Mahila Vikas

Tribal Children’s Education Project in

Gajapati district, Orissa (Jul 09 – Dec 09)

Stewards: Lakshmi, Nikhil

Orissa, India

Gajapati district

Project Description

Location: Gajapti District, Orissa

Area (urban/rural): Rural

Primary Focus: Dropout and non-school going girls of

Rayagada block – inadequate govt schools

Project Type: Class 1-3 primary education

# of Beneficiaries: 300 children/year

Project Achievements

Provided education and healthcare to 300 tribal girls

and sensitized the community about importance of

education.

Provided primary education to girl children of ages

5-12 years from class 1 through class 3.

Started 15 bridge course (Sanjukta Vidyalaya)

centers in 4 panchayats to enroll dropout and non-

school going children in govt schools.

122 girl children re-enrolled in govt. schools.

Utilized prolonged community involvement through

– Project started by community, of community and

for community.

Learning center kept constant at 15 – relocated to

other villages. Community centers used for buildings.

Identify barefoot teachers and eligible students

Procure teaching materials, supplies and other aides.

Train barefoot teachers. 2 day orientation followed by

5 days training in two phases.

Sensitization camps held in each quarter in every

panchayat to educate, inform and drive community

consiting of VEC, PTA and SHG.

Held Health Checkup camp, art and games, study tour

Progress

Organization Description

Mahila Vikas – Wealth of experience in tribal

development

Founder: Mrs. Pramila Sabar – belongs to tribe

President: Mr. Raj Kishore Panda

Secretary: Mrs. Amita Padhi

Other Activities: Formation of SHGs, Water and

Sanitation, Accelerated Female Literacy.

Helped educate about 15K, 15-35 year old tribal

women, formed SHGs, built rapport and

awareness in community.

Existing Infrastructure/Facilities

Mahila Vikas staff is 6 FT and 16 volunteers from

the community.

Utilize existing community halls in villages for

learning centers – can accommodate 50 students.

Training Barefoot teachers to teach in learning

centers.

Training for the community VEC, SHG, CBO

Activities Last Year

Teacher training: Fun, low/no-cost methods of

teaching, visit to nearby govt school.

Awareness and sensitization programs for the

villagers.

Conducted study tours to 7 schools and nursing,

technical colleges nearby.

Balmela: Organized 10 different sports and games,

everyone given consolation prize, winner’s got steel

carriers etc

Mahila Vikas

Mahila Vikas – Children’s Exposure tour

Revised Budged for Year 2009-10

• Amount Requested in initial funding proposal for the

year: USD 7424, INR 357000

Divided as 1.12 lacs, 0.9 lacs, 0.85 lacs, 0.95 lacs

between the four quarters of the year

• Revised Budget received after 2 quarters: INR 467500

• Expenditure for first two quarters: 1.18 lacs and 1.23

lacs. Projected expenses for remaining two quarters:

1.25 lacs and 1.04 lacs

• We sent USD 4870 in Sep ’09 which was the first

phase of funding. We now have to send INR 226000

for the second phase of funding for the year

Increased expenditure due to

Training to VEC representatives (3 days X 100 per person X 30 persons)

Increase in Teacher salary from Rs. 1000 p.m. to Rs. 1200 (15 nos x 12 months)

Balmela

Children’s exposure tours

Teacher training programs (Rs. 300 per teacher per day X 3 days X 15 nos.)

Rs 36,000

Rs. 36000

Rs. 25000

Rs. 12000

Rs. 13500

Rs. 9000

Concerns from Site Visit (Aug ‘09)

Increase teacher quality and number of female

teachers

Remedial measure: Continuing teacher

training camps

Balmela, Study tour and Folk media awareness

campaign scrapped

Remedial measure: Balmela conducted on Jan

23-24th ’10. Student exposure tours conducted

too

Challenges with mainstreaming, lack of functional

govt. schools

Comments

The revised budget includes items like Balmela

and exposure tours which were previously excluded

on an apprehension that Asha-Stanford would not

fund them

The increases are but moderate and I think we

should go ahead with their approval

Site visit report commends the good work being

done by the project