Description

Dear Friends and friends of friends,

This request is to raise funds to buy over 1000 DESKITs for underprivileged children in schools run by 2 NGOs.

Summary:

According to 2016 ASER report, only 47.8%  per cent Class V students of rural India were found able to read a Class II textbook. This meant every second Class V student in rural India could not read the text of a class three levels below. One of the reasons may be because of lack of basic infrastructure in their schools or at home.  Students from the underprivileged sections of the society suffer due to the lack of basic infrastructure like tables. Imagine, how difficult it is to read and write in hunched-back position for long hours. It is not only demotivating but also leads to health problems and bad handwriting. Many students don’t have school bags to carry their books neatly to school, they use polythene bags. Their books are tattered and torn.

An idea to solve above problems:

PROSOC Innovators Pvt. Ltd. [www.prosoc.co.in] incubated at IIT Kanpur in SIDBI Innovation and Incubation Centre and UnLtd Delhi came up with a bright idea. It has designed and developed DESKIT – a unique combo of a lightweight portable school bag and an ergonomic detachable table – that actually works wonders. DESKIT is a study companion for school children to be used in both school and home or anywhere else. DESKIT is patented and Design Registration number is 287945.

Thus, DESKIT is a small step towards eliminating such hurdles to help children learn and grow with proper facilities.

The selling price of one DESKIT is INR 500/- . But the problem is affordability, parents of weaker sections cannot afford. So, we need to opt for other fundraising possibilities such as establishing collaborations with NGOs and philanthropists for becoming facilitators, we request CSR initiatives of companies to buy DESKIT for needy students and invite sponsorship from commercial organizations. This fundraising campaign is another approach to ensure that a deserving child gets DESKIT free of cost.

NGOs associated with this campaign

1. Sarthak Foundation, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh [www.sarthakfoundation.org]

Sarthak focuses on providing education and improving the quality of life of children who are deprived of it due to financial and situational constraints. The goal is to reach out to slum children, beggars, rag pickers and children engaged in any form of labour.

It is heart wrenching to see young children picking up rags from filthy trash to feed themselves, being made to work days and night to make their ends meet. What started in 2013 with six to eight children from slums, grew in three and a half years to teaching more than 500 children in an Open Study Centre model. Currently, Sarthak runs five centres in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

The Open Study Centre provides quality education absolutely free of cost at the heart of the slums. The classes are run post school hours six days a week. Due to the location of the centre, it is easier to ensure regular attendance and participation of the children. The children are taught English, Mathematics, General Awareness and Etiquette. Also sports, arts and cultural classes are conducted on weekends. Sarthak does counsel them regularly and take care of their everyday issues (clothing/health/psychological).

2. EFRAH (Empowerment For Rehablitation Acadamic And Health), New Delhi  [www.efrahindia.org.in]

EFRAH is committed to work for the holistic development of the people, living in dehumanized and deprived conditions in the society. One of the objectives of the organization is to promote and provide quality education to children who are socially & economically deprived.

Delhi is the city where each year millions of people move from rural hinterland towards city in hope of livelihood. The people who end up in slums and streets are migrants from adjoining states and also from states where incidence of poverty is intense. As migrant parents struggle to win daily bread these children end up as rag pickers, exploited as cheap laborers, fall victim to dangerous social vices among other inhuman consequences. Subjected to competing negative reinforcements and exploitative forces these children are in general relegated to bleak future.

EFRAH started with 150 children of vegetable vendors in Okhla vegetable market area, New Delhi with an aim to mitigate child labour and mainstream those children with school for the sake of availing regular education. Those 150 children were engaged as child labour along with their parents in vegetable market.

At present, EFRAH is working in Madanpur Khadar J.J. Colony, Ali Vihar, Okhla, Sangam Vihar, Tughlakabad Extension, Saheen Bagh, Batla House, MCD schools of West Zone and Uttar Pradesh (Noida, Auraiyah & Etawah district). EFRAH is functioning through child centered community development approach and advocacy is a part of our each program. We adopted “education and rights” as a tool for social change particularly among informal economy as well as unorganized community. Now there are more than 500 students.

Expections from this campaign:

• 1. With the funds raised, DESKITs will be distributed free of cost to 1000 underprivileged children. 500 through Sarthak Foundation and 500 through EFRAH. List of all the beneficiary students will be made available on our website www.prosoc.co.in
• 2. Collaboration with more NGOs or companies with CSR activity.
• 3. Advertisement for an innovative product DESKIT from commercial establishments.