The Need
 
Huge gaps remain between rural and urban areas, and the probability of getting any education at all sharply depends on gender, caste and income. The education infrastructure are quite poor even as the government is the largest provider of education in India with only about 10% of primary schools owned by the private sector. 
  

Of the 200 million children in the age group 6-14, it is estimated that 59 million are out of school. Of these, 35 million are girls and 24 million are boys.

The literacy ratio of India is 65.38% with male literacy at 75.85% and female literacy at 54.16%.

Hard hitting facts on education and health
17 million children in India work as child labourers At least 35 million children aged 6-14 years do not attend school 53% of girls in the age group of 5 to 9 are illiterate 2 million children die before their first birthday due to lack of immunization and medical facilities

More than 50% of India’s children are malnourished.

  

A recent survey conducted by Social Development Foundation of ASSOCHAM with over 2,000 working parents across nine cities in India

1. Cost of sending a child to school has risen by 160% in the last 8 years.

2. Annual expenses to educate a single child from Rs 25,000 in 2000 to Rs 65,000 in 2008, while the average annual income of well off parents has not risen by more than 30% in the same period.

3. Average tuition fees annually for private school Rs 35,000 plus a host of overhead expenses another Rs 35, 000.

 

4.Private preparatory schools charge Rs 25,000 a term

Our research findings and measures adopted over the years……

Problems Due to lack of a coherent education policy paving the way to poverty, marginalization, migration, crimes - situations that force children to work.

Measures we adopt We have raised serious concerns to the State education board via Kusma an association which has 3000 school members to safeguard and improve the lives of these children.

The area is economically backward with more than 70% illiteracy. The population comprises of parents with low disposable income and that of seasonal labourers. Education is the least priority with the parents although they have a great desire to send their children to school.

We found domestic workers, especially children, are paid well below minimum wage for unskilled and semi-skilled workers and they are discriminated against. Labour laws do not cover domestic workers and children in domestic work. Because of this, employers can hire, fire, and mistreat domestic workers at their will.

Children become more vulnerable and helpless in front of such people, especially so if they are employed with such households. Majority of children in the country haven't been given any sex education. Hence if abused, they don't realize and understand what is being done to them, and where to go, who to speak with, it usually ends up keeping quiet. It is in such situations that these children are most vulnerable and become victims repeatedly.
Measure we adopt - our trained staff keep a vigilant watch over children behaving abnormally, depressed or unusually quiet. These affected children are counseled regularly to overcome fears, treated and nurtured with compassion.