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I. MARGAM Ideology
The main focus of Margam lies over issues related to
Underprivileged Child Education and running Socio-Cultural Upliftment Programs in socio-economically deprived areas of Kolkata.
Presently we run a sponsorship driven socio cultural upbringing
support program named “PUSTAK” in the slums of South Western
Kolkata and adjacent areas (Ward No. 76, 77, 78) where we
provide supplementary upbringing support to a set of 60
children residing in the said areas.
The ‘MARGAM’ ideology constructs its base with the issues
related to children. We regard the quantum of Indian children as the
propelling force that will carry our country to a better tomorrow.
Most importantly we consider that it is our duty to serve and protect
the children. It is not them who get benefited but as a whole we and
our society shall have the fruits of beneficiation.
Moreover, we believe that for any problem, temporary external aid is
no solution unless it can be combated from within. For example,
begging cannot be wiped out only by giving food or blanket to the
beggar unless he has been taught how to earn.
External aid can only be a temporary solution but the root of the
problem remains where it was. So for sustainable development, which is
our motto, we want to facilitate the children in such a way that they
can help themselves thereafter, we want to awaken their conscience,
their awareness regarding their rights and duties, their surroundings,
regarding health and hygiene and regarding every other aspect that are
considered necessary. We want to educate them to bring out their
innermost qualities in full bloom.
From a practical view point, it is not possible for us to work with
every needy child.
So to begin with we have selected a few children carefully who are
both needy and have capacity to strive to a better future to secure
maximum output. With them, we are trying to create a model, which will
be followed and will extend conceptually as time progresses.
II.
MARGAM Children
“MARGAM children” are all of age group between 5 and 16. All of
them come from economically suppressed families. Some of their
father’s income is very nominal; even some of their father’s do not
have any work. There are some families whose entire economic standard
depends on their mother’s income. Maximum of them work as domestic
servants. But one thing that we find to be positive is the parent’s
attitude as they understand the importance of education in life. The
children are also amazingly responsive. During every interactive
session we get astonished by their enthusiasm for participation and by
the zeal of learning something new. Their parents have always co
operated with us and that in turn have made our work easier.
In a way through PUSTAK we want to explore the innermost sight
and qualities inherent in each and every child. We see these children
as the future generation citizens of our country and we want them to
be sincere and responsible one so that they can carry this country to
a better position and make it a better place to live in and ensure
peace, freedom and equality for all generations to come.
Our children selection criterions
are
-
Children
having a BPL family status and is in need of care and protection.
-
Children
having basic interest in education.
-
Concerned parents understand the
importance of education in life.
-
Children who are First Generation Learners.
III. PUSTAK Dynamics
PUSTAK is a sponsorship driven program and it aims to provide
supplementary upbringing support to a set of 50 children residing
in the local slums.
Ideology:
The main idea behind PUSTAK is to help rather than to support
the underprivileged children of our society. With the concern and
recommendation of the local government affiliated primary school
teachers we have selected 50 students from all the local
government affiliated schools. 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.
●Moral Sciences: classes
provided by Program Educators.
●Story Telling: classes
provided by Program Educators.
●Awareness/Rights/Civic Sense:
classes provided by Program Educators
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 Workshop
Thus at MARGAM ,we not only provide them with a chance to prove
themselves but the right to question this world with great authority.
All the students are first-generation learners. They are buds who need
to be taken care of and we are leaving no stone unturned in doing so.
Our objective is to provide them a life that will render them the
right to live a respectable life
AWARDS AND ACCOLADES:
MARGAM was awarded “The
Telegraph School Awards for Excellence”, August 26, 2006.
Every
year the Adamas International School along with The
Telegraph, presents The Telegraph School Awards for excellence
in the field of education. This year MARGAM has been awarded
under “A School that Cares” category. Along with certification,
the foundation has taken the educational responsibility of ten
MARGAM children. The ceremony was being held at the Science City
auditorium on the 26th August, 2006. His Excellency, the
Hon’ble Governor of the state of West Bengal, Mr. Gopal Krishna Gandhi
was present at the ceremony as the chief guest. Along with him the
other dignitaries present were the Commissioner of Kolkata Police, Mr.
Prasun Mukherjee, Ms. Madhu Neotia from the Bengal Ambuja Group, Mr.
Avik Sarkar, Chief Editor, ABP Group and Mr. Kapil Dev, the former
captain of the Indian Cricket team.
News paper reviews about
MARGAM
Leading News Papers like The Telegraph, The
Statesman, The Indian Express have featured our activities in their
respective news papers.
Pustak is
completely a sponsorship driven program. We receive individual
as well as corporate donations. All the donations given to MARGAM
are up to 50% tax free
under section 80G(5)(VI) of the Income Tax Act 1961. |
