Issue of education to the most deprived children engaged in selling articles/begging/roaming on the road is complex and it involves deep rooted complex layers of and utter social, cultural psychological, educational and economical backwardness of certain communities. Many of such families belong to backward and marginalized communities and within them, mostly are from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Vimukta Jatis (De-notified Castes) and Nomadic Tribes (VJ&NT) categories. Education of such kids is a herculean, time taking, costly and fraught with difficulties. This complex issue demands a holistic approach, addressing inherent and very deep-rooted social, cultural, psychological, educational, and economic backwardness and disparities of these communities. Our commitment is driven by the conviction that every child deserves access to quality education and a chance to thrive.
- One-on-one interactions with the parents of such children engaged in selling articles/begging/roaming on the road and their persistent and patient counselling;
- awareness and education campaigns on importance of education (especially girls); after establishing affectionate bonding with the targeted children and the families,
- motivating such children with love and by giving them uniforms, nutrition kits and education related material;
- motivating and rewarding the parents by giving them dresses, ration kits, etc. and also helping them during certain medical and other crises;
- achieving admission of such kids in residential schools, most preferably in Govt. or Govt-aided residential schools (आश्रमशाला);
- ensuring a safe and supportive environment, continuity in their education;
- safeguarding them from begging, child labour, exploitation; and ultimately helping them build a brighter future.
Simultaneously, also undertaking awareness and education campaigns on health, hygiene, and importance of family planning amongst such poor families.
Our Action Research Project extends beyond enhancing educational opportunities to advocating policies that comprehensively address the crucial need for rescue of these most vulnerable children in a holistic manner through education. And ensuring sustainable solutions for the future of these children.
1. Large number of families from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Vimukta Jatis (De-notified Castes) and Nomadic Tribes (VJ&NT) categories; and other most deprived migrate to big cities like Pune and Mumbai from different parts in search of livelihood. They live here in miserable conditions on open places available or under plastic shelter.
2. Subsistence and livelihood issues of such families are complex and interwoven in complex and extreme Social, Cultural, Psychological, Educational and Economic extreme backwardness. Some have fixed their territories while most of these families frequently change their place in search of livelihood through traditional occupations /practice like begging, playing the dombarya instrument, performing magic tricks, going from house to house with Nandi bulls for alms, entertaining by adorning different dresses and masks etc., for their daily meals and subsistence. They have innumerable problems including illiteracy, child marriage, no family planning, high mortality of children and pregnant women, abuse of adolescent girls, tobacco/ liquor/ drug, extreme poverty, hunger, superstitions, extreme unhygienic living conditions, children mostly engaged in begging or selling articles on road.
3. Most of these families change their location and despite best efforts and counselling, they resist sending their children to school. Consequently, we witness many such children engaged in begging or selling articles or roaming on the road in Pune and Mumbai city.
4. Convincing the parents of such children to prioritize education is challenging and extremely difficult. Even just establishing fruitful dialogue with them is extremely difficult. Most of the parents are entrenched in a cycle of dependency, relying on their children to beg or sell items for survival. Some are addicted to just sit and eat by engaging their children in begging or selling some articles. Series of counselling don’t impact their mind easily. After sustained efforts, even if one succeeds in getting the children admitted in residential schools, retention of such children in school is challenging.
1. Such families that were already living in dire straits in open places, under plastic shelter, got stuck up at certain places during Corona pandemic as these people were not able to go out, of their sheltering places, for earning any subsistence in that situation due to the lockdown related restrictions. It severely aggravated their hunger and crisis. They were starving and in need of our help.
2. “Sanchi Integration Association” (SIA) was established in Nov 2020, and during the pandemic of COVID-19, obviously, the immediate task and challenge before us was to provide relief to such neediest among the most marginalized and deprived groups during this period, post Covid first wave of pandemic and during the 2nd wave. We, through our newly established NGO remained on our toes and worked persistently and patiently and gave relief to such families during this crisis. This brought us closure as these families could see that our intensions are genuine and in their best interests.
3. To address the complex issue of education of such innocent and most deprived children, in a holistic manner; and to do policy advocacy to the government; we have been working on this action research project of education of such children very diligently.
4. Entry Point Activities: - Since inception of SIA in 2020, we have focused on this very important project. We remained on our toes and worked persistently and patiently and gave relief to such families during Covid. We took many drives, during Covid and post Covid period, and helped the most deprived vulnerable communities, staying in open or on roadside or under plastic shelter, and distributed large quantities of ration kits, cloths, blankets, mattresses and other essential relief material. In addition to providing relief to such families, we conducted educational sessions on COVID-19 safety measures and also organized education and awareness campaigns about the importance of family planning, health, hygiene, and education-especially for girls. For this Action Research project”, this was an entry point activity with an aim and clear objective of addressing the complex issue of education of such children.
5. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we had established strong connections and affectionate bonding with these families and their children through various entry point activities. We increased our interactions with one to one parent of such children and did our best possible counselling. Although it was extremely difficult, we worked diligently and encourage parents to enrol their children, particularly girls, to such Residential Government Schools instead of engaging them in begging, selling, etc. Through our repeated visits and interactions, we motivated such children by giving them uniform, nutrition kits and education related material and the parents by felicitating them and giving them dresses, ration kits, etc. reinforcing our commitment to supporting the entire family while promoting education as a pathway to a better future.
6. Simultaneously, we continued awareness and education campaigns on importance of education (especially girls), family planning, health and hygiene amongst such poor families staying under plastic shelter in open or on roadside.
7. Since most of these families change their location and despite best efforts and counselling, they resist sending their children to school. Post covid, we worked on this action research project of education of such children more vigorously. Admission of these innocent kids, in residential schools, time being appears the only solution to protect them from begging and working. Therefore, we strived hard to get admissions of such kids most preferably in Govt. or Govt-aided Residential schools (आश्रमशाला) or the institutes having residence facilities. Presently, this appears the only way that can provide a safe and supportive environment and ensure continuity of their education, ultimately safeguarding them from begging, child labour, exploitation.
8. We continued working on this project during 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25 (2024 academic session) more enthusiastically, and increased our one-on-one interactions with parents providing persistent and patient counselling. Through persistent and patient counselling, we built trust and motivated children by repeatedly providing them:
- Uniforms,
- Nutrition kits,
- Educational materials, toys, etc.
- Hygiene material.
With an aim to motivate more and more such families and get their willing support to send their kids to schools during next academic session, we kept increasing our one-on-one interactions with the parents and kept supporting the parents by felicitating them and providing them with essential basic items like clothing, ration kits, medical aid etc., kept gifting them new clothes, blankets, mattresses, sweet boxes, etc. during various festivals particularly Diwali, 15th August, 26th January, and certain family occasions including birthdays of the targeted children.
9. As usual, we also continued with our awareness and education campaigns on importance of education (especially girls), family planning, health and hygiene amongst such poor families. We also continued motivating such children by gifting them uniforms, nutrition kits and education related material and rewarded the parents by giving them dresses, ration kits, etc.
1. Most of the parents of such begging children don't have basic documents, particularly the birth/age certificates, AADHAR of their children to join schools. In absence of these basic documents, it was not possible to get their admissions in schools. Despite many difficulties, we kept working persistently and patiently; did a series of counselling, convinced the parents to join us for the documentation process to Govt. hospitals, ADHAAR registration centres, for affidavits of parents etc. We did a lot of fieldworks and procured necessary documents to obtain age certificates and AADHAAR registrations of identified children. After obtaining required documents, we organized many visits of the parents and their kids to government residential schools for showing them the schools, residential facilities available there; and ensuring the families understand the opportunity. This was all to get their willing support for long term basis. Lastly, with lots of efforts involving series of counselling sessions, field works, documents procurement, visits, etc. our dedicated efforts led to:
It was a herculean, time taking, costly and tough task. However, we succeeded to some extent.
2. We found that despite such dedicated efforts and getting enrolled such children in residential schools, soon many dropped out and returned to begging or selling articles on road. Hence, despite these achievements, the challenge remained. We maintained our patience and persistently kept interacting and motivating each and every parent of such school dropped out children and continued our best possible counselling and convincing them to resend their kids. We thoroughly interacted with the dropped out children, their parents and the school staff and found out the reasons behind such setback, and returning of such children to their previous lives on the roads and streets. Undeterred, we continued counselling and motivation, successfully re-enrolling only 4 children out of the 212 dropouts.
3. We have been organizing visits for new parents-those not previously covered—to government residential schools, encouraging and motivating them to get mentally prepared for admitting their children in Residential Schools in the upcoming academic session. Throughout this process, we consistently distributed uniforms, nutrition kits, and educational materials to these newly targeted children and felicitated the parents by providing them with dresses, ration kits etc. Through our persistent efforts, we have successfully obtained AADHAR cards and age certificates for significant number of children.
4. We are working persistently and patiently; continuing our Awareness campaigns on family planning, health & hygiene among such families; campaigns on importance of education (especially girls) of such most deprived children
5. It has been an uphill journey—time-consuming, resource-intensive, and filled with setbacks, but with moments of progress.
6. With a commitment to keep working tirelessly, persistently and patiently through this ambitious and long-time action research project, we are bound to achieve some progress in educating such innocent and most deprived children.
1. We have undertaken this Action Research project on “Education for the most Deprived Children engaged in selling articles/begging/roaming on the Road”, as it is complex and it involves deep rooted complex layers of and utter social, cultural psychological, educational and economical backwardness of certain communities.
2. It targets the families belong to backward and marginalized communities and within them, mostly are from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Vimukta Jatis (De-notified Castes) and Nomadic Tribes (VJ&NT) categories. Education of such kids is a herculean, time taking, costly and fraught with difficulties.
3. This is targeted to resolve the complex issue that demands a holistic approach, addressing inherent and very deep-rooted social, cultural, psychological, educational, and economic backwardness and disparities of these communities.
4. It is driven by the conviction that every child deserves access to quality education and a chance to thrive.
5. We have selected this target area as it needs urgent interventions for social, educational and economic justice, and livelihood support to the families from the most deprived and marginalized families from the above communities.
6. We are consistently establishing and maintain our strong connections and affectionate bonding with these families and their children through various activities including persistent and patient counselling; awareness and education campaigns on importance of education (especially girls); motivating such children with love and by giving them uniforms, nutrition kits and education related material; motivating and rewarding the parents by giving them dresses, ration kits, etc. and also helping them during certain medical and other crises.
7. We are consistently awakening their self-respect by reminding the parents of such children the teachings of great social reformers, main cause of their miseries in spite of constitutional provisions and the government facilities for their communities.
8. We are ensuring active participation and willing support of the parents and the children and the school administration to achieve success.
9. We are trying to introduce and undertaking skill development trainings of women from these families to enable them to become self-reliant and earn their livelihood.
10. We are undertaking various women empowerment and community welfare activities, initiatives for cleanliness, health, and hygiene for women and adolescent girls.
11. We are undertaking education and awareness campaigns on importance of education (especially girls), family planning, health and hygiene amongst such poor families.
12. We are practising one-on-one interactions with the parents of such children engaged in selling articles/begging/roaming on the road and their persistent and patient counselling.
13. We are motivating such children with love and by giving them uniforms, nutrition kits and education related material, and motivating and rewarding the parents by giving them dresses, ration kits, etc. and also helping them during certain medical and other crises.
14. We are dealing with their other problems like illiteracy, child marriage, family planning, abuse of adolescent girls, tobacco/ liquor/ drug, extreme superstitions, unhygienic living conditions, and persistently undertaking relevant education and awareness campaigns to bring them out of such evils.
15. We are persistently undertaking relevant education and awareness campaigns for family planning, cleanliness, health, and hygiene for women and adolescent girls.
16. We are ensuring admission of these kids, in residential schools, to not only protect them from begging and working. But also, to provide them a safe and supportive environment and continuity of their education, ultimately safeguarding them from begging, child labour, exploitation.
17. We are dealing with many tough parents whose minds are not impacted despite of series of counselling, they are entrenched in a cycle of dependency, relying on their children to beg or sell items for survival, addicted to just sit and eat by engaging their children in begging or selling some articles.
18. We are also documenting the social, cultural, psychological, educational, and economic backwardness and disparities of these communities. Many of our observations are eye opener and very important from the point of view of liberation of these kids and the families from such misery. We will recommend based on the facts and findings through this instant Action Research Project.
19. We are ensuring that the targeted children are medically examined and treated properly before they are admitted to the boarding schools. We have arranged for the treatment of many such children.
20. We are ensuring that the other family members of such targeted families get medical aid through our support. On many occasions we are also resolving certain conflicts within the families.
21. We are focusing on long term impacts and benefits of such children, instead of aspiring for short term results.
22. We are organizing visits of the parents to the government residential schools, encouraging and motivating them to avail the opportunity.
23. Through our persistent efforts, we are obtaining the age certificates, AADHAR cards, etc. for the targeted children.
24. We are aiming that, based on our experiences, findings and recommendations; our actions can be replicated, thereby eradicating the heinous scenes where such innocent deprived children are engaged in selling articles / begging / roaming on the road.
25. We never dissociate from the kids who are getting education on our initiative. We are maintaining our relations, and affectionate bonding with these kids and their families and keeping watch the children enrolled in residential schools, don’t drop out and return to begging or selling articles on road.
1. This complex issue demands a holistic approach, addressing inherent and very deep-rooted social, cultural, psychological, educational, and economic backwardness and disparities of these communities.
2. This is an issue that involves complex layers of and utter social, cultural, psychological, educational and economical backwardness of these communities. Many of these families belong to backward marginalized communities and within them, most of them are from SC, ST, VJNT categories. Education of such most deprived children, engaged in begging or selling articles on the road, from such backward communities, is a herculean, time taking, costly and fraught with difficulties.
3. Such communities live in darkness under temporary plastic cover and quite a large number of children are engaged in selling some articles or begging or roaming at traffic signals. These fleeting families are far away from the mainstream.
4. Our goal is not only to enhance their educational opportunities but also to do policy advocacy to the government that addresses this complex issue of education of such children, in a holistic manner.
5. Our Action Research Project extends beyond enhancing educational opportunities to advocating policies that comprehensively address the crucial need for rescue of these most vulnerable children in a holistic manner through education. And ensuring sustainable solutions for the future of these children.
1. Rescue of many deprived children engaged in selling articles/begging/roaming on the road.
2. Education of many deprived children engaged in selling articles/begging/roaming on the road.
3. Awareness and education on importance of education (especially girls), family planning, health and hygiene amongst such poor families.
4. Procurement of necessary documents like age certificates and AADHAARs of the identified children.
5. Active participation and willing support of the parents and the children and the school administration to achieve success.
6. Livelihood supports through skill development trainings of women from these families.
7. Women empowerment and community welfare through the initiatives of cleanliness, health, and hygiene for women and adolescent girls.
8. Medical examination and treatment of the targeted children.
9. Medical examination and treatment of certain family members of such targeted children.
10. Development of faiths of these parents in the government residential schools, and their encouragement and motivation to avail the opportunity.
11. Enhancing opportunities to rescue of these most vulnerable children in a holistic manner through education.
12. Development and maintenance of relations, and affectionate bonding with the genuine NGOs, who ensure their benefits in long run through education. (We have observed that they come in contact with many such NGOs who are working under the garb of education to such children, but either they don’t succeed, or their intentions are for figures rather than working genuinely for a long run. Because of such instances, many of such parents have lost their faith in NGOs working in this field.)
13. Admission of these innocent kids, in residential schools, will not only protect them from begging and working, but also, provide them a safe and supportive environment and continuity of their education, ultimately safeguarding them from begging, child labour, exploitation.
14. Resource and facility utilization provided by the government without any additional financial burden on the govt.
15. Community mobilization to deal with their problems like illiteracy, child marriage, family planning, abuse of adolescent girls, tobacco/ liquor/ drug, extreme superstitions, unhygienic living conditions, etc.
16. Social, educational and economic justice, and livelihood support to these families from the most deprived and marginalized communities.
17. This project focuses on long term impacts and benefits of such children, instead of aspiring for short term results. To address the complex issue of education of such innocent and most deprived children, in a holistic manner; and to do policy advocacy to the government; we have been working on this action research project of education of such children very diligently. We are creating kinds of model, so that similar activities can be replicated at other schools. We are confident that, based on our experiences, findings and recommendations; our actions could be replicated, thereby eradicating the heinous scenes where such innocent deprived children are engaged in selling articles / begging / roaming on the road.
18. Support to the conviction that every child deserves access to quality education and a chance to thrive-One of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a global agenda.
We are committed to the cause of ‘Harmonious Co-existence’.
1. Humans must develop a constant awareness of caring for natural objects, at least for our own existence. By nature, animals are intellectually inferior to human beings, but this distinction holds true only as long as humans use their wisdom and uphold moral standards for their survival—let alone for happiness and good health. However, driven by a misconception of their superiority, humans often attempt to overpower other organisms. This misconception has been placing a big question mark on maintaining our health, happiness, and ultimately, our existence.
2. To establish a sustainable co-existence and harmonious co-existence, in biodiversity, morality matters a lot. If someone harms or cuts a tree, even for genuine reasons or necessities, they must acknowledge that this act has led to the loss of a vital source that absorbs a significant part of carbon emissions from factories, industries and other sources. Such acts must be accompanied by replanting and nurturing new trees. Therefore, harmonious co-existence demands not only genuine interpersonal relationships but also honest interactions between humans and nature.
3. When human beings—superior to other organisms—adopt the wrong approach, it becomes impossible to maintain harmony, happiness, and peace in the system due to their dominating tendencies. Obviously, good physical and mental health, peace and happiness, and prosperity cannot be expected in such societies. Therefore, human beings have the responsibility to establish peaceful co-existence with nature and their fellow beings.
4. It is very important and urgent that we must use our intelligence to foster ‘living together’, which also implies co-residence and a harmonious life. Living together means the network of relationships in which we live. A system in which we are supposed to generally interact with other living beings, requires some basic principles and disciplines to institute a harmonious existence. It is possible only if there is cooperation. It is impossible to sustain in a society without cooperation. For our own harmonious sustenance, we must set aside and sacrifice much of our egocentric ideals. Unfortunately, because of ignorance and the unrestrained desire for ‘ease, comfort, selfishness, profit-making’; we are continuously harming natural life-supporting systems and interpersonal trust.
5. SIA's logo is based on the above fundamental principles of the Law of Nature, the supreme law on our planet. SIA, short for Sanchi Integration Association, features a highly endangered bird, the Great Indian Bustard (GIB), at its centre and the most important phrase “Coexist Harmoniously” at the bottom. The GIB is at the apex of the grassland ecology. The GIB is at the apex of the grassland ecosystem, on which many species, including humans, depend directly or indirectly for survival. The existence of the GIB is a reflection of the harmony between humans and nature. Peace, happiness, and prosperity are natural by-products of our harmonious co-existence with nature and fellow beings. This theme is central to our mission, and our logo embodies this vision with the GIB and the phrase “Coexist Harmoniously.”
6. Nature, defined as the original form of anything and everything without human intervention, is equivalent to the Sanskrit word Prakriti and the Pali word Pakati. Pakati also refers to habit, as in the expression “human-nature”. These terms convey two interconnected ideas: material nature and natural law. For our survival and existence, it is imperative that we use our wisdom to understand and respect the basic principles and rule of law of nature. Humans have severely damaged their own life-support systems and have polluted the air, soil, water, and peace. This damage has reached an almost irreversible stage, endangering our very existence. Therefore, it is urgent and essential to take every possible action to improve the environment, conserve biodiversity, and promote peace by embracing the principle of harmonious co-existence.