Joel Philip: A Volunteer to Remember

This month we had an Indian volunteer, Joel coming from London for one month mission experience to Don Bosco Kawant. Some years back, Joel belonged to Makarpura Parish but around five years ago, together with his parents he went to London for further studies. Joel shared some of his thoughts before coming to Kawant. First of all, he had two months of summer vacation and thus he had to save some pocket money before coming to India. Now he plans to go back to London and work for one month as a Manager of Pizza Hut to save some pocket money again for his further studies at university. He said that youngsters abroad learn to stand on their own feet once they are 15 years old. They start working in different places like; in pubs, cafeterias, restaurants and also distributing newspapers etc. They do this to earn some pocket money for their studies as well as for personal entertainment.
Joel began his experience by visiting the villages of Kawant taluka in the morning where the village education project was run by the Salesians. Then in the afternoon he used to teach Basic English to the 6th Std. Later on in the evening he used to coach the basketball team of the school. Then again in the evening he used to teach Basic English for 8th Std. Indeed a tiring job yet an enriching experience. The boarders in the end expressed their thanks and gratitude by putting a cultural dance as a farewell gift. Joel promised to be back once again next year. Joel we miss you… do come again!

Love seen in small things

Just happened to see a beautiful sight this morning as I was walking down the road. Roshan, a boarder from Std. 6th talking to a small puppy, trying to making him feel at home in this beautiful world. All of us need little sparks in our day to day lives to make us feel happy and joyful, it means getting down to the little ones. It is difficult yet enriching. Love is seen in small things.

Skill Development and Livelihood Programmes

Although agriculture is the main occupation in these areas, its profitability is limited. Therefore, we enable people to supplement their incomes by promoting agriculture related occupations such as animal husbandry, dairy, veterinary practice, horticulture and vegetable farming.Many of the youth of this area, even if they are educated, find it difficult to get jobs as they do not have the vocational skills demanded by the market. To address this situation, KES conducts skill training programmes such as; tailoring, driving, computing, jewellery making and mattress making projects.

School and Boarding

The school and boarding for adivasi children ensure that students from the surrounding villages have access to quality education and can go on to build stable careers. Besides their studies, the children develop their personalities and interact with people from various fields. They also have plenty of opportunities to play, sing, dance and enjoy their childhood to the fullest.At present, the school has a total of 375 students. Of these, 210 are coming from the boys boarding which is run by the Salesian fathers, 104 are from the girls’ boarding run by the sisters, and 61 are day scholars. There are 9 teachers and 2 boarding masters. Special achievement done by the Under 14 football team is by becoming state champions and participating in Under 14 Subroto Cup in Delhi. Education in the school too has improved this year by once again getting 100% SSC results.

Youth Activities

Youth from the villages, whether they are educated or not, often find themselves without a job. So, they either resort to manual labour or remain unemployed. Don Bosco Kawant is trying to reach out to these young people by sending them for vocational training to industries that will guarantee them jobs.REDP and MEDP projects under the guidance and support of NABARD is helping youngsters and women to achieve their desired goals. Driving classes, jewellery making, mattress Making, nursery training, mobile repairing are some of the features of the REDP and MEDP projects. MORD project under the guidance of DBDS is helping youngster in getting employment.

Promotion of Self Help Groups

A Self-Help Group (SHG) is a small voluntary association of poor people, preferably from the same socio-economic background. They are groups that come together because of some common interest, usually for the purpose of solving their common problems through self-help and mutual help. It acts as a forum for the members to provide space and support to each other. Until recently, the focus of the community organization work has been the formation and training of SHGs. Don Bosco Kawant currently facilitates 90 SHGs in 27 villages. These groups come together to deposit their savings, take loans, acquire basic literacy and explore possible livelihood opportunities. The 50 groups formed with the help of NABARD have all been evaluated and graded and their performance is consistent. The groups meet every week to learn accounting and book-writing, and also organize events like women day

People's Rights and Good Governance

Until 2008, Kawant Education Society work consisted of forming Self Help Groups. But since 2008, we have changed our approach, and we are now enabling people to secure their rights from the State and participate fully in their local self government.
Many people in our work area have to migrate in search of work after the agricultural season, as there is no work for them in the villages. Those who choose to stay have to work long hours for meager wages. Seasonal unemployment and migration affects every sphere of their lives.
Therefore, we are now working with our people to secure the correct implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA).
By enabling people to secure their right to employment, we aim to create among them an awareness of their entitlements and the ability to claim them.
The Panchayati Raj Systems is designed to be the structure through which development works are implemented in the villages. But in most places, this system does not function in a participatory manner and peoples voices are ignored.

Village Education Programme

Education is a basic right of every child. It is also an indispensable strategy for development since it makes self reliant and thereby the protagonists of their own development.Despite poor educational facilities, irregular teachers, distant schools and an urgent need to work, the children in our villages all have one thing in common – they want to study.To support children enrolled in government – run village primary schools, and to provide basic education to those who have dropped our of school, KES runs study classes in 33 villages under its Village Education Programme.The children attend tuition classes for two hours daily, and also take part in art, elocution and sports competitions. Further, they also carry out community – centred activities in their villages.The teachers in these classes are local youth who are familiar with the language and background of the children. Every month, these teachers come together to discuss effective teaching methods, share ideas and define their lesson plans.By ensuring that these children are confident and motivated right from primary school, we aim to reduce the drop-out rate and help them improve their performance in secondary school.