short-term objectives of Bālāngan:
to
“mainstream” children who dropped out
of formal schooling by functioning as
a “bridge
school”
to develop
methods of pedagogy that minimize coercion, nurture creativity and
cooperative learning
to improve
health and nutritional conditions for girl children by provision of
regular balanced mid-day meals
to create
employment opportunities for adolescent girls through appropriate
vocational training
long-term
objectives
of Bālāngan:
to set up
more Bālāngans
in this region in coordination with the state's literacy programs
to create a
social awareness
of the importance of education and health among residents of urban
slums
to organize
local communities by strengthening local capacity building for
development
Bālāngan
is a place
where children
will interact freely without intimidation or corporal
punishment, and learn through play
where the
medium of instruction will be Chhattisgarhi
where
children
will also learn to read, write and speak Hindi and English and basic
math
where music,
drawing, painting, creative
writing,
or playacting will be actively used as teaching methods
where
learning is also through folk traditions of art, dance and
music
where developmental
needs of individual children will be addressed along with regular
health check-ups
where children
will become conscious of their individual and collective rights and
responsibilities
where a child
can cultivate her own interest in learning about
the
environment, geography, history, politics, and
sociology
where
training
programs will be
initiated to teach vocational skill such as library management,
photography or
any other skill that will generate an income or livelihood
Activities
The Bālāngan
is open from 8
a.m. until 6 p.m. six days of the week. Children come regularly and
remain for the entire day in the bālāngan. Three
women who are from the same neighborhood volunteer as teachers
at
the
bālāngan. After 3 p.m., the children of the local government
school join the children at the bālāngan to
learn music,
sketching, painting or playacting. Once a month, all bālāngan children
are
taken for a medical checkup. From time to time a
health
worker also visits the Bālāngan. Children are
regularly taken for a day-long study tour such as to
a botanical garden, a local dam, markets, exhibitions, or local
industries.
Mid-Day
Meals
In the first
quarter of Bālāngan's existence, it was
observed that many
children had lesions on their skin and
head, and some of them suffered from night-blindness. Local health and
medical
practitioners confirmed that this was due to the effects of
malnourishment
(many times due to lack of oil or sources of protein and vitamins in
the diet).
On January 4th,
2006, Bālāngan began to serve a mid-day meal to all children enrolled.
The meals were designed with the help of nutritionists and local
doctors who
worked with the Director of the bālāngan, Mr. Ajay T.G. For most
children at Bālāngan, the mid-day
meal is the
main meal of the day which currently consists of
rice,
lentils, vegetables and a glass of milk.
All expenses of Bālāngan are currently financed through individual contributions.
