Constructing the Next Generation
Chennai, being a metropolitan city where we can also see the children of labourers are left behind without proper care and attention. Building workers migrated from Salem, Thiruvannamalai, Villupuram and Cuddalore Districts were settled in that area. Construction labourers, who leave for their work early morning, don’t get enough time to look after their children. Such Children are prone to all anti-social activities .
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Quick Take
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Inspiration
Kanchana Maala, a Bank employee lives in Kolathur, North Chennai, inspired by the thought and service activities of Seva Bharati since 2001, wanted to open a tuition centre for children of building workers. With great perseverance, it took five years for her to start a tuition centre there. Locals gave their car shed to run the tuition centre.
Initiative
On October 2, 2013, with 35 students from 14 schools, she started a small free tuition centre. Students are taught bhajans, songs, games, good habbits, culture, nationalism, cleanliness, punctuality and many more along with academic subjects. Other activities like Deepa Puja (wherein parents are also involved), mobile library, homeopathy centre, yog etc are also carried on. A unique thought of making children aware of societal problems, a Students’ Parliament Meet is organised yearly twice. Children treat the tuition centre as their nation, and all the amenities needed (like cleanliness, education, food, water, electricity etc) are divided into 16 departments and are taken care by the children. Guru Purnima, Samarpana Day, Sri Krishna Jayanti, Deepavali and all the festivals are celebrated together. To encourage saving habit, a savings account for children was started. At the end of the first year, 42 students saved Rs.3104.50 altogether. This motivation has helped the children not to spend money on unnecessary things. Savings keep increasing year by year.
Impact
Children, after joining the tuition centre have become cultured and their standard of education has risen; the parents of those children now feel very happy and wanted to help each other. The mindset has changed among the building workers in helping each other in need, taking care of each other. Whatever the little they eat, they chant Bhojan Mantra before eating and make their parents also to follow. Children today are in safe hands with good culture and vision.
—Ramadevi
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