Asha for Education

Project Brief: RDT runs a school for the children of migrant Andhra workers in Tamil Nadu.
Project Type: Alternative Education (description)
Primary Focus: children of migrant workers (description)

Secondary Focus: children from slums

Area: Rural
Supporting Chapter Contact:
Seattle

Status: CURRENT
Project Steward: Madan Appiah
Project Partner(s): T. K. Elumalai
Project Address: Rural Development Trust
Periya paalayathu amman Kovil street
Old mamallapuram road, Thandalam village
Thirupporur, Tamil Nadu 603110
Tel: 011-91-9442531003
Stewarding Chapter: Seattle

This migrant children school project started with Asha Seattle's support in June 2005. Thousands of migrant Andhra workers from rural areas are currently living in the IT corridor area in Chennai,Tamil Nadu. Many of these workers were engaged in traditional vocations in their native villages. The non-viability of traditional vocations such and farming and fishing has drove them to work in the booming construction industry of the IT corridor.The government schools of Tamil Nadu will not accept these children into their schools as they cannot speak Tamil.

Asha Seattle currently supports salaries of 23 staff which incldues 13 telugu teachers, 3 tamil teachers , 1 oriya teacher, 2 program coordinator and 3 cooks. They provide afternoon meals , learning materials and uniforms for very needy children. They ensure that the children are getting the proper health care facilities from the government primary health care centers. Health camps are organized on a regular basis as well.

Overall they take care of the needs of the migrant community in the area. They have helped bonded laborer and taken care of children who have undergone sexual abuse.

Over the last 2 years RDT has been lobbying with local education officers and government schools to get support to run the school. In 2007 they were able to get local support which included land and building space to run all the schools. In 2008 they received support from the government through the Integrated Child Development Scheme for running the Anganawadis. The government has also promised them a grant to run the migrant schools in 2009.

SSA government official visit the schools regularly to evaluate the schools.