Vandemataram Foundation works for child rights

Vandemataram Foundation is a registered community development organization working for child rights through the schools for a better India. It was on the eve of the centenary year (2005) of the Vandemataram Movement that the foundation was launched. Vandemataram Foundation has been at the forefront of child rights and school empowerment with grassroots level interaction and right to information campaigns. India Vision 2020 set the goal of achieving cent per cent literacy. However, with literacy rate of 61% national average and being ranked at the bottom of Human Development Index, is it possible to achieve that goal? "A developed India by 2020 is possible only through people's participation and children are the nucleus of this transformation" said Sri Abdul Kalam, the former President of India This is what motivated the foundation to fight for the child rights and contribute its mite to the India 2020 vision of Dr  Abdul Kalam. With 600 volunteers toiling day in and day out selflessly, the mission seems to achievable. However, we know we have a long way to go. That is why we appeal to all of you to join us … The foundation inspired by Dr Kalam, the former president of India (July 2002 - July 2007), is working for the betterment of children and their education. A new freedom struggle, this time against the poverty and illiteracy, is making things better in 120 schools in 10 interior mandals of Warangal and Seven mandals of Mahabubnagar district. The dropout rate has fallen steeply and the attendance of teachers is increasing, the performance of school as a unit is improving.

Background

A school is a place where each one of us have learnt to live and graduated into the world to become what we are today and what we would be tomorrow. The simple word ‘my school’ sends most of us, if not all, down the memory lane with loads of nostalgic images and childhood playfulness. Over 79% of the out-of-school children belong to the rural areas, SC/ST children account for nearly 11.5% of the total out-of-school children. The most common cause for remaining out of school was household work, taking care of siblings and working to improve the family income. The dropout rates in Mahabubnagar, Medak, Warangal, Nizamabad (above 50%) and Nalgonda (above 40%) are very high and need urgent attention. The dropout rate is between 19% to 36% depending upon the class and poverty level of the child’s family. (Source: Andhra Pradesh report on Sarva Siksha Abhiyan)

Need

The general level of infrastructure in the Govt. run schools is poor. The faculty attendance and teaching levels are not very satisfactory. There is a need for monitoring the performance of faculty by the foundation’s volunteers. It has been proved beyond doubt that the performance levels have been improving since the foundation’s intervention. The general dropout rate of the children (35 %-40%) has been at alarmingly high levels. Community participation only can make any project sustainable and the foundation is striving for it. Increased levels of community participation in 150 villages taken up by Vandemataram Foundation have yielded results both in terms of infrastructure, performance of teachers and students as well. There is a need for awareness and capacity building among the parents, teachers and the community at large. The children deserve better tomorrow and schools are the basic building blocks. We need to strengthen them. There is the need for volunteers to monitor and co-ordinate the community initiative.

Beneficiaries

Poor Children who otherwise will end up as child labour. School going as well as dropouts and the never-to-school children will benefit as the foundation is trying to bring every child to school and every child in the school to better performance. The teachers who will have a chance to upgrade themselves and perform their duties better. The community as whole as the school is the corner stone of the society. As the foundation will be organizing alumni meets and other such programmes that would support the long run sustainability of the school infrastructure.

Objectives

To provide quality education to the rural children in Warangal & Mahabubnagar district. To inculcate moral values, nationalism in districts that are affected by anti-social and destructive tendencies. To provide academic support to the students at various levels by counseling. To strengthen the cultural ethos through a set of extracurricular activities. To involve community by encouraging civil society organizations to adopt government schools. To achieve the ideals of Lead-India propounded by Dr Abdul Kalam. To instill the ideals and teachings of Swami Vivekananda among the children.  Address : #1-8-522/7, Chikkadapally Postal code/ZIP : 500020 Town/Suburb/City : Hyderabad State/County/Province : Andhra Pradesh Country : India Phone : 040-2767 8282 Phone : +91 9440 788 282 Web Site :  http://vandemataramap.org           Email:contact@vandemataramfoundation.in Field Office: Warangal District Address : Nithin bhavan, Annaram Road Address :  Thorroor, Town/Suburb/City : Warangal District State/County/Province : Andhra Pradesh Country : India Phone : 91771 48158, 9490 692948 Phone : +91 98490 54339 Web Site :  http://vandemataramap.org           Email:contact@vandemataramfoundation.in Field office: Mahabubnagar District Address : 10-146/3, Vasavi Nagar, Address : Beside Kanyakaparameshwari Temple Arch Postal code/ZIP : 509324 Town/Suburb/City : Devarakonda Road, Kalwakurthy, Mahabubnagar Dist State/County/Province : Andhra Pradesh Phone : 98858 30830 Web Site :  vandemataramap.org        Email:contact@vandemataramfoundation.in USA Office Address : Vandemataram Foundation USA Inc Address : 10075, Postal code/ZIP : gate parkway, Town/Suburb/City : n #1110 Jacksonville, State/County/Province : Fl 32246 Phone :  9042011550 Web Site :  http://vandemataramap.org           Email:contact@vandemataramfoundation.in