Our activities

One Child's main activity is the running of three Child Education Centres in Ajagarpara, providing for the education and comprehensive welfare of almost 75 children. Recent fundraisings have enabled us to buy land and commission the construction of a school building, which will provide permanent ccommodation for the children and will also provide location for carrying out some of One Child and our partner NGO Asha's other community and youth based activities. In addition to the provision of education, Asha provides community based support to the children's families - critical work that ensures children can attend school regularly and are properly cared for at their homes.

The following activities were carried out in the year to February 2007, and provide a flavour of the range of what One Child has been achieving:

Achievements and performance in 2006/07

One Child, in partnership with its implementing agency ASHA, continued its strong track record of achievements during the year, in developing children's education in Ajagarpara and also in strengthening the community around them.

Operation of Ananda Pathshalas

Two Child Education Centers or Ananda Pathshalas continued at Madhya Para and Paschim Para areas in Muslimpara of Ajagarpara village with 59 students (with 27 girls and 32 girls) of 6-14 years age. Most of the children (57 children out of 59 children) i.e. 96.6% are those who are at school but need extra support & care to continue at school. Most of these children have been mainstreamed into primary school after attending at the Ananda Pathshala.

Most of the children have learnt to identify and read & write the names of various body parts and sense organs. The older children are now gradually learning about the history and geography of the country - about the State Capitals and Country's capital city, National Flag, National Flower, National Bird & National Animal, main rivers & mountains etc. The children are also being monitored for their behaviour or personal habits - like regular bathing, regular brushing of teeth, washing hands before eating, nail cutting, wearing slippers when coming to school and having the dress / shirt properly buttoned. However some children are requiring more support and time. Special attention is given to children in classes III & IV.

An annual assessment was organised for the children attending the Ananda Pathshalas depending on the classes in which they study. From each class the students acquiring first, second and third positions were awarded prizes for encouragement during a Cultural Programme in March 2006. During the cultural event children participated in the recitation, singing & drawing competitions. Parents, key members in the village including Moulavi and Panchayet members were present during the programme. Six students were also awarded scholarships as motivation for continuing further with studies.

Scholarships

Scholarships were given to six (four girls & two boys) needy but keen students in consultation with parents, primary school teachers and other community members. These children are being supported through provision of school bag, exercise book & pencils, reading material on environment & district map (older children) drawing book & crayons, tiffin box etc. These children and their parents are eager to continue with studies despite economic constraints and the scholarships would go along way in motivating them.

Creative workshops

Three creative workshops were organized for children with support from an external resource person during June, September and during December 2006. A Theatre Workshop with the children was organised in September 2006, following which the children presented a drama in front of their parents and other villagers. The medium of theatre was used to help the children learn in an innovative manner about the importance of knowing their environment and protecting the environment. The children learnt about the different common animals and birds.

During the June workshop the children were guided to do various drawings and develop models/materials like thermocol and cardboard, based on their lessons in geography and science, for example related to the village & school environment, and concept of day and night. During the September session the children were guided to do paintings and later did a wall painting in the village. The wall painting was based on the children's learnings - National flower, National Bird, National Animal and National Flag. The children were guided to develop pictures/collages using paper cuttings and various other decorative materials during the December workshop. The drawings were based on what the children were learning based on the age and class of the child.

Observation of Independence Day

Children from both education centers participated in a cultural program which included reciting poems followed by a elaboration on the significance of the Day. Panchyet members and villagers were present at the center for this program.

Celebration of Children's Day

14 November 2006 saw for the first time the children from the Ananda Pathshalas presenting two dramas on stories based on Aesop's fables after being trained in 5-day workshop by resource persons from ASHA. Local Panchayat members, Moulabi, all the teachers of local Primary School, teachers from local Sishu Siksha Kendra, parents & other villagers, attended the programme. Most of these children of beedi workers had started going to school following ASHA's initiation of Ananda Pathshala for motivating children towards education. Many of these children are first generation learners in their families.

Quoting the Moulabi's response after the children's show -"We never knew that there was so much hidden talent within our children and with further training and guidance they would be able to achieve more. I on behalf of my villagers request ASHA to provide such trainings to these children and we promise all support and co-operation"

Health & Nutrition Assessment of Children

This was organized during March 2006 involving 52 children, and September 2006 involving 46 children (25 boys and 21 girls). Deworming was also done in consultation with parents as worm infection is a major problem in this area. Children and their mothers were also imparted health & hygiene education during the assessment programme. Nutrition demonstration on balanced diet for children was additionally undertaken with mothers. Healthy cooking practices and food hygiene were demonstrated.

Sports Event

A sports event was organised by One Child for the children of Ananda Pathsalas during February in the play ground of Gossainpur Primary School. Primary School teachers, the ICDS Supervisor and workers, Moulavis, key opinion formers in the village and parents were present. The sports was an event with difference as some of the races were so designed as to be both educative and joyful like Nutrition Race, Mathematics Race, Word making race, Gender Relay Race, Drawing race. The winners were given away prizes.

Excursion for Children

An excursion trip to the ancient historical sites of Malda and Gour was organised for the children of Ajagarpara during February 2007. This was both an educative tour as well as motivational tour apart from giving the children a scope to relax and enjoy beyond the boundaries of their village.

Regular contact is maintained with primary school teachers and parents to ensure that children continue at school and detect any problem with attending or in learning achievements at school and solve the same.

Women and Child Health

• Increasing antenatal care coverage among women

• Increasing immunization coverage among young children

• Improved child care practices including essential newborn care (not bathing at birth and keeping baby warm), feeding of colostrums and exclusive breast feeding

• Increasing utilisation of formal health & ICDS services

• Women are now more interested to know about prevention and management of Reproductive Tract Infections and family planning methods.

Every month outreach immunisation camps were organised at the village by the local government health worker with support from the Aanganwadi worker and ASHA's field staff. ASHA's field representatives have also motivated parents to ensure all children under five years receive oral polio vaccination during Pulse polio rounds.

Awareness Generation on Women and Child Rights

One Awareness Generation Programme on Women & Child Rights was organised in March 2006. Discussions were initiated with a brainstorming session with women regarding their understanding of rights. Subsequently discussions were held regarding hazards of early marriage & pregnancy, ill-effects of dowry, giving equal value to daughters & sons, giving equal opportunities of education to both girls and boys, adequate health and nutrition care of both girls and boys, the rights of women to adequate health care & nutrition, rights of women to express their opinions and also be valued for their views.

Adolescent Programme

Discussion sessions with adolescent girls were conducted regularly. Discussions were held on managing the physical changes during adolescent period, managing problems that are common during this age like those related to onset of menstruation, personal hygiene, and nutrition along with sensitisation on social issues like hazards of early marriage and early pregnancy, and discrimination against girl child.

Capacity building Training for CEC teachers

This was organised in December 2007 at ASHA's Murshidabad Project Office at Umarpur. It focused mainly on use of innovative activity based teaching methodologies and development of teaching learning materials to create interest among children regarding learning & improve learning achievements, especially among slow learners and to infuse thinking skills among children and strengthening close monitoring mechanisms for each child. Resource support was provided from ASHA's head office at Kolkata.

In addition, a capacity building workshop was held during March 2006 with 30 participants including Primary school teachers, SSK teachers, Village Education Committee members, and representatives from the Parent-Teacher Association. The focus was on retention of children attending primary school and improving their learning achievements and preventing drop-out after primary level.

Mobilization of Women's Self-Help Groups

Nabajiban Mahila Samity, Ajagarpara with 15 members and Santi Mahila Samity, Ajagarpara with 15 members are currently active in the village. Discussion sessions with the women group members are being conducted regularly regarding issues of proper antenatal care, safe delivery, infant feeding practices, nutrition of pregnant women, care during adolescence, education of the children. Efforts are being made to facilitate linkage between the two women's groups to the local Aanganwadi Centre so that they can actively take part in running the Aanganwadi Centre and ensure regular attendance of all children under six year at the CECs both for nutrition care and pre-primary education.