Project Brief:
Project Type: Community Based Interventions (description)
Primary Focus: children from slums (description)

Secondary Focus: children of migrant workers

Area: Tribal
Supporting Chapter Contact:
Cleveland

Status: CLOSED - ENDED
Project Steward: Sandeepa Koli
Co-Steward: Muthu ram
Project Partner(s): Uma V
Project Address: Suyam Charitable Trust - Siragu Montessori School
Old No.5, New No.26, II Floor,
Zinda Street, Kondithope,
Avadi, Tamil Nadu 600 079
Tel: 09444404822
Stewarding Chapter: Cleveland

* Overview:
Siragu Montessori School was started by Uma and Muthuram, to provide quality education and rehabilitation for children begging on the streets and pavements of parts in and around Chennai, free of cost. For generations, these communities have never had any real opportunity to break out of their situation, make education a priority or pursue a sustainable source of livelihood. Siragu was therefore started in 2003 with the aim to reach out to the most underprivileged, equip them with competent education and open doors for these children who would otherwise have been lost to begging on the streets, child labour, child marriage, homelessness and another generation of missed opportunities.

Since most of the children at the school have no other place to go to, the classrooms at Siragu double up as a safe and sanitary place of residence for more than 150 of them. The school currently educated over 400 children and has 35 teaching staff and 17 non-teaching staff.

Education at Siragu
Siragu currently educates over 400 children from KG-1 to Std 8. Children passing out of class 8 are provided with training specifically catered to appear for various entrance exams conducted at state, national and international levels. Since the school currently does not have the facilities to provided quality education for Stds 11 and 12, a special provision has been arranged for in the neighboring private schools to admit children completing the common entrance exams at Std 10 level from Siragu. This way the complete schooling is ensured for every child at Siragu.

Siragu has adopted the Montessori method of teaching, four-corner method of listening, reading, writing and creativity. This method coupled with efficient usage of learning materials by the teachers at Siragu has helped made going to school for these kids, not just beneficial but also fun. In addition to academic curriculum, ample importance is also given to sports, martial arts, yoga, music, dance and creative and practical learning. The children are encouraged to take part in a variety of extra-curricular and co-curricular competitions to hone their skills. These techniques along with daily school-van pick up services and 3 nutritious meals provided by Siragu has helped massively in bringing down drop-out rates, preventing kids from reverting to begging and encouraging neighboring communities to make educating their children a priority.

Siragu has an open admission policy and children are taken in all year-round, further encouraging them to join school. Perhaps the most commendable aspect of the team at Siragu is that despite severe short-falls in funding sources and faculty, in no way do they compromise on providing wholesome and quality education to the kids in the school.

* Main Challenges
1. Infrastructure (stable buildings and classrooms, uniforms, monthly stationary and education material) to support growing no. of students in school

2. Constant, recurring and reliable sources of funding to support operating costs such as teacher and staff salaries, van expenses, construction needs, education material etc.

3. Source of administration support for financial advice, school building construction, quality English and Computer education

4. Drop-out rates of students, reverting to begging etc.- which have however almost completely put an end to

5. Convincing parents to make education of their kids a priority

6. With respect to construction of buildings, constant source of funding for the duration of construction in order to complete it as per plan without compromises due to inflation in cost price.

Success Stories
Siragu was started for kids primarily belonging to communities where begging was the only source of livelihood. Making the kids join as well as regularly attend school was therefore a major challenge. Today, all of the 125 students who stay at the Siragu home have completely quit begging and have grown into talented, all-rounded individuals equipped for a great future. The stories of some of Siragu's many bright young minds are as follows:

C.Jayavel: Jayavel has become a role model to the begging community he once belonged to. He is one of the brightest students we have seen in Siragu so far. After studying in Siragu until class X, he appeared for the IGSCE exam conducted by Cambridge University this year, and we are extremely hopeful of Jayavel procuring high grades. He has also appeared for various international Olympiad exams and NIOS exams and fared well. He has completed 4 levels in Hindi proficiency exams conducted by Hindi Prachara Sabha. He is also well noted and awarded for his excellent communication skills. In appreciation of his past record, Vellammal Higher Secondary School, one of the most reputed schools in Chennai has admitted him for completing his high school education with full scholarship. The young achiever wants to become a computer engineer and help children from his community to get educated.

Nitheeshkumar: Niteeshkumar was one of the first students at Siragu. During the last eight years of his education at Siragu, he has not only honed is skills in academics and creative studies, but has also grown up to be an extremely responsible young adult. He has consistently scored above 85% in all exams at Siragu. One of his many assets are his is command over languages. He has been the recipient of many awards of Excellence in Elocution in English, conducted by Bhoomi Trust, Chennai and other essay-writing contests. He is also very proficient in Hindi, and like Jayavel, has completed 4 levels in Hindi Proficiency Exams. A highlight in his achievements is his selection in the Words-Worth International Spelling Bee Competition at the International level, after winning at various qualifying rounds at the national level. He is also preparing to participate in the American National Spelling Bee. Niteesh is currently preparing for IGCSE exam conducted by Cambridge University and intends to pursue a PhD. When he grows up, he wants to be a Professor and further the cause of Siragu for the betterment of the society.

E. Murugan: Murugan is also one of the first students to join Siragu. He comes from a greatly impoverished family that has been begging for generations. Murugan is also a bright student that has made Siragu proud with his growth. He was among the top 500 contestants at the International Science Olympiad with a score of 89.35%. He also participated in the Words Worth international spelling bee competition and completed proficiency tests by Hindi Prachara Sabha. Murugan wants to become a doctor when he grows up, while at the same time educating poor kids in need. Murugan's mother, Chinnamma, was able to send three of her seven children to school till she met with an accident, broke her hip bone and got caught in heavy "meter interest loan" to repay her medical bills. The children were forced to start selling small commodities at traffic signals to repay the debt. With the help of an individual donor, Siragu was able to pay her principal, so she could let her kids attend school instead. With her recovery, Chinnamma is slowly able to pay back Siragu without an interest being charged.