ARCH's Initiative for Migrant Children's Education
India's 2011 Census highlighted a significant challenge: the country is home to approximately 453 million internal migrants, constituting 37% of the total population. Among them, around 92.95 million are children, often facing educational disruptions due to their parents' migration. While official estimates like the National Sample Survey suggest 15.2 million short-term circular migrants, more comprehensive studies, such as the India Human Development Survey 2011-12, indicate numbers as high as 200 million. These children either travel with their parents to work sites or are left behind in their villages, leading to prolonged gaps in their education due to the inflexibility of the schooling system.
To address this issue, ARCH has developed a comprehensive initiative aiming to enhance the engagement and holistic development of these children through several key strategies:
Establishing Study Centres: We set up study centres close to where these children live, ensuring easy access to education.
Offering Bridge Courses: Our bridge courses cover basic life skills, democratic values, and learning competencies, complete with assessment and evaluation.
Parental Involvement: Increasing parent participation in their children's learning and growth is a priority.
Mainstream Education Enrollment: We are dedicated to enrolling these children in mainstream education, integrating them into the regular schooling system.
Through these efforts, ARCH is committed to mitigating the educational challenges faced by the children of India's internal migrant population, ensuring they have the opportunity to continue their education uninterrupted.
Activities
Our project is dedicated to addressing the educational and social needs of vulnerable children and their families in the community. Many of these children have either dropped out of school, never attended, or are engaged in commercial activities to support their families. Recognizing their unique challenges, we have implemented several key activities:
Community Study Centres: We establish study centres in communities, specifically targeting children who are out of the schooling system. These centres provide bridge courses designed to ensure functional literacy, helping children catch up and reintegrate into formal education.
Mainstream Education Enrollment: Our initiative focuses on enrolling children who have dropped out or never attended school into the mainstream education system. This enrollment is crucial for their continued educational journey and overall development.
Advocacy and Support System Development: We conduct advocacy meetings with government departments and schools to foster a supportive environment for children adapting to new educational settings. These efforts are aimed at easing their transition and ensuring they receive the necessary assistance to thrive in school.
Assistance with Essential Documents: Recognizing the importance of official documentation, we assist families, especially those who are frequently relocating, with obtaining important documents like Aadhaar cards and health cards. This assistance is vital for accessing various government services and benefits.
Awareness Workshops: Our awareness workshops for mothers and girls focus on critical topics like safe and unsafe touch, positive parenting, and constitutional rights. These workshops are essential in empowering them to recognize and stand against exploitation and assert their rights. The population we work with is particularly vulnerable to various forms of exploitation. Through our project, we aim not only to provide educational support but also to empower them with the knowledge and tools to protect themselves and advocate for their rights. These workshops have been instrumental in encouraging the community, especially women and girls, to stand up for their rights and work towards a safer and more informed community.
Alignment with SDGs
Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
Project Khelo India aligns with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly:
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
By promoting regular physical activity through sports, we contribute to the physical and mental health of children.
SDG 4: Quality Education
Sports are an integral part of a holistic educational experience, teaching valuable life skills and lessons.
SDG 5: Gender Equality
We ensure equal opportunities for participation in sports for both boys and girls, promoting gender equality.
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
By reaching out to children from rural and remote areas, we work towards reducing inequalities in access to sports training and opportunities.
Endorsements
Divya, CTH Study Centre
"I have never been to a school all my life.Before I came to this centre I didn't evenknow how to hold a pencil correctly, butslowly I learned to write numbers from 1-50and I wrote this without anybody's help!"
Lokesh, CTH Study Centre, Indore
Sumit Kumar, CTH Study Centre, Bhiwadi
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