Snehalaya English Medium School

About the Organization:
We believe that every woman and child should have the right to a life free from inequality, cruelty and discrimination. Snehalaya is an Indians for Indians organisation able to deliver social change through skills provision, in a region with high unemployment and a severe lack of statutory healthcare. we have supported 200,000 beneficiaries through 23 rehabilitation, health and education and awareness-raising projects. We provide a safe and supportive setting, with our own school and HIV hospital on site for our 400+ beneficiaries in the shelter homes. We also strive to bring equality to all through campaigning for education while also providing a model example of a best practice grassroots NGO that can be replicated across India.
Issue:
Our English Medium School was set up in 2010, primarily to provide education to our Rehab Centre children who were struggling in mainstream school as their HIV medication and restricted health affected their concentration and attendance. Our curriculum accommodates their special needs and focusses on play-based activities and interactive learning through sports and the arts. We have also opened our doors to children from our slum and local communities, many of whom have been excluded from other schools or faced bullying due to their background or social standing, with the aim of improving social integration and acceptance. We currently provide education up to 10th standard for 200 children aged 4 to 16 years. By understanding and adapting to their different needs we are seeing improved academic performance from our children. We have ensured that education will always be at the heart of what we do, and we believe that by investing in it we can tackle the major issues that face our society. We believe that everyone, no matter their background or social standing, has the right to education. Through targeted programmes and campaigns, we highlight the importance of education in raising people out of poverty, reducing child trafficking and prostitution and destigmatizing class, disability and gender divides.
Action:
Snehalaya believes that education is the only catalyst to change the destinies of the children in slums, red light areas and other underprivileged children. Hence we requested the reputed private schools for the admissions of our children but we experienced that many private schools were reluctant to admit our child, saying that admitting the child will spoil the environment of the school as well as the parents will object if our child sit near their child. It was very discouraging experience for us, but we overcame the problems by establishing our own English Medium School in 2010, it has become a unique and only school for children in special need. In Snehalaya School, we have dedicated and devoted teachers, who are socially committed to the cause of education. Considering the need of this strata, our teacher in addition to their basic qualifications, are specially trained in the areas of first aid, health education and counseling. In Snehalaya school, our teacher always have an essence to develop awareness and capability other than academics, in those members of society who have been deprived of their rights because of inequality and exploitation by the society.
Impact:
Total enrolled students in the SEMS from LKG to 10Std (SSC) is 200

Primary Cause:

Children in our school are orphans, semi-orphans, children of sex workers, Children living with HIV-AIDS, children from slums and adjacent rural areas and children from lowest economic background. All these children are not given equal opportunities for getting quality education by reputed schools due to the taboo surrounding their HIV status, economic and social background. The Snehalaya English medium school was started primarily to impart education to all such children

Project Location(s):
Ahmednagar