amitpetkar

Everyday Kile Majhi, a four year dongria kondh child from Phuldumer village gets up early in the morning. He wears nice blue dress and goes to the newly opened Child Care Centre set up and run by the Sterlite Foundation, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources in his village. For last two months this has been his daily schedule. And he is very happy now because, unlike children in neighboring villages he does not have to go to the forest. In six months time, he has learned few of the English poems and when he recites them his parents feel proud of him. He has learns alphabets and numbers, besides music and dance.

Six months back, he was not so lucky enough to think about education and school. His parents could never think that their child will one day speak English. However, after opening of the child care centre, the residents of this tribal village could see the first ray of education, after sixty two years of independence.

“We are completely illiterate and same were also our forefathers. We always think how our child can read and write. We are very thankful to Vedanta Company for responding to our requirement. Now our children can get education in this school.” Says Chanchala Naik, Naib-Sarapanch, Trilochanpur GP and a villager from Phuldumer. For them this child care centre is not less than a school, as they get basic education.

About 35 children, mostly from dongria kondh community are studying in this child care centre, which is running under a thatched house built by the villagers. In order to encourage the children for education and also to minimize the burden on their parents, the child care centre provides dress material, books and teaching and learning materials free of cost. Besides, the children were also taught about sports, games, singing and dancing. They were provided with nutritional food such as egg, rice, dal and vegetables. The students of the peripheral villages of Lanjigarh are immensely being benefited out of these child care centres of Vedanta Aluminium in the area.

“Health of our children has also improved, after joining the school. Being a tribal village, Phuldumer was completely ignored by the government. However, Vedanta Company started the school for our children. In future, we are hopeful that the company will take up other development works,” says Ratu Majhi another tribal leader. “The response by children and villagers is excellent. The children come to the centre neat and clean,” adds Ms. Gita Pattnaik, teacher of the centre.

Earlier there was not an education facility available in the village. The nearest school is at Trilochanpur, five kilometer away from the village. “As forest comes in the way, it is risky to send our child to the school,” said Shringa Majhi. So, all of the children preferred to go to forest, rather than to schools. All the parents vow that they will send their children to primary schools, after completion of their education in child care centre.

Source: blog.vedantaaluminium.com

Vedanta Aluminium, Lanjigarh signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with District Administration of Rayagada and Vedanta Foundation on May 20, 2009 at Collector Residence Office, Rayagada to support 600 Anganwadi centres in five blocks of Rayagada district. The MoU for a project, named Bal Chetna program, was signed by Mr. Krushna Gopal Mohapatra, Collector, Rayagada; Dr. Mukesh Kumar, Chief Operating Officer, Vedanta Aluminium, Lanjigarh and Ms. S. Chaamundi, GM, Vedanta Foundation.

The project will cover all the Anganwadi centres in Muniguda, Bissamcuttack, Kolnara and Kesingpur block and 73% of the centres in Rayagada Block. All these centres cover about 30,000 children.

Children up to 2.5 years shall be given micro-nutrient supplement, where as children between 2.5 and six years will be given additional nutritional supplement along with the food provided by the Government, under ICDS program. Specialized training shall be conducted for the Anganwadi workers under the project to improve the pre-school education for the children. In order to make the Anganwadi centers more attractive, educational toys will also be given to each centre. Vedanta Foundation will be responsible for implementation of this program in the district.

Signing the MoU, Mr. Mohapatra said that the support would enhance the nutritional level of tribal children in the district. Dr Mukesh Kumar said, “In this tribal dominated area, nutritional level of children is below average. We are trying to make sure that through our Bal Chetna Project children get proper nutrition and care at the Anganwadi. This project will make the children healthy and happy and will increase their attendances in the Anganwadis”. As per the MoU, children in 139 Anganwadi centres in Muniguda block, 129 centres in Bissamcuttack block, 136 centres in Kolnara block, 115 centres in Kesingpur Block and 127 centres in Rayagada block of the district will be benefited in the project.

Mr. Samiron Sarkar, Head CSR; Ms. Sweta Upadhayay, Asst. Manager (CSR), Mr. Sanjay Sahoo, Asst Manager (PR) and Mr. BalaKrushna Rath, Project Head, Vedanta Foundation were also present during the MoU signing.

Presently, Vedanta is providing support to 400 Anganwadi centres in Kalahandi district, covering about 16000 children. Encouraged by the success of the program, the company extended the project to Rayagada district. The company has also been successfully operating 38 childcare centres with 1290 children in peripheral villages at Lanjigarh. The children are provided with free uniforms, nutritious mid-day meals, afternoon snacks at the childcare centres. ‘Bal Chetna Program’ is one of the Flagship program in the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities of Vedanta. The program is being implemented by Vedanta Foundation in partnership with local administration in Orissa, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan.

Source: Orissadiary.com