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SWIRD (Society for Women in Rural Development) is a social development NGO focusing on women self-help groups, education, and various community programs. Learn about their impactful work in rural West Bengal. Seeking funding for expanding pre-primary schools. Site visit report details challenges and successes in delivering education to underprivileged children. 8
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SWIRD(Society for Women in Rural Development) Asha SF Kriti Modi July 30th, 2009
Overview SWIRD (Society for Women in Rural Development) Social Development NGO established in 1991. Run by a group of rural women especially housewives Aim: to initiate sustainable development of people in a comprehensive manner to become self-reliant. Focus areas: women self-help groups with some economic activities, savings and micro credit programs, leadership development for women, community health awareness, environment protection and pollution control, various issues affecting social development, relief assistance etc.
Education Related Activities Run 10 pre-primary schools (Balwadi centers) in remote rural belt in West Bengal, to support elementary education for the poor children. Children are provided basic education to make them habituated to school atmosphere, prepare them for admission in primary schools. Currently approx. 300 children enrolled; age group 3-5. Children belong to lower income families, parents are farmers or laborers. Schools run either under community sheds or teachers’ houses or open spaces. At present, 10 teachers and 2 other staff. Asking for funding for all 10 schools. Want to expand to 40 students per school.
Site Visit Report • Site Visit completed on June 8th, 2009 by Yatendra Kumar Singh • Visited 5 out of 10 schools run by SWIRD • Bhogpur Saradomayee Balwadi Center had 15 students aged 2 to 5. • Students recited poems and narrated stories, displayed good knowledge of numbers and English alphabets, Bengali language • Currently school has had to decline accepting students due to shortage of space. • Run in a very small space provided by a villager in his house, can barely accommodate 15 students.
Kishorchawk Kalpana Chawla Balwadi Center is run in a bamboo makeshift hut on a roadside land temporarily donated by the village panchayat. • School has around 30 students. • Had an 8 year old since parents could not afford to send him to a regular school. • Difficult to run during Rains • 3rd school visited was Kodalia Gandhiburi Balwadi Center. • This school is housed in a small room in a villager’s house, has over 20 students. • Students were taught Bengali alphabets using plastic molded letters. • Wall used for writing since blackboard fell into pieces recently.
Fourth school visited was Nandaigajan Ayesha Balwadi Center. • School run under open sky. • Has around 25 students. • 5th school visited was Bardarbar Sitala Balwadi Center. • School was running under the shade of a banyan tree. • In all schools, students sit on floor mats or plastic sheets. • Also visited a small piece of land procured by SWIRD for an office building. • Currently, SWIRD is managed from the house of one of its members.
For Pictures, please visithttp://picasaweb.google.com/kritimodi/SWIRD#
