Through this project we want to provide them the better opportunity to grow academically and personally. Right now we are working at Gram Vikas Primary School which is located at Patonapada, Yeoor Hills, Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Thane. Children come to this school are from Adivasi villages which are located in dense jungle area of national park. Children coming from low economic and social bac
kground are the more disadvantage group. These children don’t get any support from home and get very less support from school. Parents are illiterate and don’t take interest in their children’s education. This is one of the reason for low attendance and dropout ratio in schools. When we started this work before three years the attendance ratio was 20% of the 5th, 6th and 7th standard. Around 30-35% children dropout by 5th standard. The schools are available till 7th standard and for further education they have to travel about 10 – 12 KM to the city. Hence about 50-60% children dropout after 7th standard. Only 15-20% children reach till 10th standard. Very less children reach till college. To stop this dropout cycle children need the support in the initial stage of primary level. Children and parents need to know about the important of education. We need to bring children to the school. Children need more than education to move ahead in their life. The school without walls trying to provide them the extra support through outdoor and creative activities. We are running this project from last three years in the same school. We have seen the drastic change in the attendance. We take session on Saturdays and the attendance began to be 90% to 100%. Children started coming regularly on week days also. The SWW started showing its impact on children attendance. The system failed to provide the support which children need in terms of personal and social development of children and youth through outdoor and creative education. The issue we are addressing here is not the issue of these villages only. This is the issue of those all area/community/villages where children are not getting opportunities to complete their education and to grow physically and mentally. In future we are planning to grow our work on this experience in other places also. We want to reach till every child who needs support grows fully.
