May - 2008
Better facilities for children at child labourers’ school.Nalanda*, an ancient seat of learning is now faced with a situation where many children living in poverty situations don’t have the option to be in school but to work to survive.
“Education is a major challenge here,” says Pankaj Das of ADP Nalanda in Bihar. “More number of children drop out of school to work and more girls are married off when they are 12 – 15 years of age,” says Pankaj Das.
More than 100 child labourers get together to learn at a Transit school funded by the Government in Giriyak Block where World Vision works.
Given the background of the children, the weather conditions of the place and the environment in school the attendance of children was not regular. World Vision provided the school with better infrastructure facilities and this is what Pinki has to say about the school for child labourers in Giriyak.
“Going school was a dream for us as our father has migrated to other state in search of work. For meeting our daily household needs we used to work in the brick factories, houses and hotels.
Somehow a school was opened for children like us .We got the admission but in the school there were no benches or desks. Even our teachers don’t have chairs to sit. During rainy season and winter season, we faced a lot of difficulties in sitting on the ground and studying. Some children fell sick and they don’t come regularly to school.
One day two uncles from World Vision India visited our school. They talked to us. We were very happy. After some days, they came with beautiful sitting benches and desks. My handwriting is becoming good. I am happy, because World Vision valued us.”
“We want to achieve 100% enrollment here and want to enhance the livelihood options for the families, so that children are in school,” said Pankaj Das.
(*The University at Nalanda was one of the first in the world established in the 5th Century BC.)
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