Tapping Into Potential
Umesh had few things to motivate him to stay focused on schoolwork, and had dropped out of the Baikunthapur Tarun Sangha (BTS) Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) school where he was enrolled. His parents struggled to make ends meet for their family of five. Both worked in domestic labor with very low income; Umesh’s father Uttam is a daily wage laborer and his mother Sarathi is a maid servant. Naturally, they had little time and energy to ensure or even just think about the continuity of Umesh’s education.
Tapati Giri, a trainer with BTS ICDS Center in sector 372 (where Umesh’s family lived) took note of his situation and decided that action was needed. Tapati met with Uttam and Sarathi and spoke with them regarding the importance of sending Umesh to school, and ensuring he stayed. These conversations sparked in them a renewed sense of commitment to Umesh’s education, and they re-enrolled Umesh in the ICDS center school. He gradually began to engage with and take advantage of innovative Teaching Learning Materials (TLM’s) other methods that were being implemented by BTS in collaboration with Vibha through Project Sammanay, Now Umesh consistently ranks among the top students in his class, and his parents share in the joy and satisfaction of their child’s success.
Vibha – BTS Partnership
Vibha is collaborating with Baikunthapur Tarun Sangha (BTS) in the Sunderbans, West Bengal, through Project Samannay, the goal of which is to provide quality pre-school education and capitalize on children’s early years to make them better prepared to meet standards for mainstream education. Specifically, Vibha funds educational interventions and training programs in the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Centers and pre-school centers run by BTS in this region. Apart from education Vibha’s funding also provides for a nutritional mid-day meal and regular health checkups
Project location : Sunderbans, West Bengal
Number of children supported : 50
2018 Annual Budget provided : $3500