Education is vital for ensuring a better quality of life for the new generation. BCPT supports different initiatives, ranging from balwadis to non-formal education and community libraries.
Pre-Primary Schools
Four pre-primary or balwadi progammes were supported, enabling the NGO to purchase new play materials and other resources for the benefit of the children.
NGO: Sanjivani Mahila Mandal, Tardeo
Balwadis and Welfare Centres
Support was extended towards equipping and setting up of six balwadis and six welfare centres for the benefit of a large number of project affected families who were resettled into new flats in housing societies constructed in Jogeshwari East.
NGO: Slum Rehabilitation Society, Bandra
Balwadi Programme for Under Privileged Children
(A BCPT – Bal Varsha Prathisthan Fund Project)
Children of pavement dwellers get an opportunity of attending this balwadi which is well run and is located in a nearby municipal school. Each year some of the children get ready to enter formal schooling and get enrolled into the first standard in same school.
NGO: Hamara Foundation, Mumbai Central
Posha Nakhwa Upper Primary Municipal School Adoption Programme (SAP)
(Project supported by donations received under Section 35 AC)
With a view to developing a strong foundation, students of the primary section were provided additional academic inputs through study classes. In addition, around 1100 students of standards one to seven participated in a wide range of co-curricular activities such as yoga, art and craft, drawing, mehendi, dance, camps and competitions which were developed and conducted under the SAP.
NGO: Asha Kiran Charitable Trust, Versova
Unnatnagar Municipal School Adoption Programme (SAP)
(Project supported by donations received under Section 35 AC)
Around 1200 students benefited from activities such as study classes, a library programme, workshops, vocational guidance, hobby classes, games and competitions and entertainment programmes.
NGO: Keshav Gore Smarak Trust, Goregaon
Adarshnagar Municipal School Adoption Programme
(Project supported by donations received under Section 35 AC)
The project aimed at delivering a range of educational programmes that supported the children of Worli to achieve better academically. Activities included coaching classes, balwadis, cultural programmes, a toy library, holiday camps and parental interactions.
NGO: Pragati Kendra Trust, Worli
Colaba Municipal School Adoption Programme
(Project supported by donations received under Section 35 AC)
Balwadis, study classes, library programme, workshops on value education, language, mathematics, science, music class, drawing class, educational visits, various competitions, festival celebrations and sports were the main activities conducted under the SAP. Children’s participation in discipline, cleanliness and recreation was encouraged through the formation of childrens’ committees.
NGO: Society for Door Step School, Colaba
School on Wheels
School on Wheels is a bus manned by teachers and educational resources which goes from place to place providing assistance to under-privileged school going children in their studies. It covers six localities in and around Versova, reaching out to around 300 students. Some of the children also get the facility of being dropped to school and taken back home.
NGO: Asha Kiran Charitable Trust, Versova
Holistic Development of Under-privileged Children
(Project supported by Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation)
The project aimed at nurturing bright students to excel in their studies through additional inputs such as support classes, developmental workshops, recreational and educational visits and nutritional support.
NGO: Each One Teach One Charitable Foundation, Sion
Training for BMC Personnel of Education Department
The project aimed at bringing about change in the mind sets of principals and teachers of 100 municipal schools, adopted by the Centre for Public education, in order to improve the teaching learning process.
NGO: Centre for Public Education, Lower Parel
Training Workshop
Support was extended for a workshop which aimed at training dedicated volunteers to start centres through which Gujarati language would be taught to students whose mother tongue was Gujarati but were going to English medium schools.
NGO: Gujarati Vichar Manch, Mulund
H T Parekh Memorial Scholarships
BCPT initiated the HT Parekh Memorial Scholarships (HTPMS) in the year 1995, in memory of its late founder trustee. It offers scholarships to academically bright girl students selected from municipal schools to continue their studies up to graduation or its equivalent for vocational courses. The scholarship holders are selected at two levels–top rankers from merit scholarship examinations held in the VII standard and top rankers in SSC examinations.
The total amount of scholarships awarded till 2007 to 68 students has aggregated to Rs.18.68lakh. In FY2007, 33 students received scholarships.
Educational Support to Individuals
Scholarships were also given to 22 other students, including a few working students.
HDFC Scholarships
Twenty-four academically bright under-privileged youths studying for undergraduate and professional courses were selected and received scholarships.
BCPT-Rajni Patel Memorial Foundation Award
Two students from BMC schools who had secured the highest percentage of marks in the SSC examinations were awarded the Rajni Patel Smruti Awards.
Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation Higher Secondary Award
This year, three meritorious students who had secured a high percentage in the SSC exams were selected to receive the award. Two students who had received the Award last year continued to receive a scholarship for this year due to their good performance.
Computer Support
Continuous up-gradation of computer systems by individuals and institutions creates a pool of old but usable computers. BCPT received requests to hand over six such computers to needy students. Appropriate students from amongst the scholarship holders who are studying in courses such as Information Technology, Computer Science and Electronics and Telecommunication were selected so that they could benefit from the same.
Workshop on Interpersonal Skills and Communication
A three days’ workshop was conducted for the benefit of all our students covered under the different scholarship schemes. The workshop dwelled on some important subjects such as communication skills, personal grooming, social awareness and responsible behaviour. Thirty five participants attended and found it beneficial.
NGO : Trust for Human Resource Enrichment and Development
Book-bank Scheme
Text books for graduate and professional courses are very expensive and unaffordable to a large number of students. A book bank scheme is therefore a beneficial scheme for students. Each student is provided with a set of text books which he/she returns at the end of the academic year. A one time annual fee of 10% of cost of the set i.e. Rs.60/- is paid by the student.
NGO : Janata Kendra
OTHER CHILD RELATED PROJECTS
Community Learning Centres (CLC)
The CLCs have been started with view to create a stimulating learning environment for the benefit of children living in low income housing colonies in Govandi, Cuff Parade and Dindoshi in partnership with Apnalaya, The Society for Door Step School and Chehak Trust respectively.
While the CLC in Govandi and Cuffe Parade have completed more than a year of operations with a very strong, positive response from the children, the third CLC has been started very recently in Dindoshi.
CLC projects run by Apnalaya and The Society for Door Step School are collaborative projects with Sir Ratan Tata Trust. The CLC in Dindoshi implemented by Chehak Trust has been entirely financed by Barrington Educational Initiative.
NGO : Apnalaya, Govandi
NGO: The Society for Door Step School, Colaba
NGO: Chehak Trust, Dindoshi
Creche for Children of marginalized working mothersThe project objective is to ensure that children of working mothers (unorganized sector) with no access to any support system, get proper care in a protected, clean and stimulating environment. Thirty children in the age group of 2 to 6 years have been enrolled. In addition to story telling, singing and games, children are given a mid-day meal, milk and also medical services.
NGO :
Young Women’s Christian Association of Bombay, Andheri.
Aastha –
Child Guidance ClinicAastha was started in the year 2002 to overcome interpersonal, emotional and behavioural problems of children. It has a panel of professionals – psychiatrist, psychologist, remedial therapist and counselor who offer evaluations, testing, remedial learning and counseling services. BCPT’s support was extended to conduct sensitization workshops for teachers and parents in schools located in C & D wards and to publicize the concept of mental health through posters and brochures.
NGO :
Indian Association For Promotion Of Adoption And Child Welfare, (IAPA) Khetwadi
Development of Learning Disability Detection Tests in Vernacular LanguagesDiagnostic tests / tools for identifying learning disabilities in students studying in vernacular mediums were developed under this project. Further, training the teachers in BMC schools in common remedial approaches for use in the class room will also be taken up.
NGO : National Association Of Adoptive Families (NAAF), Vile Parle
Production of Indian folk-tales in BrailleThere is a dearth of reading material for the visually impaired. The project sought to produce some Indian folk tales in Braille for the benefit of the visually challenged students. The children would not only have access to good stories but also gain a better understanding of Indian culture, traditions and history through the folk tales.
NGO :
National Association for the Blind, Worli
Capacity Building of Children and Significant others to ensure Child’s Right to Participation and Protection(Collaborative project with Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) Ltd.)
A series of awareness cum sensitization programmes for standards 8th and 9th were conducted in three schools in the city in order to provide correct, scientific information on the physical emotional and social aspects of sexuality, HIV/AIDS, child rights and child sexual abuse. The programmes covered students teachers and wherever possible, their parents as well.
NGO :
Family Service Centre, Colaba
Training and Awareness Programmes(Collaborative project with Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) Ltd.)
Support was given to conduct six training programmes focusing on the issue of child sexual abuse amongst professionals and parents and to produce Information Education and Communication (IEC) materials.
NGO :
Forum Against Child Sexual Exploitation, Colaba
Sex Education for Girls and Boys in Early Adolescence(Collaborative project with Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) Ltd.)
Around 400 children in the age group of 10-15 years in five schools got to know their bodies, health, gender relations and teen sexuality through a series of sessions.
NGO :
Vacha Trust, Vile Parle
Rehabilitation and Empowerment of Child Labourers(Collaborative project with Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) Ltd.)
Twenty-three child labourers who were working as domestic servants, construction workers, cleaners and casual labourers and in garages were selected to do a vocational training of their choice to enable them to make a better future for themselves. Of these, 13 went on to take advanced training in specific courses.
NGO:
Youth for Unity and Voluntary Action, Lower Parel
Art and Craft Unit in Little Angels School
The school imparts education and training to children with special needs such as attention deficit disorders, hyperactivity, behavioural disorders and learning disabilities. In the art and craft unit, students are taught candle making, painting on glass bottles and other decorative articles. This is of therapeutic value as well as training in a vocational skill.
NGO :
Human Development Centre Trust (HDCT), Bandra
Toy Library
(A BCPT – Bal Varsha Prathisthan Fund Project)
The toy library which was set up last year in a BMC school at Versova, continued to attract a large number of students who came to play a variety of games and also learnt many things along the way. Materials were added to the existing stock and the room housing the toy library was painted and decorated with pictures; creating a very pleasing environment for the children.
NGO :
Asha Kiran Charitable Trust, Versova
Street Children ProjectThe project sought to provide street children with non-formal education skills training and awareness on specific issues with a view to strengthen them against victimization of any kind.
NGO :
Bandra East Community Centre, Bandra
Mobile Libraries
(A BCPT- Bal Varsha Pratishtan Fund Project)
Eleven libraries which have been set up in different pockets of the Gilbert Hill slum of Andheri have been promoting reading habits in children.
Institution :
SNDT Womens’ University, Department of Postgraduate Studies and Research in Home Science.
