https://csim.in/conversations/CSIM_Conversations_May_2011.pdf

A group of children were playing in one of the bylanes at Bawana, a resettlement colony 20 kilometers away from main city of Delhi. Although the lanes were bordered with open drains, the stench did not seem to deter these children from play. While Nisha stood in the middle singing a song, the others went around her in a circular form. When she paused from singing, the rest formed groups of two or three based on her instructions. “This is how    they learn mathematics,” says    Sunny, coordinator, Navjyoti          India Foundation.

Navjyoti India Foundation, formerly known as Navjyoti Delhi Police Foundation, is a voluntary organisation formed under the leadership of Dr. Kiran Bedi IPS. Navjyoti has been running several interventions in the area of education, women empowerment, health care, vocational training, rural development, environment, and counseling besides others. 

 “There are around 70,000 families who live in Bawana and 3,000 children study in 102 Gali schools (bylane schools) and remedial education centres coordinated by Navjyoti. Most of these families have been relocated from Yamuna Pushta slums during 2004. The government having provided each family with only a barren piece of land measuring 18 square meters, the family had to construct their own tenement. As this community lacked access to basic services, Navjyoti started its work here,” adds Sunny. 

Gali Schools were started by Navjyoti to impart education at the child’s doorstep. These supplementary centres apart form offering regular tuitions also help in identifying the hidden talents of the children through its various skill building programs.. While some families offered their tenements to conduct the Gali School in the evenings, few schools are run in open terraces as well. There are 47 full-time teachers who teach in these schools. Besides education, children are also taught music and dance. 

Noor Syed, a past student of Gali School is now employed as a teacher here. She says: “I studied in Gali school for ten years and started working here after completing my tenth standard. I will be appearing for the 12 standard examinations next year and would like to continue working here.” 

The children are prompt in attendance as the teachers ensure that there are zero drop-out rates in their class. Play way method is used for teaching and besides education, children and also taught extra-curricular activities like music          and dance. 

“I am proud of my teacher. He is the best teacher I have ever had and I wish he teaches me every year. I have been studying in the Gali school for the past three years. My teacher encourages me a lot. I aspire to become a doctor and would like to say ‘thanks’ to all my teachers at Navjyoti,” says Neetu  a student.

At Bawana, Navjyoti also coordinates a health programme that is managed by two Allopathy and two Homeopathy doctors. It is learnt that the common ailment amongst the children is worm infection. Every child undergoes a health check up once in three months and they are sensitized on health and hygiene practices. Baseline and endline tests are conducted for each child and their hemoglobin levels are assessed. Iron fortified biscuits are provided by Britannia to over 2200 children who benefit from this programme, and vaccination is provided through Max India foundation for all these children.

Mobile health camps are organized to reach out to people living at Bawana industrial area and monthly health camps are also conducted in  Sir Gangaram hospital at Delhi. Besides, Navjyoti coordinates a family counseling centre to address issues such as domestic violence and family disputes. 

For over 22 years Navjyoti has been bringing children into the ‘school-fold’ through acceptable and need based programmes such as ‘Gali Schools’,’ Primary Schools’, mainstreaming them into municipal schools, and identifying the talented children for scholarships . Presently, Navjyoti coordinates 102 Gali schools and remedial education centres in 13 blocks of Bawana resettlement colony benefiting 3000 children. 

“We now dream to move on from Bylanes to Buildings, to bring all scattered education programmes under one roof, called Navjyoti Gurukul and let the model become replicable for those in similar situations,” says Dr. Kiran Bedi.

Navjyoti has launched a community college registered with IGNOU in June 2010 which offers certificate as well as diploma courses to the youth of the community around Bawana and Karala village. Amongst their vocational training programmes, computer training and spoken English have the highest enrollment rate. The college is equipped with computer labs and each class room is connected with multi media. “Navjyoti Community College (NJCC) aims to encourage the learners to reinforce their dreams in their heart and soul by providing a lifetime of learning to the diverse community it serves. We teach our students to be courageous, to overcome the impediments and barriers with integrity, and to rise above the challenges. Our education methodology focuses not only to produce competent students, but also compassionate and conscientious change-makers,” says Chandni, Principal Secretary, NJCC.

Navjyoti also focuses in the area of women empowerment. Till date, they have formed 100 Self-help groups that consist of 1,200 women belonging to 40 villages in Sohna block. Recently, they registered themselves as a federation under the Societies Act and have an elected President, Treasurer, and Secretary. “Women who were once illiterate are now empowered. The government schools are now approaching the federation to advocate with the government for providing infrastructure like tube wells and roads,” says Ujala, Head–Operations, Rural Development Programme.

All women self-help group members have a savings account with the Grameen bank and their defaulter rate is zero. Hailing from the farming community they have utilized the loans to purchase buffaloes or to set up small enterprises like cosmetic shops, and grocery shops. Some earn around Rs. 10,000 rupees a month as they have started to supplying goods in wholesale. 

“We are fortunate to have had the adulation and support of people all along. What keeps Navjyoti going is the genuine intention to make a meaningful change in the lives of those we serve and the zeal and enthusiasm to learn new things and implement them. The enduring support and belief of a lot of people, donors and friends has kept us going. It’s taken us a long time to reach where we are today, but I feel that this is just the beginning, ‘concludes Dr. Kiran Bedi.