Building Brighter Futures: Transformative Educational Reforms and Community Empowerment
Our journey began with an ambitious survey of 10,000 schools, scrutinizing their infrastructure and adherence to the Right to Education (RTE) Act. This critical assessment revealed the gaps in educational facilities and sparked a collaborative effort to address them. The insights gained formed the foundation of a strategic approach aimed at enhancing both school infrastructure and educational quality.
Significant improvements in school infrastructure include the addition of new classrooms in 5.27% of schools, universal access to drinking water, and separate toilets in 22.3% of schools. We have also addressed teacher shortages by appointing new educators in 5.13% of schools, benefiting 76.21% of schools overall. Furthermore, our initiative achieved 100% immunization of children in three blocks, demonstrating our commitment to creating a safe and supportive environment for all children.
Our “Child-Friendly Village” initiative embodies a powerful model of community-led change, perfectly aligning with the third LSDG of child-friendly villages. The initiative began with a critical response to the COVID-19 pandemic, during which we mobilized over 6,000 village youths to continue teaching, ensuring educational continuity and preventing dropouts. This effort, where teaching was exchanged for a bowl of rice, was complemented by the Learning Recovery Plan (LRP), adopted by Odisha to address pandemic-induced learning gaps.
Building on this foundation, Atmashakti has leveraged the support of community groups such as Mahila Shramjeebi Manch Odisha (MSMO) and Odisha Shramjeebi Manch (OSM) to spearhead our educational reforms. Through the establishment of 798 model chatashalis, we now provide enhanced educational opportunities to over 10,000 students, supported by 873 dedicated volunteers. Our “Back to School” campaign successfully re-enrolled 29 drop-out students, showcasing the community’s dedication to inclusive education.
This comprehensive approach highlights the profound impact of community involvement in achieving the goals of child-friendly villages, creating a model that integrates educational excellence, infrastructure development, and child welfare in Odisha.
Significant improvements in school infrastructure include the addition of new classrooms in 5.27% of schools, universal access to drinking water, and separate toilets in 22.3% of schools. We have also addressed teacher shortages by appointing new educators in 5.13% of schools, benefiting 76.21% of schools overall. Furthermore, our initiative achieved 100% immunization of children in three blocks, demonstrating our commitment to creating a safe and supportive environment for all children.
Our “Child-Friendly Village” initiative embodies a powerful model of community-led change, perfectly aligning with the third LSDG of child-friendly villages. The initiative began with a critical response to the COVID-19 pandemic, during which we mobilized over 6,000 village youths to continue teaching, ensuring educational continuity and preventing dropouts. This effort, where teaching was exchanged for a bowl of rice, was complemented by the Learning Recovery Plan (LRP), adopted by Odisha to address pandemic-induced learning gaps.
Building on this foundation, Atmashakti has leveraged the support of community groups such as Mahila Shramjeebi Manch Odisha (MSMO) and Odisha Shramjeebi Manch (OSM) to spearhead our educational reforms. Through the establishment of 798 model chatashalis, we now provide enhanced educational opportunities to over 10,000 students, supported by 873 dedicated volunteers. Our “Back to School” campaign successfully re-enrolled 29 drop-out students, showcasing the community’s dedication to inclusive education.
This comprehensive approach highlights the profound impact of community involvement in achieving the goals of child-friendly villages, creating a model that integrates educational excellence, infrastructure development, and child welfare in Odisha.