Background

It has been recognized that children learn fastest, and most of what they learn in social and emotional well being, is in the first five years of their lives. These years also play a very crucial role in how children learn to use their senses to investigate, explore and organize information in their minds and learn how to talk cogently- narrate and describe.  

The Balwadi programme in India is an outcome of the recognition of the need to expose children from the economically less privileged sections of society and give them a good start in life.

There is a Balwadi in almost every village in Tamilnadu and also quite a number of them in the cities. The Balwadis in Tamilnadu also have a noon meal scheme. There is also “sattu mavu” provided for nutritious “laddu” snack for the 2-4 year olds..

However these Balwadis now have become places where children eat and keep quiet. There is no material for children to explore and learn. There is not much to stimulate the child. Not much teacher guidance is available because the Balwadi teacher is constantly filling out information and delivering it to the nearest government Department office. Children learn to be passive or complain about others. The teacher is wastes valuable time just getting children to be quiet while she should be facilitating children’s activity.  There are no toilets.

The Elliots Beach Balwadi has all the above problems besides also the number of children. There are more than 55 children ages 2 to 5 and only one teacher to look after them. The teacher cannot do much except get the children to sit quietly or have children repeat after her. The monotony of this tells on both the children and the teacher.

A cook prepares the meal and the snack. Her kitchen does not have water connection and she has to compete with the local village people to queue for water. There is no place children can wash after eating.  

The toilet once built, is broken. The adults use the wall of the school as a place to hide from public view while urinating or defecating. The children peep out sometimes to see this happen. The stench of urine is also wafted into the classroom by the breeze.

There is no electricity in the balwadi. During the rainy season it gets really dark inside the room, that children can hardly see. There is an asbestos roof that gets hot in the summer months. The school depends on the breeze from the sea. The breeze is not really dependable.

Project Goals

Looking at all these blocks to the very essential pre schooling, Asha Chennai decided to adopt the balwadi that is nearest to the Urur Olcott Kuppam School. By improving this Balwadi the children going to the Urur school would have a strong foundation. It would be easy to provide support and guidance the two projects  as they are close to each other.

In three years, Asha Chennai would study the impact of the improvements. The government departments in charge of this scheme are happy about this study and have allowed Asha to go ahead with this project. A letter allowing the improvements  has been obtained from this department of social welfare. The village people are also keen in participating in these efforts.

We are hopeful that in the positive climate Asha Chennai will be able to bring about desired changes and help the village to discover the benefits of aquality education.

Current Focus Items

• Get funding for the project.
• Infrastructure improvements by May 2003.
• Teacher training and additional materials by June 2003.