1. Visit: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Upper Primary School, Raipura
“A strong will” finally prevail over difficulty in change process
The Head Master of the government school shared with much enthusiasm that “ even from sand, we can extract oil, if we have a strong will” and with that they have totally transformed the environment of the school though they had difficulties. Well fenced compound wall with safety gate, usage of entire landscape for edible garden with vegetable plants, fruit trees, small herbs etc; computer lab, designated midday meal shed, and added to that now they have water hand pump which provides water in house as they had to source water from outside for costs.
Naming the plants and showing the pride
All motivated students of the school who engaged in developing and nurturing edible garden from last October 2016 have pointed out the plants that are nurtured by them and updated the growth of the plants from sapling to this stage with much pride and joy. More than that, they have also explained the nutrient quality of such plants and how those could be useful.
Nutritiously Yours - Nutrition Display Board
Every day midday meal provisioning with nutrition information has been drawn on the board which can be seen by all children and teachers and communities as well when they visit to access records on social welfare schemes in the computer lab or info hub.
2. Visit: Phoolvati Roshanlal Inter-college, Raipura
Children are motivated in edible school garden
Children who participate in the edible school garden have shown fruit trees such as Pappaya or Lemon etc and they said that they continue to monitor the growth and nurture the plants.
Interviews with Teachers
Teachers have expressed the feeling that due to the work of The Child Trust on children’s education, the enrollment of children in schools in the village has increased from 20% in 2007 to 98% in 2017 and thus in a decade, changes in the living and working conditions of children have been realized. The nutritional security issues have been not only disseminated and shared but it has become experiential learning by doing in edible garden. They have also shared about the issues in infrastructure development – need of more class rooms, chairs, sports etc.
Interview with community member Ms Vijayalakshmi
She has shared information about the status of children in 2007 and 2017 and changes made in the lives of children in accessing education and elimination of child labour in Raipura. Community women and leaders have also sensitized on child rights issues and that helped them to address those in the village setting.
