A barefoot toddler naked from the waist downchases two goats through the narrow lanes of Lamani Colony wielding a stick in his little hands. Animal droppings dot the way and numerous flies hover around. The lanes are a hub of activity with women cleaning fish, children playing, washed clothes hung on lines swaying in the breeze and roosters and cats on the prowl for the next snack. Rows of small houses line both sides of these lanes, most of them without toilet facilities.
Located just beyond this slum, the Kiran Niketan School and Social Centre run by the Holy Family Sisters offers a ray of hope in the lives of the people of Lamani Colony and the two other slum areas of Zuarinagar.
A mere glance at the school feels like a breath of fresh air from the polluted surroundings. The clean open ground in front of this primary school must appear like an invitation to the students to run around and play. Sr. Berna Rodrigues, Manager of the Kiran Niketan School says that every week one class is given the responsibility of maintaining cleanliness on campus to instill values in the young minds.
The school is open to all students and takes special attention to make sure that no child is denied education. The sisters occasionally take rounds through the slum areas during the morning hours to see if any child is not enrolled in school and accordingly provide assistance.
The school is equipped with a computer lab with internet connection, audio-visual room, smart class and a hall, some facilities have been made possible due to the contribution of benefactors. Sr. Berna adds, “I want to do something for these children so that they get everything that an elite school would give them.”
And she definitely does everything in her means to better the children’s lives. She plans to develop a football ground so that a centre can be opened by the Goa Football Development Council to train the youngsters in the sport. Even during the vacation, the students are kept busy with summer and winter camps.
However, Sr. Berna feels the need for volunteers to teach the children music and dance so that they are offered an alternate career option. She also gets emotional when talking about the need for a school bus since many students have to travel through the overcrowded main road to reach the campus.
The slums of Zuarinagar are mainly inhabited by migrants from different parts of India who come to Goa in search of a better future. The males are usually involved in seasonal work on daily wages or are employed in factories. Less importance is given to girl children and women. Most girls are forced to drop-out of school to look after younger siblings or take care of domestic chores and many are given in marriage at a very early age.
“I feel for the struggle the girls and women go through, when they share their problems with me, and I want to lift them up to their deserved status,” says Sr. Phileshin D’Souza, Directress of the Kiran Niketan Social Centre.
The social centre was started in 1986 under the helm of Sr. Mary Jane. It had its humble beginnings in a small room where nursery, KG classes and tuition classes for weaker students were held. Sisters used to also go visiting families living in the slums. Faced with the need for a school, the school was opened in 1995 at its present location. Later, the social centre also started functioning from the same building.
Tailoring classes are given free of cost at the social centre to teenage girls and women in need to empower them with a skill. Learning cutting and stitching involves a six month course while embroidery takes an additional three months. On the completion of the course, they join the already existing Tailoring Income Generation Group. Whenever the social centre gets any orders, these women are called and are thus able to earn an income. Sr. Phileshin says that the social centre welcomes orders for making paper bags, cloth bags, envelopes and related items to help the women stand on their feet. Two self-help groups are also registered at the centre.
A girls’ group meets once a month where awareness about child abuse, sexual abuse as well as the value of women is raised among the teenage girls.
A tuberculosis awareness program is conducted once every fifteen days in a different area of Zuarinagar. Containers are given to people suspected of having the disease in order to collect sputum for testing. Those tested positive for tuberculosis are kept on TB-DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment) and come to the dispensary at the social centre regularly for the treatment.
Tuition classes are given at the social centre in the evening for weak students from the surrounding area. Known as ‘Bal Gurukul’, it is an after-school program sponsored by the Indian Development Foundation. A Non-Residential Special Training Centre supported by Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is also set up at Kiran Niketan which caters to children up to 14 years of age who have never attended school or have dropped out. Basics are taught to these students to bring them up to their class level.
The Kiran Niketan School and Social Centre as its name suggests definitely brings a ray of light in the lives of the people it serves. Sister Berna sums it up beautifully by saying, “I feel blessed to be able to serve the poorest of the poor. For in return you may not get a gift, but you definitely get love.”
For further details contact: Kiran Niketan School – 9545409856
Kiran Niketan Social Centre – 8975723981
