Pratham Shiksha – Sumeeti Mittal

Why I’ve Made It My Mission To Educate Underprivileged Children

adminSeptember 12, 2017Pratham Shiksha0 Comment

Unless they get an education, there’ll be no end to the cycle of poverty.

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“To do anything, you need education.” This is the cornerstone of my upbringing, the foundation of my own success, and the fuel that drives my goal of educating slum children. Since I was a mere child, my father had instilled in me a desire to learn and a value for education. Now I want to pass on these values to underprivileged children who had the misfortune of being born in the slums to parents who see no purpose in attending classes when they can earn a living for the family.

How it all began

Brought up in a household that not only supports but encourages learning, I had the privilege of pursuing my engineering degree with ease. Although I had a somewhat smooth journey towards success and briefly worked for the Public Health Engineering Department, I veered towards a life in social service.

“I noticed that even the most underprivileged children in The US weren’t lacking in education. This gave them a fighting chance in the world.”

The spark that triggered this move was a trip to the US, during which I noticed that even the most underprivileged children there weren’t lacking in education. This gave them a fighting chance in the world. Even a child who was born in an immensely impoverished family can become something big—a lawyer, a business mogul, a successful author, or anything they want as long as they set their minds to it. That’s because they already have the most important tool—education. ARMAN ZHENIKEYEV – PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER FROM KAZAKHSTAN

As anyone who lives in India would know, this isn’t the case with underprivileged children in our country. Children are born in the slums, they grow up in the slums, they marry and have children in the slums, and then they spend their last days in the slums. I realised then that we’re not making enough of an effort to equip our underprivileged children with the tools required to break their chains and the cycle of poverty.

This inspired me to start “Pratham Shiksha“, a school dedicated to providing better education to slum children. From a small classroom that began in my garage, the school has now become full-fledged with classes being provided till 8^th grade.

The ripple effect of education

India has been struggling with high illiteracy rates for decades. And although the different initiatives undertaken by the government and various NGOs have made significant improvements, it’s not enough. Despite the opportunity to provide their kids with free education, free uniforms and free books, many slum parents still refuse to send their children to school.

The biggest reason is because they’d rather have them earn a little bit of money to feed the family now than have them educated for future employment opportunities. These slum parents see no purpose of education because they themselves “survived” without an education. But does this mean we should just stop trying to educate their children?

If we don’t make the effort, those children are just going to end up with the same misfortune and mindsets as their own parents.

What’s important to realise is that if we don’t make the effort, those children are just going to end up with the same misfortune and mindsets as their own parents. When they have children of their own, they’re going to instill the same values in them and fail to provide them with an education. So it’s a complete cycle of illiteracy, which results in:

High poverty rates (because uneducated children grow up with low employment opportunities).
Population growth (because uneducated children grow up without proper knowledge of family planning and birth control).
High illiteracy rates (because uneducated children will grow up to be adults who don’t see the need to educate their own children).

In addition to these, there are plenty of other issues that result from lack of education. So to tackle all the big issues we’re facing in India, the best solution is to start with underprivileged children. We provide them with the tools to escape their present circumstances; we provide our country with a stepping stone for progress.

Changing the mindsets of parents

As mentioned earlier, many slum parents are of the mindset that their children don’t need an education. It would be a major challenge to change this mindset—an almost impossible task. So how do we help underprivileged children with this challenge blocking our way? I have devised a work-around in which our school has created flexible class schedules, offering a chance for these children to earn their livelihood and still attend their classes regularly.

In addition to this, we provide children with various vocational training classes where they learn basic skills such as plumbing, stitching and more. With tens of thousands of underprivileged children in India, it’s an uphill battle. But we’re getting there and we’re equipping them with the essential tools to make their own future. As of today, more than 3000 slum children have successfully completed their education through Pratham Shiksha.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.in/sumeeti-mittal/why-ive-made-it-my-mission-to-educate-slum-children_a_21659082/

How is One Woman Army changing the notions of Education in society?

adminAugust 21, 2017Pratham Shiksha0 Comment

Although our Indian education is a well renowned and the best-considered system of education in the world, however, we lack in the proper deliverance of education

Sumeet Mittal awarded with ‘Make in India’ award for its contribution in social development

‘When you educate a woman, you educate the society’ – a famous saying from the earlier times proved to be satiated when a woman from Rajasthan determined to change the notion of education in the society. Sumeeti Mittal is the founder of Pratham Sikhsha, a charitable organization in Jaipur, Rajasthan laid the initiative to promote the core of primary education for the impoverished section of society.

The beginning of Pratham Sikhsha

Sumeeti with her students in school

While touring across the world, Sumeeti realized that there is a fine line between Indians and western countries which alienate us from them. She learned that the point of difference was lying in the primary education of underprivileged section of society. It was then she discerned that there was a dire need for primary education in India.

“Ever since my childhood, I wanted to help people in a way that cultivates a sense of Independence in them. I have been very passionate about my own education as well, hence I wanted to impart education in every way possible – because I believe that with education you can achieve anything in life.”, told Sumeeti Mittal to Newsgram.

‘Pratham Sikhsha’ is a Hindi word meaning – ‘First Education’. It was started in 2005, with the aim of imparting education to deprived children who has no access to basic education and empower women to improve their lives and earn a respectable job for themselves.

Redefinition of Education by Sumeeti Mittal

Although our Indian education is a well renowned and the best-considered system of education in the world, however, we lack in the proper deliverance of education. With the lack of qualitative education and callousness of teachers as well as parents, one realizes too late that the child can not indeed read or write well.

“We are blindly following western education, little do we realize that there is more to be done to meet the quality standards of western countries. There is no concern over the child’s performance in class, and with the rules like – No failing of students has impaired the education scene furthermore. Ultimately it is the teacher who is responsible for the student’s failure. Teachers will never be found at the backfoot if such system persists.” told Sumeeti on the education system of India.

She also emphasized the importance of ‘Moral Education in schools. Learning should be adorned with discipline and values to inculcate a moral behavior in a child.

The Founder of Pratham Sikhsha also stressed the role of a woman in the society. She quoted by saying “Females have to be become powerful and realize their inner strength.”. Women of the backward class no longer have to stick to conventional methods of earning, they can easily find a reputable job with help of Pratham Sikhsha. Her future objective is to align education with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mission Skilled India, and for the same purpose, she has introduced some courses in her organization.

Here’s how Pratham Sikhsha is distinctive from others in the field of education:

Practical learning in Plumbing, electrician, stitching and other related courses
Employing women from slum as teachers to set a live example and propel other women to earn a respectable earning
Every Saturday of the month sessions are conducted for child’s female relative to counsel and educate the basic health care routine
The student is advised to repeat the class if he or she fails to grasp the core of learning in the respective grade
Moral education introduced in schools with a better approach, students enact plays on these moral values
Imparts nursing education to women who have completed their 12th and thus contracting them in government hospitals

Initiatives like Pratham Sikhsha are a boon for the society. Sumeeti faced resistance from her surroundings when she was in the thinking phase of the initiative. Despite the unpropitious situation, she was able to lay the foundation of her charity trust. Sumeeti believes that one can achieve anything with the extract of faith within oneself.

Visit here to know more about Pratham Shiksha.

Source: https://www.newsgram.com/exclusive-how-is-one-woman-army-changing-the-notions-of-education-in-society/

Sumeeti Mittal started a charity school in Jaipur to educate over 5,000 slum children

adminAugust 18, 2017Pratham Shiksha0 Comment

Sumeeti Mittal’s Pratham Shiksha, a Jaipur-based non-profit, has educated over 5,000 slum children in the city, helping them end their poverty cycles.

The recent ASER 2016 result that collected data from 589 rural districts of India paints a rather grim picture. Over the last decade, the percentage of children who can read a Class II text has dropped to 48 percent in 2016 from 63 percent in 2006. And the percentage of Class V students who can perform division has also declined to 26 percent in 2016 from 42.5 percent in 2007. While the government is ramping its efforts rather slowly—between 2006 and 2013, public expenditure on education increased only from 2.2 percent to 2.68 percent only—there are countless startups, non-profits, and individuals who are working relentlessly to ensure every child has access to quality education, and ultimately, economic opportunities.

Jaipur-based Sumeeti Mittal’s Pratham Shiksha is one such humble attempt. Sumeeti (43) understood the power of education at a very early age. She recalls her father’s words, “He used to always say education is paramount. It’s the only weapon to succeed in this world.” And that became the cornerstone of Sumeeti’s life, who went on to complete her Civil Engineering from Jodhpur. Later, she appeared for the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) exams and worked as an Assistant Engineer in Rajasthan’s Public Health Engineering Department for two years. But her passion for entrepreneurship made her quit her job and, along with her husband, she started Pratham Software, an offshore IT services company, in 2000.

Her work enabled her to travel to UK, US, and Europe frequently. Sumeeti says, “Even the most underprivileged children in the developed countries are educated. This gives them a fighting chance in the world. Even a child born in an immensely impoverished family can become something big – a lawyer, doctor, author, or anything so long as they are determined. That’s because they already have the most important tool – education.”

Armed with this realisation and an upbringing wherein education was paramount, Sumeeti started Pratham Shiksha, an attempt to provide quality education to slum children and equip them with the skills to exit the vicious cycle of poverty.

The growth of Pratham Shiksha

Sumeeti started the school as she fondly calls it “Kachi Basti” in her garage in 2005. She chuckles and says, “I called our neighbourhood children, who at first refused to come. So, I bribed them with sweets and that’s how I found my first 20 students. Slowly, ‘Kachi Basti’ became ‘Pratham Shiksha’ and today, it has 350 students enrolled. If we were to look at the numbers since inception, it’s an admirable 5,000 students who have been part of the Pratham Shiksha family. The school teaches children till Class VIII and later, assists in placing them in higher studies as well.

The struggle, Sumeeti says, isn’t in finding the children, but retaining and instilling in them and their parents the importance of education. “Poverty in slums is so deep-rooted, families are perennially living in a hand-to-mouth situation and this forces parents to send their children to work, just so, they can live another day,” she explains.

Jaipur, which is famous worldwide for its jewellery, carpets, handloom and handicrafts, naturally has thriving industries. “If you take the jewellery industry, child labour is in demand. Boys have small hands which makes it easy for them to hold a stone and give it a perfect finishing touch. Girls, on the other hand, are either married at a young age or are made to do household chores. Burdened with responsibilities, children drop out of school as quickly as they enrol. It’s nearly impossible to convince parents to stop sending their children to work. So, we had to devise ways to make our school work, for both parents and children,” Sumeeti explains.

To counter this problem, Pratham Shiksha came up with many pioneering initiatives.

Flexi-classes – Apart from introducing pre-primary classes enabling children to get accustomed to school environment from an early age, Pratham Shiksha has flexible timings. At the beginning of each academic year, students can opt for a timing convenient to them, enabling them to do both; work and study. All these cost Pratham Shiksha Rs 8,000 per child per annum and the entire expenditure is borne by Sumeeti and her husband.
Incentivising education – Round the year, students are provided free healthcare and nutrition. Along with this, they also receive uniforms, bags, stationery, and get an opportunity to go on cultural tours and participate in extra-curricular activities. The reason? As Sumeeti puts it, “Healthier students lead to more productive, more successful students. Given that they are nurtured, they work hard to succeed in the school. And those who consistently don’t, are replaced with the many students who are on our wait list.”
Classroom size – At Pratham Shiksha, classes are capped to manageable sizes of approximately 25 to ensure teachers are able to give personalised attention to each student, many of whom might be entering the school for the first time. The school has 14 teachers and one principal.
Involving parents – Sumeeti says, “Earlier, every time we held a meeting for the parents to discuss their child’s progress, the attendance was abysmal. This was because parents can’t afford to miss a single day at work. So, we started holding the monthly meetings on the day of Amavasya – a day where Rajasthan’s labour class don’t work.” This has increased regularity and seeing children’s progress, encouraged parents to change their mindset of prioritising work over education to a great extent.

Doctors, engineers, and future changemakers

As of today, Pratham Shiksha has educated over 5,000 slum children, in the city of Jaipur alone. Though the school has facilities only up till Class VIII, Sumeeti and Pratham Shiksha’s staff ensure that interested students are placed in partner schools and continue their education. Deepesh is one such alumnus. His mother, a simple teacher earning Rs 3,000 per month, would spend all her salary treating his father’s cancer. There was little money left to sustain her two children’s education. She brought her son to Pratham Shiksha when he was in Class XI. Realising his potential, Sumeeti helped him complete his education and he secured admission in Poornima College of Engineering. After his first year, Sumeeti helped him get a bank loan to complete his education and today, he’s a software engineer.

Talking about the impact of this humble effort, Sumeeti says, “There are at least 40 students who have completed their Bachelor’s in Arts and over 100 who have completed their nursing.”

It’s indeed a matter of pride what Sumeeti has achieved. For her unrelenting efforts, Sumeeti was recently selected as #100Women in India by Government of India’s Women and Child Department and her school, Pratham Shiksha, was recognised at the Make in India Awards for Excellence – 2015 under the NGO category for its contribution to social development.

More work to do

In 2012, Sumeeti also started RoboGalaxy, to provide her students access to the universe of robotics, by building a platform for practical application of science and mathematics. Since then, students have represented the company at the World Robot Olympiad for three consecutive years in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Russia.

Sumeeti now plans to expand Pratham Shiksha till Class X and start vocational courses for her students equipping them with skills in areas such as tailoring, plumbing, electrician, and more, for children who are keen on pursuing both; education and work.

The article was first published on YourStory.com on 7th February 2017.

Meet Sumeeti Mittal, whose efforts will now ensure brighter future for at least 5000 slum kids

adminAugust 1, 2017Pratham Shiksha0 Comment

During my third year BA class in feminism, my professor discussed how Jyotirao Phule, an activist for women’s education of his time faced trials and tribulations. He, a great man, embarked on his journey to educate women by educating his wife first. Savitribai Phule was the 1st educated woman in her village in rural Maharashtra and this sent shock waves in the country.

In fact, he and his wife, Savitribai Phule, were pioneers of women’s education in India. While Jyotirao Phule lived over 100 years ago, there were states in India where not only women’s education but amenities for education, on the whole, are missing!

Sadly, not much has changed today as remote villages or slum areas in the cities have no proper schools where children can be educated. Government initiatives like the ‘Beti Padhao, Beti Bachao’ are limited to girl child education drive only but both young boys and girls are deprived of education.

But basic education is every human being’s right and therefore, Sumeeti Mittal, a resident of Jaipur established the Pratham Shiksha school in Jaipur Rajasthan.

speakingtree
She is the founder and trustee of this institution which is run as a charitable organization and began with a goal to promote basic education among underprivileged children living in the slum areas of Jaipur.

Sumeeti, born to a family of engineers always believed in the power of education and her father’s support and enthusiasm in her own academics cemented this thought further. As a bright student, she excelled as an all-rounder in academics and curricular activities in school. Her mother too played an important role as she imbibed the virtues of equality, empathy, and honesty in young Sumeeti.

Therefore, when Sumeeti realized that the slum regions of Jaipur lacked a proper school let alone a decent education system, she founded this school and trust. She, unlike others who pretend to be concerned but do nothing, acted on the quest for knowledge for the children not waiting for a miracle or the government authorities taking notice of them!

She established Pratham Shiksha,(i.e. education first) in 2005. What really made her act on her thought to make education accessible was when she was on a trip to the USA, she realized that education was being made available to the underprivileged and poor children in the country but back in India, the case was very different.

When she first began the school, she was shocked to see that the slum dwellers were not even aware of their basic rights and education was a very distant dream. However, she convinced them and the children started come to Pratham Shiksha for classes. Over the years, the school functions like a proper educational institution. By 2017, i.e. the present year, Sumeeti has managed to educate over 5000 students.

The Pratham Shiksha school has plans to be upgraded till the 10th grade now as it focuses on eradicating illiteracy among the children in Jaipur who are deprived of their most basic rights.

About Pratham Shiksha

A school that started in a portion of the garage, Pratham Shiksha is now a full-fledged school with classes up to 8th grade with 7 classrooms. The school also gives vocation training in electrical works, plumbing, and stitching to both boys and girls. This is so that they can support their families.

Pratham Shiksha has recently collaborated with a private hospital with the help of which, it imparts certified nursing training to 100 students to ensure they live a healthy and better life.

Mittal, discovering a high number of school dropouts in the region started a flexible timing for students so that they could take up part-time jobs and focus one education in their free time.

About Sumeeti Mittal:

After clearing the RPSC exams, she got the post of Assistant Engineer in Public Health Engineering Department. However, social service was her calling. This was not just limited to children but she has been helping and motivating women entrepreneurs to do better in their businesses.

Sumeeti Mittal: Achievements at A Glance

•She has been awarded 100 Women Achievers Award by the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare, Government of India.

•Awarded with Bharat Gaurav Lifetime Achievement Award on July 2, 2016, for her contribution in the field of education. The event was held at the House of Commons, British Parliament.

•She was a part of Speaker Panel in the Third National Conference on Youth 2025 at Jaipuriya Institute of Management, Jaipur.

•Her organization- Pratham Shiksha has been recognized at Make in India Awards for Excellence – 2015 under NGO Category for its contribution in social development.

She has bagged several other awards and is one of the biggest inspirations for people who want to come forward and help the slum children lead a quality life and make India, a better place to live in.

Source: http://www.speakingtree.in/blog/meet-sumeeti-mittal-whose-efforts-will-now-ensure-brighter-future-for-at-least-5000-slum-kids

How One Woman Is Trying To Empower Women In Rajasthan With Education

adminJuly 26, 2017Pratham Shiksha0 Comment

This article was first published here on Youth Ki Awaaz.

Indian women have multiple roles, like that of a daughter, wife and sister to name a few. Most of these women are confined to the boundaries of their homes. Before the Vedic period, women enjoyed a high status in society but subsequently, they witnessed a regression in the respect that they deserved.

Even though history saw the rise of many powerful women like Rani Lakshmi Bai, Razia Sultana and Rudrama Devi; today, despite many laws, women are still excluded from inheriting property. However, a ray of hope comes to women in the face of many governmental and non-governmental organisations whose aim is to create awareness for women’s education and to promote it.

Despite all the initiatives and the great work done by individuals and government, there are still some states in India, especially Rajasthan, where women are fighting for their rights and not living the life that they deserve.

According to a data revealed by 2011 census, out of 1.90 crore women aged 15-59 years, only 52 lakh women in Rajasthan are working. Around 11 lakh women in the state are struggling for jobs, because they are either unable to find employment opportunities or they are not allowed to work.

One major reason is illiteracy and the persisting social taboos due to which the society feels that sending out women to work is against its culture. On the one hand, qualified women are not getting employed, and on the other hand many women are not exposed to education. And, that is why they are unaware of their rights and unable to raise their voice.

The total number of literates in Rajasthan in 2011 was 38,275,282 out of which only 14,586,870 were females and the rest were males. And according to 2011 Census, the rural literacy rate of Rajasthan was 61.44% with total number of rural literates as 26,471,786 in which females accounted for only 9,567,197 and males were 16,904,589. This means the literacy rate of rural males was 76.16% as compared to females which was 45.8%.

In addition to being unemployed, women here are forced into child marriage. They attain early pregnancy, and a major part of their daily chores is restricted to cooking food and collecting water from uncovered wells.

For these women, who had no awareness of their basic rights and were living in a male dominated society, Sumeeti Mittal came as a ray of hope. Civil engineer turned social worker, Sumeeti is the Founder and Trustee of Pratham Shiksha school in Jaipur which was set up with a goal to promote basic education among underprivileged children living in slums.

What inspired her to open this school was her trip to the United States where she discovered that the underprivileged children in the country have access to education whereas in India, it is not the case. Her journey as a social worker started from there and since then she has constantly been working for the betterment of the society.

Apart from working for slum children, Sumeeti also dreams of uplifting t of women in the Indian society. She is a part of various social forums and a group called Mentoring Walk where she discusses and resolves personal and professional issues of her mentees. Through Swayam, Sumeeti Mittal has been guiding women entrepreneurs in setting up and taking their businesses to the next level. She has also been awarded with 100 Women Achievers Award by the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare, Government of India.

Sumeeti is the chairperson of Yuva Sanskriti Sansthan’s women wing, an organisation that works towards the welfare of the socially backward people, organizes mass marriage ceremonies for low income groups, conducts events like blood donation camps and summer camps for students, and offers computer courses. All that Sumeeti dreams about is to have a better tomorrow and more importantly women empowerment.

Currently working for the women of Jaipur, she aspires to bring a change in the whole country, empowering every woman and helping her be independent.

Her great deeds and her confidence in herself are enough to inspire every woman to fight for her rights and live a better life. After her efforts, women of Jaipur are gaining strength and becoming aware of their rights.

Sumeeti Mittal’s Amazing Journey Of Educating More Than 5000 Slum Children

adminAugust 1, 2017Pratham Shiksha0 Comment

The life of the children growing up in slums is not easy. They face a challenge every day, especially due to the physical environment of the slums. Lack of proper sanitation, lack of safe drinking water, shortage of space, shabby and congested houses, with no system for garbage collection are just some of the problems they face.

They either get involved in sharing duties with their family members or just do nothing. And the worst part is that they are stuck in a vicious circle which starts from poverty, resulting in illiteracy and then ends back in poverty.

This lack of education results in them not knowing their rights and social responsibilities and also not sending their children to a school. This continues for generations till someone breaks the cycle.

These children are forced to beg on the streets, pick rags, and even forced into child labour.

The same is the case for the slum children in Jaipur. Though there are many government initiatives and NGOs, they couldn’t reach many children. But amidst this, the children found a ray of hope in Sumeeti Mittal.

Sumeeti is the Founder and Trustee of Pratham Shiksha, a Jaipur-based charitable organisation which was set up with the aim to promote basic education for underprivileged children residing in the slums of Jaipur. The realisation to work for kids came when she was travelling abroad. She saw that in developed countries, underprivileged children have access to at least basic education, unlike in India. This inspired her to come back and start working towards this cause.

Started in a small garage in 2005, today, Pratham Shiksha has evolved to provide education for children up to 8th standard and comprises of seven classrooms. Along with conveyance facilities to students, it offers various other amenities like any other school. Sumeeti aspires to upgrade the school up to 10th grade, expanding the student base. And, the biggest achievement of Pratham Shiksha is that till date, more than 5000 children have been provided with an education.

Initiatives By Pratham Shiksha
Sumeeti believes in the overall development of the students. Hence, the school offers many things to its students besides basic education, like

Vocational training in plumbing, stitching, etc. to boys and girls so that they become self-dependent and are able to earn their livelihood.
Collaboration with a few private hospitals to impart certified nursing training to the students, making them eligible for nursing jobs and helping them live a better and healthy lifestyle.
Parent-teacher meets
The school saves rent on annual function dresses by getting them stitched by the students’ mothers. This also gives the women an opportunity to earn.
Kids of peons employed within Pratham Shiksha are given monetary support by Pratham Software
Day boarding facility so that the students finish all the work during school hours.
For female students, a vending machine for sanitary napkins is installed. Their female relatives too can avail this facility.
CCTV cameras are installed in the campus
Every Saturday, mock sessions are conducted in which every child gets a chance to speak in front of the teachers and students which helps boost their confidence.

Also, teachers keep a regular check on every student’s performance and attendance to ensure the students are not lacking anywhere.

Initiative to reduce the number of dropouts

Sumeeti also noticed that the number of students dropping out of school is very high. Considering the situation of the slum children for whom earning money is more important than classes in many cases, she decided to introduce flexible timings for the students. This step has opened doors for children who wanted to study and earn money at the same time.

She wants to reach out to as many children as she can and hopes other people also join her.

The Logical Indian appreciates Sumeeti and hopes that more and more children are benefitted from her programmes and organisation.

Source: https://thelogicalindian.com/story-feed/exclusive/sumeeti-mittal/

What Inspired me To Help Poor Children In India

adminJuly 26, 2017Pratham Shiksha0 Comment

According to an article in The Huffington Post, almost 385 million children worldwide lived in extreme poverty as of 2013. The article further outlines that India alone has more than 30% of children living in extreme poverty — the highest in South Asia. Although a number of developments are taking place, there are some states in India that still bear the brunt of poverty the most.

While poverty is a physical constriction, it is also a state of mind. If we have the true willpower to do so, we can eradicate poverty. If the required measures are not taken to curb the problem, it will lead to disaster — the glimpses of which are already evident.

Malnutrition: Those living in poverty are deprived of nutritional foods because such items can be expensive and they do not have enough money to spend. Even if a family has a small budget, it can only buy food that are less nutritious. This causes the problem of malnutrition, which is the primary reason for major health issues and early deaths in places such as India.

Health: Another repercussion of poverty is health. The lack of or no access to nutritional food weakens the immune system of poor people. In addition, lack of sanitation makes their bodies vulnerable to disease that can be mild and sometimes life threatening. The worst part is that they will usually not have enough money to afford medicines for treating such conditions.

Society: People living in poverty often do not have access to fancy homes, which puts them either in the slums or on the streets. And this, in turn, impacts the society. How? When poor people do not have jobs to earn a livelihood, enough money to survive and well-equipped homes to live in, they resort to unethical practices — such as kidnapping, theft and prostitution — for money. This leads to the feeling of insecurity among other people in the community, leading the shunning of those who live in poverty.

Education: Like food and accommodation, poverty often means a person cannot afford to go school. This is why the slum population of India is trapped in a vicious circle that starts in poverty, leads to illiteracy and again comes back around to poverty. When poor people are deprived of the basic amenities of life, there is no way they can put their children through school or even carry that mindset — the power of education. In fact, many people in this situation do not feel the need for education in their lives.

Illiteracy is no less than a curse and it can have a huge impact: it causes poverty; creates unawareness among people about their basic rights; leads to crime; it is the root cause of increasing population numbers; and it is a big hurdle in the way of growth and development, deterring a country from prospering.

Although education alone cannot eradicate poverty, it is seen as an important tool that can bring a change in the lives of millions of poor people.

RAJASTHAN: HOME TO 10 MILLION POOR PEOPLE

Rajasthan, the seventh most densely populated state in India, has a total population of approximately 69 million people — out of which 10 million are poor. While Rajasthan has witnessed a fall in poverty rates since 2005, it is still a low-income state and some areas have yet to grow and experience relief from poverty.

But who is affected the most? Yes, none other than young children who give up their lives for a future that is never going to be bright. They grow up in messy conditions, falling prey to the ugly side of life. The same is passed on to their future generations and then the cycle continues. Have you ever thought about what the future will hold if this carries on?

While the government is taking various initiatives and many organizations are coming forward to improve the lives of children in Rajasthan, it is still not enough. Existing strategies are insufficient to tackle child poverty as they do not account for the realities on the ground.

In India, there is a key problem with mindset. People who live in poverty often believe that if they send their children to school, they will not be able to earn a livelihood. They fail to see the brighter side of getting an education for a better quality of life. And this is one of the most common reasons for an increasing number of school dropouts.

This is why I started Pratham Shiksha, a charity that aims to promote basic education among underprivileged children in the slums of Jaipur, Rajasthan. To tackle the issue of education vs. getting a job, we provide flexible timings that allow school students to study and also work.

After all, education is a weapon to succeed in life and it should not be overlooked, but we must also understand the economic realities of life in poverty and the need for an income. Illiteracy is probably the primary source of problems that India faces today, and educating the people is the only way out. It will not only improve the overall standard of living, but also help in better decision-making.

Poverty is no less than a nightmare. But it is only the people who are making it even worse by not trying to change their situation. If impoverished people are educated, poverty rates will go down, the economy will prosper and health conditions will improve. On top of that, if people start realizing the hardships of poor people and come forward to help them, there is no way India cannot be at the forefront of nations.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observer’s editorial policy.

Photo Credit: rmnunes

Source: https://www.fairobserver.com/region/central_south_asia/india-poverty-global-goals-rajasthan-sustainable-development-world-news-latest-34024/

Why I was determined to help the slum children

adminJuly 26, 2017Pratham Shiksha0 Comment

Indian slums are a different world altogether. In cities like Mumbai and Kolkata, slums resemble shacks constructed of tin sheets or cardboard; these places are fairly decent and far better than the slums in other cities. Unfortunately, in Rajasthan, more than 70 percent of slums are either on public parks or in open spaces in the form of unstable construction.

According to a report, approximately 27 percent of the total slums in Rajasthan don’t have electricity; in other states, it is 10% or maybe less. Besides this, the slum areas of this state lack other basic facilities to survive. For example, this might look like: a lack of toilets or drainage systems; no access to healthy food and safe drinking water; no garbage disposal facilities; few or no schools; congested homes due to insufficient space; and the absence of a healthy environment, which can lead to life-threatening diseases.

Children are the most impacted, because there are not enough provisions that can help them to get educated. In India, many children are deprived of quality education for various reasons, be it poverty, lack of awareness, or poor facilities.

Primary government schools in Rajasthan are situated more than 5 kilometers away from slum areas; this is a far distance compared to other states. It makes the schools inaccessible for children who live in slums, who already don’t have the money to afford proper housing and basic facilities. This is worsened by the education gap. If people are not educated, they can’t earn—and the same tradition is passed on to future generations. And the children of India, who are our future, are involved in rag-picking, begging, child labor, and everything else in between…but not in education.

With no literacy, people are not aware of their rights: most importantly, the right to education. They are stuck in a vicious circle, a circle that starts with poverty and ends with poverty. The future of slum dwellers is bleak and hopeless; they die of poverty and the world is unaware of their struggle.

Looking at all this, I feel so lucky I had all the privileges to lead a normal life. My father always taught me the importance of education and my mother imbibed in me the values of freedom, equality, respect, and honesty so that I would become a good human being. A civil engineer by profession, I had all the money to afford the essentials in life—and education was the most important aspect.

But at the same time, I feel bad about slum children and their conditions. For them, education is a luxury, the absence of which is proving to be a complete disaster. They are not able to realize their worth and know that, yes, they make a difference to the whole world and can live a better life.

During one of my international business trips. I realized that even the underprivileged children in developing countries are educated. Why not in India?

In 2005, I opened Pratham Shiksa, a school in Jaipur with an aim to educate each and every child living in the nearby slums and eventually eradicate the problem of education in Rajasthan.

Another big problem that I noticed through my journey was that the number of school dropouts was quite high. Because the focus of slum children and their parents is towards earning money, they tend to leave their studies to gain employment. We introduced the concept of flexible timing in the school so that the students can earn a livelihood by working and study in their free time. They are also given vocational training and certified classes on nursing, along with transportation, free books, stationery, and uniforms.

Further, to ensure the development of its students, the teachers of Pratham Shiksha monitor each and every child’s performance and presence in school. Often, when students are neglected, they start taking their studies casually, which can be dangerous. And, when they are mentally disturbed, they do not take their studies seriously. That’s why we’ve introduced all these initiatives to create a stronger education system.

To date, more than 3,000 children have been educated by my organization, which I feel is a great achievement toward improving the lives of slum children. I am working constantly on the mission of spreading the power of education among all the underprivileged children of Rajasthan. Like my mission, the vision is also clear: to expand to metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore in order to eradicate illiteracy by the year 2020.

Source: http://womenforone.com/why-i-was-determined-to-help-the-slum-children-of-rajasthan/

Changing the lives of underprivileged children

adminJuly 26, 2017Pratham Shiksha0 Comment

According to a recent news report published in Indian newspapers, India accommodates more than 30 percent of approximately 385 million children who are living in absolute poverty.

And by the year 2030:

167 million children around the globe will be living in poverty
69 million of world’s children aged 5 years and less will die due to mostly preventable causes
750 million girls in the world will fall prey to child marriage.

But this anticipated scenario can be changed if required measures are taken either by the government or by individuals who believe that these underprivileged people too deserve a better life.

‘Underprivileged’ sounds like a depressing word. Have you ever thought about it and imagined the depth of this word? Poverty, illiteracy and early death are the three conditions that summarize this term. Unprivileged children, who are the world’s poorest children living in slum areas and on the streets, lead a life where in there is no money, no education, lack of sanitation facilities, food and safe drinking water and no proper houses. All this leads to problems like child labor, child marriage, major health issues and crime, posing a threat to urban society and development of the country. The same conditions are passed on to the coming generations of slum dwellers, making their upliftment difficult in the society.

Why do children abroad have all the privileges and India doesn’t? The major reason behind why most people in India are unable to enjoy all the privileges is the absence of awareness and education in India which results from poverty. What do you think makes most of the foreign countries get ahead of India? Why even the most underprivileged children living abroad are getting all the education unlike the disadvantaged kids in India?

The biggest cause is increasing population and limited financial resources. In a developing country like India, where population is growing at a fast pace, it is facing a major financial deficit. And, due to lack of funds, the country is unable to have schools and impart education to every child.

While there are people who simply listen, think and get back to the usual chores of their life, I have started a school called Pratham Shiksha for the slum-dwellers of Jaipur, Rajasthan, giving them a ray of hope.

After analyzing the plight of underprivileged people in the city, I took a decision: empowerment of the underprivileged by educating them and making a difference in their lives. In 2005, I opened Pratham Shiksha, an NGO school to promote basic education for such children residing in the slum areas of Jaipur. I also aims at:

Imparting quality education to these people
Making them self-independent in life
Providing all the basic facilities (like food, clothes and education) to adopted poor children.

What ignited this was a trip to the United States, where I discovered that no matter how poor the people are, every child receives education. But, in India, most of the kids are deprived of schools.

I believe that “it’s not about ideas, it’s about making ideas happen.” And, this has always prompted me to execute ideas and follow my passion. I have stayed determined to my decision and started the school in a small garage, which has now evolved into a full-fledged school up to the 8^th standard. I further plan to upgrade the school up to 10^th standard and expand the student base so that more and more children are exposed to education.

I am proud to say that more than 3,000 students have been educated at Pratham Shiksha to date. But the journey wasn’t so easy. After the inception of the organization, I had to visit the slum areas of Jaipur on a daily basis. I interacted with the slum-dwellers, discussed their problems and often gave solutions. After a lot of hard work and efforts, I could manage to earn the trust of these underprivileged people. And, as a result, students started coming to the school.

Since that day, I have been standing strong for achieving my goal and constantly working to improve the lives of many.

Like every dream starts with a vision, I saw a bright future of underprivileged people through my vision, which is: