Supplementary Class to FSW’s Children by MSDS TI, Vellore

“Whenever I am called to attend Parents meeting I get scared as every time I feel ashamed to get scolded in front of other parents”, Selvi a FSW HRG of Vellore district

“Leaving an adolescent girl alone at home during evening hours is really painful for me, but no other way as I have to earn for my children. I could not concentrate on their education, only thing I could give is food. I do this work only for my children but every night I feel guilty and fear of my children’s future especially my girl, what will she be? Definitely not it to my profession “, Monika a FSW HRG of Vellore district

These are the voices which disturbed me the most and while coming back from field their unheard voices intruded deeply in my thoughts and laid a platform for thinking about the children of FSWs. Sex work is not chosen by them, they have no other go as their marriage are broken and in major lives with their partners who are not father to their children. In some cases they fear to leave their girls along with their partners. When they share about their boys their agony is nothing less than that of their girl children as many become school dropouts and join with such folks and get yield to peer pressure and starts doing unlawful activities.

I discussed this with Ms. Jacintha, Project Director of the NGO MSDS who implements the Targeted Intervention programme among these women in Vellore district. The NGO was then writing proposal, in the initiative of implementing livelihood activities for slum dwellers through another partner Manos Unidas. I suggested the Project director to use this opportunity and include supplementary classes for slum children thereby the anguish of FSWs can be addressed. The proposal was re designed and tuition centre for slum children was proposed as one of the activity with an idea of admitting the children of FSW in tuition centres.

The TI staff were asked to collect details of FSW’s children in the age group of 5 to 14 and it was found that children in this age group are more in four blocks namely Vellore, Katpadi, Gudiyatham and wallajah. They were studying in government schools from 1^st standard to 8^th Standard. Programme Manager was asked to visit those areas and identify where they live in clusters. Such residential areas were found out and finalized.

Teachers for these tuition centres were recruited from the slum itself who are either graduates or college going girls. With all necessary arrangements the supplementary school aiming to provide additional educational support for children who are attending mainstream schools was started during April 2019.

It was vacation time and the NGO was suggested to conduct life skill education to the children in the age group of 11 to 14 as it is very essential for them to develop cope up mechanisms to face their adolescent period. For this it was decided to involve the TI staff as they will handle the session with responsibility and passion as they know the majority children are of HRGs and the trauma the children facing in their life.

The TI Programme Manager, Counsellor and two Outreach workers were trained on the following life skills.

• Problem solving

• Decision Making

• Critical Thinking

• Creative Thinking

• Communication Skills

• Self – Awareness

• Stress Management

• Empathy

• Interpersonal Relationship

After the training the TI staff conducted life skill education for three days in the four tuition centres. The life skill training was conducted with the significance of making the children to be able to explore alternatives, weigh pros and cons, make rational decisions, communicate effectively, able to say No and be assertive.

After school reopened regular hours were fixed in the evening, in two centres from 5 pm to 7 pm and in other two centres from 6pm to 8 pm. The children were made to complete their home works, cleared with their doubts, spoken English was taught and everyday each one is encouraged to tell a moral story.

TI PM and concerned outreach workers visits often to the tuition centres and keep the children encouraged.

These tuition centres are running successfully and completed one year. Each tuition centres comprises of one teacher and 35 children and among them 20 are children of HRGs and altogether in the 4 centres 80 children of HRGs are benefitted.

Now HRGs like Selvi, Monika have lot to share with us

“Now I go to the Parents meeting with curiosity as I get many positive comments about my son, he speaks English, disciplined and behaves in a healthy manner, now he is in 7^th standard and says he will become a sportsman and takes care of me” says Selvi

“I don’t have fear of leaving my girl at home as she is safe in the tuition centre, she won a price in elocution competition conducted in her school and she is confident and happy now, I too decided for alternate source of income and has joined in the tailoring class conducted by MSDS in my area”, says Monica

Documented by

R.Sheela Priyadharsini

PO TSU