Project Brief: Residential Learning Camps ensure quality education to out of school children from very poor remote and tribal locations. The objective of these camps is to enable out of school children “to be able to read and write independently and with comprehension".
Project Type: Alternative Education (description)
Primary Focus: children of dalits/tribals (description)

Secondary Focus: children of migrant workers

Area: Rural
Supporting Chapter Contact:
Danbury

Status: CURRENT
Project Steward: Naheed Qaisar
Co-Steward: Biju Odayammatatath
Project Partner(s): Aarti Shah
Project Address: Seva Mandir - Residential Learning Camp
Seva Mandir
Old Fatehpura
Udaipur, Rajasthan 303004
Tel: 2942451041
Stewarding Chapter: Danbury

Due to poverty and other vulnerabilities like having a single or no parent, elder girls, working children, many children are unable to attend a regular school. Most of these children are engaged in cattle grazing and domestic chores. Based on the past residential learning camp data, they found that the main reasons for dropping out were school related issues (more than 50 % children) and for never been to school -the main reason was parents’ lack of interest and work responsibilities at home. Regular schooling for such children is almost impossible unless there are programs which meet their specific vulnerability. Given this backdrop, Seva Mandir has been running residential learning camps to ensure quality education to out of school children of very poor remote and tribal locations of Udaipur.
Since the program’s inception in year 2000, about 10,000 children have benefited from it. For most of these children, the camps were the only education they got. Based on the learning herein, they were able to keep better accounts when they migrated or teach their younger siblings. About 70% camps passed out children are continuing their education from last 3 years by enrolling in government schools.
Asha for Education, Danbury chapter has been supporting 50 children for one residential camp since 2017.