2003 Site Visit Report, ISW-Khidderpore

Project Steward-Aveek Majumdar

I have been significantly involved with this particular center:  I have taught here in the past, and went to this site several days to make my observations and assessments.

Location: Khidderpore, an impoverished slum in the Kolkata docks.

Population: Supplies informal labor sector in and around the docks.  Predominantly Muslim, with low income.

Project Background: Already supplied

Report: I noted significant improvement after the start of Asha's relationship with ISW.  Having a guaranteed source to provide for expenses has allowed ISW to focus on its primary goal: The children.  The following positive plans have been implemented:

- Increased follow-up of delinquent students has lowered dropout.
- A greater effort to involve the families of the children has been somewhat successful; it is important to convince the family that it is better for all parties if the children are sent to school instead of being put to work.  In the cases where family involvement has been successful, the children are coming to the school because of the parents' wishes (and not despite the parents' wishes).
- Some basic food was being provided to attract children.  Earlier, the problem was that children would go to the government schools where food was being provided but no teaching was taking place.  Children would go to the schools during meal distribution and then spend the rest of the day elsewhere.

Some observations:
- There was a clear dichotomy of students who were involved in education (attendance of formal schools, uniforms, more advanced learning, etc.) and those who were not.  I asked about this, and this may also be a function of the level of "disposable" family income.
- The items that were funded by Asha - school supplies, teachers' salaries, etc. - seemed to be accounted for:  The chalkboards were much newer than the last time I had been in the school, and I taught one class with the students. The teachers were there.
- There was a new teacher (sciences) for the tutorial center.

Communication to me:
- One significant problem faced by ISW was that even the most supportive families were insisting the girls get married at ages 13-15, which meant they would be dropping out before graduating.  Progress has been difficult on this front:  Discussions involving the teachers and student with the parents usually do not work.  Accordingly, I have seen very few girls above the age of 13, though ISW is optimistic about being in a position in a few years to start having a least a few girls to take the matriculation exam before dropping out and entering married life.  As it now stands, I am not very optimistic about this, though I believe it can and will improve through the efforts of the center and consistent counseling of a students' extended family.
- They also asked me about the feasibility of Asha support for "workshops":  Days where students could spend time learning a play, art class, film screening, or a quiz competition.  The idea is to make the educational experience more fun and strengthen the relationship between the school and the students.  We should definitely consider this: Logistical issues aside, my feeling is that the teachers are thinking along the right lines on how to improve the school.