SHIKSHA

In 2008, Sparsha launched the Shiksha project aimed at integrated holistic child development with primary focus on pre-primary education for underprivileged kids in Mumbai. As we have started our intervention in Mumbai slums we had identified children are dropped out due to various reasons amongst that main reason was there is no one at home to take care of their younger siblings & due to that house hold chores girls are at home, to bring them back to school in our Sparsha centre they use to bring their smaller siblings. As the smaller children, increased we had started our intervention with them too. 

 While interacting with the parents and children we understood that these parents also care about the future of their children but lack the resources and opportunities to help their child grow. Sparsha works with parents who are illiterate or semi-literate migrant workers, daily wage workers, street hawkers, etc. many of the time they are unable to feed the children and left early for work due to that most of the children were undernourished and used to come to our centre with an empty stomach. Their attention span was very less, and they very much prone to illness.

Through our intervention we have started Nutrition, quarterly medical check-up and monitoring their developmental needs along with that we stared preparing them for school.

So far Sparsha has impacted around 1050 children at the age group of 3 to 6 yrs. from 12000 families in 17 centres across different slum pockets in 3 Municipal wards in Mumbai. Also enrolled around 850 kids in 22 BMC schools to ensure enrolment of the children in the formal education system.

Our aim in the near future is to spread its wings and widen its horizon to provide helping hands to more and more disadvantaged children.

1.     Develop a structured, well-rounded foundation curriculum to nurture an interest in lifelong learning while preparing for school readiness.

2.     To enhance holistic development of child by facilitating activities for finer and motor skills, social and emotional skills and language development

3.     To promote education and increase access to education among low income communities through awareness and academic support. Spread awareness and promote long term benefits of education to families residing in slum communities.

4.     Build a trust based network partnership with parents via effective engagement and feedback channels to encourage involvement and support for their child’s education.