Projects » Koshish School
In Hindi, 'koshish' means an endeavor, and is the perfect name for this informal Educational School. It was started with the personal funds of Dr. Ajjanta Chkravarty, as a non-profit society in March, 1992. Koshish is located in South Delhi, an area known as a very posh region of India's Capital of New Delhi, but in the squatter's area, called the New Priyanka Camp.
When Home of Hope first visited Koshish, the team was immediately taken back by the stench coming from the open river of sewage which runs through this camp, and saw first hand an environment where the kids and their families live. The vast majority of children living in New Priyanka Camp are kids who had never attended regular schools, and if lucky, worked as domestic help along with their mothers.
Koshish was rather dilapidated even by Indian standards. There was no safe drinking water and toilet facilities were not available. On a daily basis, water jugs were filled from a location away from the school and carried back, and the young students had to go outside to relieve themselves.
In the classroom, the teacher's ability to inspire the children was further frustrated. They had no access to instructional tools to make learning fun and interesting. Equally limiting, there was no recreational facility where the kids could play and positively release their energy. Being resourceful, they would find rocks, old tires, and other recycled items to improvise games in the large area in front of the building, but that was unpaved and very filthy.
The building itself was very dreary and in need of a fresh coat of paint to make it possible for the kids to forget the huts and tin sheds that they came from. For a child to move forward and see opportunities that are there for them, they need to feel part of a group that was safe and secure. Uniforms were needed to make them part of a team, but their parents could not afford them.
During the summer, the number of students attending school decreases, because many go with their parents into the fields for seasonal work. For the children remaining in the Camp, heat in the classroom would rise to over 100 degrees, and the fan often would not work, as the electric service is not reliable.
HOH's GOALS
The primary goal of Koshish is to help tutor these kids to help them gain admission in Government Run Schools and to flourish. Because of the very high drop-out rate in such schools, keeping children motivated and in school is in of itself a huge challenge.
Classes at Koshish cater to children from class levels Pre-Kindergarten through 10th grade, with courses that emphasize basic skills needed for future success. Each class closely mirrors material covered in MCD Schools, managed by the Government. Koshish has been successful in placing many kids in not only Hindi Medium Schools but also in several cases in English Medium Schools.
Understanding that well rounded children need exposure to arts and physical fitness, Koshish also offers extra curricular activities such as Music, Yoga, sports and educational games. Though the facilities are very small, covered area of about 400 square feet, there has been an attempt to expose some kids to computers. The school does have one PC with a printer which is available for kids to use in a structured manner.
The next steps will be to install a water purification system, and increase general maintenance to the school property. Include the salary of an assistant to escort the children to and from the school, and fund a program that offers children encouragement programs. To make the little ones feel more secure and belonging, a new pair of shoes will be purchased for each student and a backpack to easily carry books and items they need for their classes.
HOH's CONTRIBUTION
- Salary for an additional full-time teacher
- Playground equipment equivalent to a Jungle Jim, swings, see-saw, and more
- Purchase educational games for use by teachers and students alike
- Purchase two Uninterrupted Power Supplies to assure power for fans and lights
- Concrete paving for the courtyard, providing a usable space for playtime
- Install a water connection with a storage tank to assure reliable supply
- Installation of one enclosed flush toilet
- 2 sets of custom tailored uniforms for each of the 180 students
- Repaint the entire building - inside and outside
