INDIA: IMPROVING LEARNING CONDITIONS FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES AND FROM DISADVANTAGED BACKGROUNDS
India is both fascinating and shocking. Although the country has advanced significantly in recent years, many people still live on the breadline. Certain population groups are particularly hit by poverty. These include the disabled. Not only do they live in miserable conditions, but they are also excluded from several spheres of life. As the general population has little idea about how to deal with them, many disabled people are rejected even by their own closest relatives. Exclusion starts at an early age: disabled children have little chance of attending school and find themselves excluded from the education system. There are very few specially trained teachers. For these reasons it is time finally to give children with disabilities or from socially disadvantaged families a chance of a decent future.
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Our project in Varanasi
The project in brief:
The Kiran Village in Varanasi, northern India, welcomes children and teenagers with disabilities or from disadvantaged families. They are taught by specialized teachers and, if necessary, they receive appropriate medical equipment (crutches, wheelchairs, splints, etc.). In addition, they participate in individual therapies to stimulate their physical abilities and reduce physical limitations due to the disability.
To create a fun and effective learning environment and to develop the campus infrastructure, Kiran Village depends on support. In 2017, a boarding school was built and fully equipped. In the following three years, the girls' boarding school (2018) and the school and physio area were built (2019) and the sewing workshop (2020) received a new roof.
For the current project, a new building (kindergarten) will be built and three existing buildings will be renewed. In addition, 30 classrooms will be better equipped to generate the best conditions for children living with a disability.
In order to guarantee the quality of education, the employees of Kiran Village (teachers and staff) participate - within the framework of this project - in continuous training and the parents take part in sensitization workshops.
Project budget:
Total project cost (2021-2024) : €320 000
60% of this amount will be provided by the Luxembourg Foreign Ministry. The rest (€128 000) will be covered by CSI together with the partner organisation.