Asha for Education

Project Brief: Non-formal school for dalit children in Thiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu
Project Type: Community Based Interventions (description)
Primary Focus: children of dalits/tribals (description)

Secondary Focus: dropouts

Area: Rural
Supporting Chapter Contact:
Silicon Valley

Status: CLOSED - ENDED
Project Steward: reeshav kumar
Co-Steward: Reshu Jain
Project Partner(s): S Sethunarayanan
Project Address: Center for Development of Disadvantaged People (CDDP)
78, Krishnana, Street, Kanakadhara nagar,
Valasarawakkam
Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600032
Tel: 91-44-24869050
Stewarding Chapter: Silicon Valley

<p><b>December 2018 Update</b>: CDDP has achieved its initial stated goal of reducing the school drop-out rate and of improving literacy amongst children from disadvantaged communities in regions of rural Tamil Nadu. Asha-SV has therefore decided to <b> discontinue funding for the project starting academic year 2019-20. </b></p>

The CDDP Project runs schools in a number of villages located in Thiruvallur district, on the way to Bangalore, about 70 km from Chennai . Most of the villages in the area are highly structured based on class and caste. Three clear strata are: high-class zamindars/land-owners, scheduled class, and scheduled tribes. CDDP's work focuses on the last two groups especially in helping the children join mainstream education.

CDDP started with 2 schools in Arungulam and Nedumbaram in 1997, followed by 2 more schools in Nemilli and Nallatur villages in 1999. Most recently in 2002 they opened another 3 schools. The schools run in the evenings for 2 hours. They have a non-formal education curriculum intended to introduce the children to school.

Many of the children work during the day to help their family by tending goats, working in the fields, doing household chores or babysitting younger children. Most have never attended school or dropped out early if they did. The goal is to enable them to go to regular schools after a few years at the evening school. CDDP continues to provide coaching and guidance after they transition to government schools.

Asha's funds have enabled CDDP to run and expand these schools to reach more and more children. In 2003, children from the 1st two schools transitioned to mainstream government schools!