Apna Skool, Migrant Labour ProjectApna Skool, Migrant Labour ProjectApna Skool, Migrant Labour ProjectApna Skool, Migrant Labour Project Jagrati Bal Vikas Samiti, Kanpur U. PJagrati Bal Vikas Samiti, Kanpur U. PJagrati Bal Vikas Samiti, Kanpur U. PJagrati Bal Vikas Samiti, Kanpur U. P

Report: Jan-April 2011 Apna Skool, Migrant Labour Project (MLP), (which is part of a voluntary organization in Kanpur, Jagriti Bal Vikas Samiti), is a network of schools for children of migrant labourers at construction sites and brick kilns in and around Kanpur, U.P. From one Apna skool centre with 40 children it has grown into a network of 25 Apna Skool centres with more than 650 students. (It must be noted that the number of students keeps varying due the very nature of their parents’ work). The Apna skools are generally run from 15th October to 15th June every year in the brick kilns and construction sites at various parts of Kanpur city, Uttar Pradesh. This is also a period when brick-making activity takes place and construction activities are in full swing. Currently there are 672 students at 25 Apna Skool centres, of which about 45 % students are girls. Apart from education, Apna Skool activities include:

� Nutrition: Wholesome meals at every centre � Basic Health Care � School uniforms for all and sweaters in winter every year � Excursion trip every year � Regular Teachers meeting every month and teachers training workshop twice a year � Periodic interaction with the parents of Apna Skool students � Vocational –Training � The Apna Skool library has around 1000 books ( Story books , painting books ) which are

circulated in every centre to encourage the joy of reading among the students � Short films( entertaining and educative) are shown at all the centres periodically

Apart from regular teaching lessons, we in Apna Skool believe in over-all development of the child. Hence the emphasis is on learning through experience. In the past four months (January- April 2011) we have encouraged the students to participate in the yearly Science fair, taken them to educational and excursion trips to Agra, UP (about 285 km from Kanpur) and the Kanpur Zoo. Ongoing endeavor to do science with fun inspired from Shri Arvind Gupta’s collection of experiments to understand concepts in science has become a regular activity at all Apna Skool centers. A report of activities conducted during the months of January, February, March and April 2011 along with the student strength is given below.

January 2011

1. Swami Vivekanand Jayanti on 12th January was celebrated at all the centers. Teachers talked in brief about swamiji and his contribution to Indian Society. The students made a few paintings and wrote a few quotes from swamiji’s teachings which were displayed at their respective centers.

2. Republic Day on 26th Jan 2011 was celebrated at all the Apna Skools with great enthusiasm, taking out ‘Prabhat Pheris’ on this occasion. The children from all the Apna Skool centers took out processions at 7:00am with placards raising awareness on social issues like Right to Education. They visited nearby villages hoisting the Tricolour on the occasion. The parents of some children also participated in this event. Seeing the enthusiasm of the children many people from nearby villages joined the procession.

3. Teachers’ training workshop was conducted on 7th and 8th January 2011 with specific emphasis on the instruction of teaching methods followed by Apna Skool, to the new teachers of Apna Skool.

4. Health Care: Administration of Polio drops at all Apna Skool centers. Few children at the Dhamikheda Apna Skool center were having persistent eye problems hence Eye Test for the students at this center was conducted during the month of January.

5. Two poems written by students of Apna Skool center (Shailesh and Mamata from Dhamikheda Center) were published in ‘KhilKhil ’, a monthly publication brought out by Jagriti Bal Vikas Samiti.

6. Inspiring story: Kalimuddin, 10 year old student studying at Panki Padav Apna Skool centre is one of the most diligent children of Apna Skool with a very keen desire to be educated. His enthusiasm is particularly noteworthy as he also brings along, his two younger siblings to school in a makeshift pushcart riding it for abut 4-5 km everyday.

‘Prabhat Pheri’ on Republic Day 26th Jan 2011

Flag Hoisting at an Apna Skool Centre on Teachers’ Training Workshop the Republic Day

Scanned copy of poems published in a publication

Functional centres of “Apna Skool” in January 2011:-

S.N Name of Centre Name of Teacher Centre Timing Total No. of Students

1 Dhamikheda 1- Sunita ji 2-Urmila ji 3- Manju ji 9:00 to 3:00 80

2 Tamsaha (AID) 1- Raksha ji 2- Rajesh Kumar 3:00 to 4:00 50

3 Panki Power House 1- Laxmi ji 9:00 to 2:30 35

4 Panki Padhav (AID) 1- Hardas ji 1:30 to 5:30 22

5 Jaguvapurva (Adult Education) 1- Pushpa ji 4:00 to 5:00 3 6 Kalra Brick Kiln-1 1- Pushpa ji 10:00 to 3:00 40 7 Kalra - 2 (Amiliha) 1- Omkant ji 10:00 to 2:30 35 8 Deep BK (Bhauti) 1- Ekta Pal 9:00 to 3:00 22 9 Ankit Brick Kiln 1- Rajesh Kumar 11:00 to 3:30 23 10 Rautepur (Bhola Brick Kiln) 1- Shakuntala Pal 10:00 to 3:30 21 11 Saran Brick Kiln 1- Rupa Saini 11:00 to 4:30 23 12 Vishnu Brick Kiln 1- Jay Prakash 2- Parnita 10:30 to 3:30 42

13 A1 Brick Kiln (AID) 1- Mohit 10:00 to 3:30 33

14 Jaiswal Brick Kiln 1- Pradeep ji 10:00 to 3:30 25 15 Mera Brick Kiln 1- Raksha ji 10:00 to 3:00 31

16 Murari Brick Kiln (Tikra)(AID) 1- Najma Khan 9:30 to 3:00 40

17 Badhawan-Khalsa Brick Kiln 1- Indra Kumar 9:30 to 3:00 33 18 Kisan Nagar (Jain Brick Kiln) 1- Ashutosh 10:00 to 3:30 25 19 Lodhar Brick Kiln 1- Waheeda Khan 11:00 to 4:00 23

20 Maharajpur (Deepak Brick Kiln)(AID) 1- Anamika Mishra 9:00 to 2:30 31

21 Gol Chaurah 1- Suraj Kumar 5:00 to 7:00 7 22 Nahar Kothi 1- Rajesh Pal 11:00 to 3:30 27

February 2011 1. Science Mela, an yearly event was organized on 5th and 6th Feb 2011 at the Swami Vivekanand

Vidyalaya, Lodhar. Along with students from the Lodhar School, students from many Apna Centers participated in the science exhibition and also showcased experiments /projects and social-science models to the visitors. The visitors which included faculty of IIT Kanpur, Students, local villagers were highly appreciative of the efforts of the students and enjoyed the experience.

2. Students of Apna Skool also participated in large numbers in the succeeding cultural programme, performing songs, dance and a short play. They got an overwhelming response from the audience.

3. Since the basic philosophy of education at Apna Skools is the overall development of the child, we organize extra-curricular activities regularly. One such activity was a painting competition organized at all the centers on 16th Feb. 2011.The students enthusiastically took part in the same.

4. Education/excursion trip to Agra: 60 students from Apna Skool education centers along with a few teachers went on a two day trip to Agra. They visited places of historical importance like the Fatehpur Sikri, Tajmahal and Akbar’s (Red) Fort. The students thoroughly enjoyed their trip. They were also especially overwhelmed to see Taj Mahal, having only read glorious accounts about it, in books.

5. Bal Sabha, a forum for discussions constituted by and for the children is a unique activity of all Apna Skool Centres. It is conducted on every Saturday of the month where in a new set of president and vice-president are elected by the students once in two weeks.

6. Saurabh from ASHA visited a few centers of Apna Skool (Jaiswal and Kalra brick kiln centers) and interacted with the students.

7. Various Immunization programmes were carried out in Apna Skool centres in February 2011. D.P.T. and B.C.G vaccine was provided to children at Deep, Kalra, Saran, Mera, Ankit, and Avon Brick Kilns. Vitamin A syrup was administered in all centers.

Apna School students at the Science Fair held in Swami Vivekanand Vidayalaya, Kanpur

Trip to Agra

Functional centres of “Apna Skool” in February 2011:-

March 2011

1. Board Exam: We are proud to announce that three students who started their education in Apna Skool have appeared for the 10th class state Board Examination.

2. Rescue Efforts by Apna Skool Team: 4 young girls from Jharkhand , who were illegally taken to Delhi and employed as domestic workers were brought back to their respective families through the efforts of the Apna Skool team and ample assistance from Swami Agnivesh’s organization in

S.N Name of Centre Name of Teacher Centre Timing Total No. of Students

1 Dhamikheda 1- Sunita ji 2-Urmila ji 3- Manju ji 9:00 to 3:00 76

2 Tamsaha (AID) 1- Raksha ji 2- Rajesh Kumar 4:00 to 5:00 50

3 Panki Power House 1- Laxmi ji 9:00 to 2:30 35

4 Panki Padhav (AID) 1- Hardas ji 1:30 to 6:00 23

5 Jaguvapurva (Adult Education) 1- Pushpa ji 4:00 to 5:00 3 6 Kalra Brick Kiln-1 1- Pushpa ji 10:00 to 3:00 40 7 Kalra - 2 (Amiliha) 1- Omkant ji 10:00 to 2:30 30 8 Deep BK (Bhauti) 1- Ekta Pal 9:00 to 3:00 21 9 Ankit Brick Kiln 1- Rajesh Kumar 11:00 to 3:30 23 10 Rautepur (Bhola Brick Kiln) 1- Shakuntala Pal 10:00 to 3:30 27 11 Saran Brick Kiln 1- Rupa Saini 12:00 to 5:30 22 12 Vishnu Brick Kiln 1- Jay Prakash 2- Parnita 10:30 to 3:30 40

13 A1 Brick Kiln (AID) 1- Mohit 10:00 to 3:30 31

14 Jaiswal Brick Kiln 1- Pradeep ji 10:00 to 3:30 36 15 Mera Brick Kiln 1- Raksha ji 10:00 to 3:00 27

16 Murari Brick Kiln (Tikra)(AID) 1- Shanu 9:30 to 3:00 36

17 Badhawan-Khalsa Brick Kiln 1- Najma Khan 9:30 to 3:00 40 18 Kisan Nagar (Jain Brick Kiln) 1- Priyanka 09:00 to 2:30 26 19 Lodhar Brick Kiln 1- neetu 11:00 to 4:00 28

20 Maharajpur (Deepak Brick Kiln)(AID) 1- Anamika Mishra 9:00 to 2:30 31

21 Gol Chaurah 1- Suraj Kumar 5:00 to 7:00 7 22 Nahar Kothi 1- Rajesh Pal 11:00 to 3:30 27

Delhi. One of the four girls is an ex- student of Apna Skool, hence equipped with basic literacy skills, and was able to contact the co-ordinator of Apna Skool, who later facilitated their release.

3. The festival of Colours, Holi was celebrated at all centers with distribution of sweets and some poetry writing by the children.

4. Science Experiment: Rainbow Colour Mixer. 5. We encourage our students to read the News Paper daily.

Functional centres of “Apna Skool” in March 2011

S.N Name of Centre Name of Teacher Centre Timing Total No. of Students

1 Dhamikheda 1- Sunita ji 2- Urmila ji 3- Manju 9:00 to 3:00 76 2 Tamsaha (AID) 1- Raksha ji 2- Rajesh Kumar 4:00 to 5:00 50 3 Panki Power House 1- Laxmi ji 9:00 to 3:00 35 4 Panki Padhav (AID) 1- Hardas ji 1:30 to 6:00 15 5 Jaguvapurva (Adult Education) 1- Laxmikant Shukla Ji 4:00 to 5:00 4 6 Kalra Brick Kiln-1 1- Pushpa ji 12:30 to 5:30 37 7 Kalra - 2 (Amiliha) 1- Omkant ji 10:00 to 2:30 30 8 Deep BK (Bhauti) 1- Anupam 9:00 to 12:30 11 9 Ankit Brick Kiln 1- Rajesh Kumar 11:00 to 3:30 23 10 Rautepur (Bhola Brick Kiln) 1- Shakuntala Pal 10:00 to 4:00 15 11 Saran Brick Kiln 1- Satish 2- Pushpa ji 10:00 to 2:30 22 12 Vishnu Brick Kiln 1- Jay Prakash 2- Parnita 10:30 to 3:30 40 13 A1 Brick Kiln (AID) 1- Mohit 10:00 to 3:30 30 14 Jaiswal Brick Kiln 1- Pradeep ji 10:00 to 3:30 35 15 Mera Brick Kiln 1- Raksha ji 10:00 to 3:00 27 16 Murari Brick Kiln (Tikra)(AID) 1- Najma Khan 9:30 to 3:00 36 17 Badhawan-Khalsa Brick Kiln 1- Jaya Yadhav 11:00 to 4:00 35 18 Kisan Nagar (Jain Brick Kiln) 1- Priyanka 9:00 to 2:30 26 19 Lodhar Brick Kiln 1- Neetu 12:00 to 5:00 27

20 Maharajpur (Deepak Brick Kiln)(AID) 1- Anamika Mishra 9:00 to 2:30

31

21 Gol Chaurah 1- Suraj Kumar 5:00 to 7:00 7 22 Nahar Kothi 1- Rupa Saini 9:30 to 3:00 27

April 2011

1. The students of Apna Skool participated in a cultural programme held at IIT Kanpur on 3rd April 2011. They got an opportunity to showcase their talents through music, dance and enacting plays. Their performance was highly appreciated by the audience all of whom were particularly impressed by the confidence of the students.

2. Fight against Corruption: The apna skool team along with the students from all centers joined the nation wide fight against corruption. They participated, in large numbers, in a candle light march and rally held in Kanpur on 5th April 2011.

3. Educational trip to the Kanpur Zoo: Students of Apna Skool centers were taken to the Kanpur zoo on 19th April 2011 as both a recreational as well as an educational tour. The children enjoyed the experience.

4. NIOS Examination: 12 students of grade 3 and 11 students of grade 5 appeared for the NIOS examination from 6th April to 15th April 2011.

5. Visit of Thierry from Mala Foundation : Thierry from Mala foundation, Belgium visited two Apna Skool centers (Kalra -2 and Vishnu Brick kiln center) and was delighted by the enthusiasm and progress of the children. They presented songs and poems. Many students of Apna Skool centers are just beginning to read and write English and were happy to show Thierry bhaiyya ( as they addressed him) their names written in English. The students also performed a simple science experiment explaining air pressure. He received embroidered handkerchiefs, and a necklace made of paper as gifts from the children.

6. Science Experiment: water fountain. 7. Closure of a few centers: Apna Skool centers at Golchauraha, Rautepur, Jagvapurava, and Lodhar

brick kiln were closed for this academic year. The parents of the children studying in these centers have finished their work and have gone back to their native places along with the families. They will come back again in October 2011.

Campaign to Fight against Corruption

Trip to Kanpur Zoo

Visit by Thierry of Mala Foundation Centre- wise student strength of “Apna Skool” in April 2011:-

S.N Name of Centre Name of Teacher Centre Timing Total No. of Students

1 Dhamikheda 1- Sunita ji 2- Urmila ji 3- Manju ji 9:00 to 3:00

76

2 Tamsaha (AID) 1- Rajesh Kumar 4:00 to 5:00 50 3 Panki Power House 1- Laxmi ji 8:00 to 1:30 35 4 Panki Padhav (AID) 1- Hardas ji 1:30 to 6:00 16 5 Kalra Brick Kiln-1 1- Pushpa ji 10:00 to 3:00 37 6 Kalra - 2 (Amiliha) 1- Omkant ji 10:00 to 2:30 30

7 Deep BK (Bhauti) 1- Anupam 8:30 to 11:30

11

8 Ankit Brick Kiln 1- Raksha Ji 10:00 to 12:50

20

9 Saran Brick Kiln 1- Parnita Yadav 9:00 to 1:30 22 10 Vishnu Brick Kiln 1- Jayprakash 10:00 to 3:30 35 11 A1 Brick Kiln (AID) 1- Mohit 10:00 to 3:30 30 12 Jaiswal Brick Kiln 1- Pradeep ji 10:00 to 3:30 35 13 Mera Brick Kiln 1- Raksha ji 1:00 to 3:30 15 14 Murari Brick Kiln (Tikra)(AID) 1- Najma Khan 9:30 to 3:00 36 15 Badhawan-Khalsa Brick Kiln 1- Jaya Yadhav 11:00 to 2:30 35 16 Kisan Nagar (Jain Brick Kiln) 1- Priyanka 9:00 to 2:30 26

17 Maharajpur (Deepak Brick Kiln)(AID) 1- Anamika Mishra 9:00 to 2:30

31

18 Nahar Kothi 1- Rupa Saini 9:00 to 2:30 26 Report compiled with assistance from Apna Skool coordinators: Laxmikant Shukla, B.N. Sharma, Sangeeta Verma Vijaya Ramachandran rvijaya26@yahoo.co.in, vijayav26@gmail.com Pranab Mohapatra pranab@iitk.ac.in Thank you for your support!