PUSTAK

PUSTAK is a sponsorship driven program and it aims to provide supplementary upbringing support to a set of 60 children residing in the local slums.

Ideology:

The main idea behind PUSTAK is to help and support the underprivileged children of our society. With the concern and recommendation of the local government affiliated primary school teachers we have selected 60 students from all the local government affiliated schools in and around the above mentioned areas. We collect donation and sponsorship from local community people and till now it’s their financial support with which we are running this sponsorship program. For the last three years we are providing every kind of upbringing support and requirements to these set of children. Periodical interactive sessions are being held with them as it helps us to monitor their progress. We have a care giving centre where we take regular sessions with the children. In addition to that we also organize different Non Formal Training workshops for the children. Also different playing and activity schedules are being held with them. We also organize exhibitions/stalls during the festive seasons. The profit that we generate goes directly to the program. We also have notions to implement computer aided interactive sessions in our program, so as to make them slowly acquainted with the latest technological world.

Why PUSTAK?

The justification of running a sponsorship driven socio cultural upbringing support program in Kidderpore area is justified by the socio economic condition of Kidderpore itself. Kidderpore is surrounded by the Kolkata Port, three grey markets, one large domestic goods market and a red light area. Historically this boundary features have attracted migrated people (some from other parts of India and some from Nepal, Bangladesh) and their family to this locality. According to our empirical survey majority of the children of these families goes to the local government affiliated schools for their primary education. It’s true that they do have a very nominal charge in their school but in addition to that there are other accessory costing too. Most of the times the parents are not able to provide this additional costing. In addition to this when the children complete their primary education and goes to the secondary school, a hefty amount is required for admission. In this context the parents fail to provide the money and the child gets dropped out from the school. As a consequence of this incidence the child directly gets absorbed in the local shops or in markets as petty daily earning labor.
At PUSTAK we are trying to provide this extra-bit of support to these children and their families so that they can be main-streamed in our society and at the same time stop them from getting diverged as CHILD LABOURS.

The Chapters of PUSTAK are:

1. Educational:

In a country like India, Education plays the most important role in a child’s upbringing. PUSTAK provides a supplementary education system to the children, since they are all First Generation Learners and their family members are not capable enough to guide them through.

THE SUPPORT PROVIDED UNDER THIS CHAPTER ARE AS FOLLOWING,

Educational Kit: paying school fees, providing study books, copies, pens/pencils, school dresses school shoes etc on an annual basis.

Academic Tuition Classes: Supplementary education classes provided by Program Educators. We have classes 5 days a week, wherein the teachers have a systematic Routine and time table to follow, with different classes and age groups. Every month the teachers conduct a Routine test other than their regular school exams , to monitor their progress reports.

Moral Sciences: classes provided by Program Educators.

Awareness/Rights/Civic Sense: classes provided by Program Educators and Special thanks to the Genpact Employees, which as a part of their Organisation’s Socio-Cultural Programme has tied up a relationship with Our Programme by giving their full support and helping hand at all times. Every Saturday, they spend some valuable time with Our children by taking classes, telling stories and other value addition topic discussions.

2. Socio-Cultural:

Culture is probably the biggest asset a healthy society possesses. Margam wishes to give its best effort in sustainable cultural development. As we at MARGAM consider the present generations of children are the future citizen of this world and for a peaceful and better future, we should enrich the children with true socio-cultural philosophies. And as a matter of fact we at MARGAM consider this chapter to be equally important as with the educational chapter. Education provides knowledge and true socio-cultural philosophies provide sense of belongingness and dignity. We at MARGAM believe that the proper combination of the two chapters can convert a child to a responsible citizen.

THE ACTIVITIES CARRIED ON UNDER THIS SECTION IS DESCRIBED IN THE FOLLOWING LINES

Literary and poetic sessions
Interactive History and Geography classes mainly through story telling and visual   display
Cultural Interactive sessions and lessons via computers
Dance and Choreography sessions
Theatrical Workshops
Vocational handicraft workshops like preparing candles/masks etc.
Painting workshops
Physical fitness trainings
Recreation through games/sports and entertainment
Non Formal Training Workshops