Atmashakti Trust is an organization working for socio-economic and political empowerment of the most marginalized communities. Founded in 1995 with a broad mandate to support a mix of development initiatives in rural areas as well as urban slums, Atmashakti is now engaged in a long term mission to bring the benefits of government programms to the poorest of the poor with a focus on Livelihood and food security, Sustainable agriculture, Health, women rights and gender equality, Education, Disaster intervention and community-centered empowerment initiatives through training and capacity building, leadership development and mentorship, Sangathan building, research, advocacy, campaign and communications based on a rights-based framework. Because we truly believe that none of us can truly rest as long as poverty, injustice and inequality persist in our society.
Together with our allies' peoples' collectives i.e. Odisha Shramajeebee Manch (OSM), Mahila Shramajeebee Manch, Odisha (MSMO) and Sonbhadra Vikash Sangathan (SVS), supporters and communities, we seek to see a society where equality and social justice for all prevails. Therefore, we facilitate the process of empowerment of people to take actions to realize their rights and entitlements. Atmashakti started its works in Odisha, one of the backward states situated in eastern part of India and northern state of Uttar Pradesh in the year of 2009 with the broad objectives of creating awareness on rights and entitlements among the most marginalized rural community with an emphasis on Adivasis and Dalits. We facilitate the formation of rural level Sangthans who then take up various issues that concern them, to resolve.
Our Vision
We envision a world without poverty, inequality, injustice and patriarchy and where everyone enjoys the right to life with dignity.
Our Mission
Our mission is to reach out to 8 million underprivileged families in the poorest states. We strive to work in solidarity with the poor, marginalized and other excluded communities to bring about systemic and social change to defeat poverty, inequality, discrimination, patriarchy and social injustice.
Context
The closure of 1.5 million schools due to the pandemic and lockdowns in 2020 has impacted 247 million children enrolled in elementary and secondary schools. In addition, there are over six million girls and boys who were already out of school even before the COVID-19 crisis began. Globally, schools for more than 168 million children have been completely closed for almost a full year (UNICEF). After a few months of the lockdown, India moved to online learning as an emergency measure. Virtual platforms such as WhatsApp, YouTube, Television, Video demonstrations, etc. were used to continue children’s schooling. The Government of Odisha also launched Sikshasampark Karyakram (http://osepa.odisha.gov.in/) without much success in imparting education. Schools for Class 10th and 12th were opened for a few months with lots of restrictions, but with the second wave of COVID-19 in March 2021, all schools closed again. The students are promoted to the next grade without any proper examination.
The alternative models adopted by central and state governments have not yielded desired results of lack of access to online education methods which can be ascertained from following stats:
- According to the report of Mission Antyodaya, a nationwide survey of villages conducted by the Ministry of Rural Development in 2017-’18, only 24% of Indians own a smartphone, and only 11% of households possess any type of computer.
- The report of the National Sample Survey on Education (2017-18) revealed that the internet facility is available to only 24% of Indian households. While 66% of people in our country live in villages, only 15% of them have access to internet services.
- As per the report in The Times of India dated 13th June 2020, a survey of 23 states among school children (grades 1 to 12) conducted in April 2020 found that only 43.9 percent of them have access to smartphones. Another 43.9 percent of them have access to basic phones, while a significant 12.0 percent do not have access to either smartphones or basic phones.
Apart from that, the lack of a favorable study environment, access to electronic devices, and interrupted electric supply, unaffordability of internet fees is a few more challenges for learning. The condition of our intervention state i.e Odisha is no different from national scenario:
- Out of around 60 lakhs elementary school students, only 22 lakhs accessed online education provided by the state government.
- Students from rural and backward sections have been deprived of educational engagement since March 2020 as they cannot provide private tutors in the villages as people remain unemployed for a long time due to covid restrictions.
- As per the report of UNICEF, to date in India, only eight states/UTs have opened all classes from class 1 to class 12; 11 states have reopened classes 6-12, and 15 states have only opened classes 9-12.
From the above statistics it is clear that children from rural and backward communities in India have suffered hugely during covid in terms of access to education which resulted in their learning outputs
Goals
We propose to create a supplementary model of teaching rural masses through encouraging volunteerism among the rural educated youth called the model “Mo Chatashalee”. These will be remedial classes for students to bridge the learning gap among them induced by the closure of the school. We are making 1000 Model Mo Chatashalee centers for the demonstration to prove that longevity and quality education is possible.
Rationale of the Model
- The age of primary education is crucial for the psycho-sociological growth of children. Its foundation for academic success in a higher level of education is made at the primary level. More than a year is lost for children. Due to the closure of schools, the learning outcomes of children are negatively impacted. Children are deprived of growth and development. The literacy gain is slower due to closure. If we do not act now, the loss will be irreparable.
- Children and adolescents will likely experience high rates of depression and anxiety long after the current lockdown and social isolation. According to the review published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, lonely young people might be as much as three times more likely to develop depression in the future than others, and the impact of loneliness on mental health could last for at least 9 years. It’s time we engage children without further delay in educational activities to avoid loneliness and ensure social assimilation.
- There have been media reports that children have been pushed through domestic work, and farm work and subject to violence during the lockdown period. The incidence of child marriage is also being reported in various rural parts. Educational engagement is necessary to ensure child rights and protect them from atrocities.
- The Government and local authorities have been engaged in tackling the health emergency. The focus on future generations has shifted to saving lives and ensuring livelihood.
- Children and adolescents are more vulnerable to mental health issues because they cannot comprehend the entirety of a situation nor fully communicate their feelings to adults. This vulnerability was heightened as the pandemic disrupted their normal lives, deprived them of schooling, and, concomitantly, opportunities for socialization and physical activities.
Stakeholders
Students: the students from the remote areas who are deprived from basic education are our primary stakeholders.
Parents: The parents from socio-economic and educationally weaker sections of the society will be another primary stakeholder. They will be helpful in mobilizing the children to attend schools
Volunteer teachers: The village youth, college going students, retired teachers, students from different education institutions, village educated seniors are key stakeholders who will be teaching the students voluntarily.
Education Department: The grass root level executives of elementary education departments like Teachers, Community Resource Coordinators, Block Resource Coordinators etc.
The quality education status will be improved with collective efforts from the corporate, community, and social organizations by establishing 1000 model Chatashalee for demonstration.
The learning gap among 15000 students in 1000 Mo Chatashalee will be reduced by bringing equitable learning outcomes for rural children.
The set of 2000 volunteers among the college students, youth, migrant laborers, women, and village-educated elders from the 13 remotest districts of odisha are identified and trained.
The State Government of odisha is made accountable for ensuring quality education through special initiative for remedial classes in all the 56000 schools covering more than 6 million students in it.
The learning’s from this model initiative would be used for policy advocacy changes nationally as well internationally.
To establish Chatashalee as a scalable/replicable supplementary education model in remote locations especially in the 17 remotest districts.
The primary stakeholders in education like parents, teachers, community members, school management members, government departments and policy makers are engaged in a collective manner.
The Chatashalees’ are established as a knowledge hub for rural children to access various life skill-related programs and sports activities as lots of reading material, sports item will be available at Chatashalee.
The skill development of 2000 odd volunteer teachers, teaching aid, tools and others for overall growth of their personality.
The project horizon will one year. The quarterly evaluation will be conducted to measure the progress against the set deliverables. Moreover, if the involved team feels that some portions of the deliverables are still pending, the project time may be enhanced for one more quarter.
