Saturday, November 17, 2001
F E A T U R E


They should be in school
... not mopping floors
Lalit Mohan

SNSF imparts education to underprivileged children
SNSF imparts education to underprivileged children

THEY should be studying and playing in school, not mopping floors in people’s houses or washing dirty dishes at roadside dhabas. This, in practical terms, is what the ‘Education for All’ slogan of the Sant Nischal Singh Foundation (SNSF) means for the thousands of children in Gurgaon, Parwanoo and other cities who are deprived of formal schooling, either because they never went to schools, or because circumstances forced them to drop out.

The foundation started by the Anand industrial group, which runs a string of factories in the country producing automotive products, has been active in the field of social service for over 15 years. It was named after a seer from Yamunanagar and is based in Gurgaon. Parwanoo, Dewas, Nashik, Mulund, Pune, Chennai and Hosur are the other centres of its activities. Units of the Anand group are located at all these places.

One of the objectives of the SNSF is to impart education to underprivileged youngsters, which includes the offspring of migrant labour. Health, particularly of women and children, is another area of concern of the foundation. Vocational training of young men and women is the third objective. All centres implement their own programmes and also try to motivate other business organisations to follow suit. The head office lays down policies, tries out new technologies and acts as a ‘demonstration piece’ for any institution that wants to see how this programme works.

 


The SNSF runs Bridge Schools for children out of the education loop at various locations in Gurgaon where over 1000 children are being taught. Food prepared in solar cookers in supplied to these centres. "Our teachers are trained specially to teach children in an interactive manner, to instil a sense of dignity in them and to prepare them for entrance into the formal stream of education," says project coordinator Indira Varadarajan. "Apart from holding workshops and shows, we try to sensitise the rest of the community about the needs of such children. We tell people that these youngsters should not be exploited. There should be zero tolerance for child labour in any civilised society,"

The foundation also takes the help of regular schools and their wards to accomplish its objectives. "Young students then tell their parents that they should not make poor kids work in their homes, but instead help them in finding a life dignity and opportunity. The British High Commission and the UNDP are providing financial help to the foundation. But more industrial groups should come forward and start something on their own," Vardarajan says adding that the SNSF was ready to give them advice and assistance.

The National Open School has accredited the foundation for teaching drop-outs from class VI and above, to enable them to complete education up to class 10 or 12. The successful Gurgaon experiment is being replicated in other centres. The Indira Gandhi Open University (IGNOU) has recognised the centres for computer studies in Gurgaon and Parwanoo.

Both these towns also have institutes for vocational training run by the SNSF where cutting and tailoring, beauty care, electrical wiring and maintenance of gadgets, are taught. Young people who learn electrical work are assisted in job placements too.

Parwanoo, and lately Gurgaon, also run programmes for Self Help Groups, taking assistance from the National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development. Under this scheme, people are encouraged to generate income from household enterprises. The foundation also participates in government health programmes in Solan, Sirmaur, Shimla and Kinnaur districts of Himachal Pradesh.

The SNSF’s nationwide network of social service draws inspiration from Sant Nischal Singh’s words, "Where the foot cannot tread, the eye may reach; where the eye cannot penetrate further, the imagination may soar."

Underprivileged children at one of the SNSF educational centres in Gurgaon.

Girls participate in vocational training courses.

Food being prepared in solar cookers for children studying in one of the SNSF centres.

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