DIP-KODAIKANAL
The inability to access quality education has resulted in poor living conditions for several communities in the Dindigul district in Tamil Nadu. AeA’s Education for Development initiative in Kodaikanal is a direct implementation project that was started in 2002. The primary aim of the project is to ensure the participation of marginalized communities (scheduled tribes, scheduled castes and other backward communities) in the area, in development processes which will in turn ensure them a dignified life.
AeA’s Education for Development initiative covers 14 revenue villages and 25 hamlets in Kodaikanal block, 10 revenue villages and 23 hamlets in Palani block, 1 revenue village and 2 hamlets in Rediyarchatram block. About 3465 children are covered by the education development activities. 475 women and 115 men have been mobilized for SHG activities.
OBJECTIVES:
- To provide access to education for all children, in collaboration with the government
- To identify alternative learning spaces and link them to formal schools
- To sensitise the community to participate in sustainable development and education projects
- To promote effective three-way interface between the community, the schools and the state government
- To identify children with disability and address their education, health and overall development needs
- To facilitate the formation of community-based organizations for youth, women, people with disability and farmers
Strategies and Interventions-
As part of the Quality Education initiative, Village Education Committees were formed and strengthened in twenty one schools; enrolment campaigns were conducted; workshops were organized for government officials to facilitate their participation in education activities and capacity building programmes were coordinated for volunteers as well as teachers with the aim of developing school structures. Camps on social issues and health education were organized for youth, especially adolescent girls and resources were raised from various sources to improve the schools’ infrastructure.
In order to facilitate Inclusive Education in the Kodaikanal schools, the programme conducted survey and assessment camps in ten blocks in the area; facilitated access to rehabilitation services and assistive devices for children and adults with disabilities in collaboration with other NGOs and created a model inclusive play park. Self-help groups for persons with disabilities were formed and strengthened in ten blocks and homes of children with severe disabilities were adapted to their needs. Youth with disabilities were motivated to enrol in employability training programmes in the iLead centres.
Livelihood Education: Youth and farmer groups were formed and capacity building programmes were conducted for the groups so that they could be linked to financial institutions for micro enterprises. Employability training in a variety of livelihood activities was conducted for the youth and road shows as well as community organization sessions were conducted to mobilize youth for the iLEAD programme.
As part of the ‘Women’s Empowerment and Education’ initiative of the project, SHGs were formed and existing ones were strengthened through various training modules. Training programmes that focused on the educational needs of women were conducted with the aim of increasing women’s participation in Village Education Committees.
HIV/AIDS Education: Youth were identified and trained as peer educators; awareness programmes in the form of cultural shows were conducted in all villages; road shows were organized in about 20 blocks on the theme, ‘preventing HIV/AIDS’ and information on the subject was also disseminated with the use of audio-visual aids and by distributing reading material.
Outcomes-
As a result of AeA’s initiative, a pre-school was established in Manthittu village, providing 38 tribal children access to education. The Back to Basics programme was successful in improving the academic competence of the children in the villages and the VEDC (Village Education Development Committee) contributed to the capacity building and networking of four primary schools in the area. Twenty school libraries were also started.
The inclusive education programme organized assessment camps in 10 blocks and identified 2647 children and 142 adults as having disabilities. Assistive devices were provided to 341 children with disabilities while several adults procured ID cards to become eligible for government schemes for persons with disabilities. Children with disabilities were trained in life skills in 8 child care centres and a self help group was started exclusively for persons with disabilities.
Community-level training programmes and awareness activities have made the people more aware of the various government schemes, health and hygiene and HIV/AIDS. Entrepreneurship development programmes were conducted for 76 SHG members in dairy, coir making and keeping petty shops.