Umang –Five Brickfield Schools

Let’s Bring back the School to the Child

“I never imagined that my child will be literate one day, because I do not stay at one place whole year that is why I cannot send my child to regular school; thanks to Turnstone Global and Atmik”. – Mother of a 7 year old girl from D.M.B. brickfield.

Umanga:
Brick Field School (BFS) had been started by Turnstone global with the help of local NGO Atmik in 2016. Since 2016 5 Umanga BFSs have been set up inside these brickfields names as INDIA, SUN,  D.M.B., R.N.S. and N.B.F in Hoogly district in West Bengal . Total 466 children from 2 years to 14 years are getting education at Chinsurah, Mogra Block of Hooghly District.

The brickfield workers and their families come to West Bengal mainly from the neighbouring states of Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha to work at different brick fields as seasonal which starts from November and ends in June every year . They spend six to eight months in West Bengal during that time

As a result their children never get a chance to go to school which bound them to remain illiterate for rest of their generation . Not only that gradually with time from very tender age they are being encouraged by their parents to become assistant of their parents in that brick field which turn them into child labour.

Objectives of the Project:

• To provide education to the unprivileged children of brick field labourers
• To provide nutrition to the children
• To protect children from child-labour
• To provide health and hygiene awareness to the children and the parents
• To provide primary health care to the mother and child
• To provide the underprivileged children with skill, care and scientific equipment
• To develop innovation and to utilize their potentials

Umanga BFSs is a place for learning, more importantly enjoyable learning for he children of Brickfield workers .  Here children always find an opportunity to develop their skills.  Every effort is made with caution and are being taken not to generate fear in mind of the children towards study.  At the same time, their academic progress in reasonable time period is always being taken into account.

Since their mother tongue is Hindi, our communication happens in Hindi. Apart from reading and writing in their own language, we teach them simple mathematic and life skills.

We do not start with the conventional method of alphabetical learning.  We start with the poems and stories; and then switch over to words which a child sees/observes around her. We strongly advocate activity based teaching method.  For the purpose we use a lot of alphabet cards, Matra cards, word cards, picture cards, etc. Similar approach is adopted with the number writing and arithmetical calculations.  Every effort is made to make the learning as enjoyable as possible.

Teaching learning material:

Children are provided with the education materials like books, slates, registers, pencils, etc. along with the educational toys which help efficiently in learning basic calculations and Hindi language.  They are also provided with the sports materials like football, flying disk, ring, skipping ropes, balls, etc

Apart from the academics we regularly conduct sports and drawing competition. All the children are being provided with adequate nutrition every day.

In association with Vitamin Angel to save them from blindness, malnutrition and worms, they are periodically being administered doses of Vitamin A and Tablet Albandazole in every six month as per WHO guidelines.

Training for the Teachers

We have teachers’ training workshops on every last Saturday of each month.  Matters ranging from the teaching methodology, use of supporting materials and educational toys, problems faced by the teachers at Umang BFSs are always being discussed and provide solution accordingly.

The goal is to empower of the present generation of migrant brickfield workers and their children so that their next generation can come out of this vicious cycle of vulnerability.

Story from the field
Know the Real Story of Suraj Das

Believe in Tomorrow
Together We can Make a Difference

NAME: SURAJ DAS, AGE-7 YEARS

Empower : Brickfield School

Migrating with parents from Nalanda – Bihar, this school is a ray of hope in Suraj’s hard life

Initially, he remained aloof from activities and shown minimal interaction with the teacher. After much effort from the teacher, gradually Suraj started making remarkable improvements.

Today, Suraj is not only attends his classes regularly, but ensures that his younger brothers also attend classes regularly.
Suraj dreams to attend a regular school when he goes back to his village in Nalanda.