surroundings, as well as fresh and healthy food. School has started the new academic year admission process from January 30th. As per government rule, 25% of seats are reserved for children of backward classes, which includes the economically backward, ST (scheduled tribals), SC (scheduled castes), etc., but we can proudly say that all of our school students are coming with backgrounds of economically backward, ST, SC, orphan and children of prostitute women.

In the future we are planning to establish a model to the society, as all children have same intelligence and potential no matter what circumstances they are born to. It does not matter from where they came. It’s the need to take them in the mainstream through quality education. Most innocent children are willing to come and get admission in our school but we have some limitations. We believe that education should not be limited by the economic background of children. As M.K Gandhi says "Every child should get the same education facility without any discrimination." As same, we at “Snehalaya" try our best to provide facility and opportunity to everyone from slums, red light area, orphan and HIV-infected children.  

Snehalaya School is creating a unique learning project for the government & other NGOs.

Navnath Lokhande.