FUN & LEARN DAY IN PRAYASH SCHOOL

27th August, 2016- Swanirvar

       In 2013, Officer in Charge, Baduria Police Station invited Swanirvar in a Police-Civilian meeting at Police station. In that meeting OC, Baduria expressed his concern for the migrated children working in the brick kilns. He also added that there are few dalit and underprivileged children who lived with their parents in the slums adjacent to Police station and Baduria Municipality. He concluded that he made request to local businessmen and they promised but failed keep their promise.

       In October, 2013 Swanirvar did extensive survey and identified the dropouts. We proposed the police officials to start a child care centre in Police station campus to mainstream the dropouts. We submitted the written proposal to the Superintendent of Police, North 24 Parganas and got immediate approval.

       The child care centre, ‘PRAYASH’ started its journey from January, 2014 (http://swainedu.blogspot.in/2014/01/prayash-child-care-centre-at-baduria.html)

       In 2014 and 2015 academic session more than 50 children mainstreamed to Govt Schools and continuing their studies.

       In this child care centre, we not only ensure their age appropriate subjective learnings but also give lot of emphasis on learning - local histories & geography, art & craft activity, music and action rhymes etc. The mainstreamed children are very popular in the Govt Schools for their extra curricular activities.

       Recently, we met Mr. Dilip Mondal, Secretary of Dhumketu Puppet Theatre. They do hands on training with the children on developing puppets and teach them on traditional puppet play and also do some therapy-based works the children in crisis. They are expert in doing this with the juvenile delinquents and also doing the same with children suffering from cancer. Recently a film was made on their good works. They have selected PRAYASH Centre for intervention with Swanirvar.

       1st workshop was held on 27th August, 2016 with 25 children from PRAYASH and few more children from nearby places joined with them. They made paper puppet and at the end they learned the art of puppet play. Few of them were so innovative that they performed with their paper puppets at the end of the workshop. Next workshop will be held on 10th September, 2016.