Borewell recharge-steps

Kitchen waste_compost

http://df-fellowship.blogspot.com/2010/07/alumni-of-week-9-shahina-sulthana.html

compost collected in bag

Mr. Vishwanth holding compost (from human waste) in hands

Human feaces are considered as waste and creating nuisence in the developing courtreis. But Ecosan toilet technology converts feaces into fertiliser which can be utilised in agricuture/gardening. The photos uploaded here are taken during inauguation of Ecosan toilet filled pit at Nagasandra village, Doddaballapur Taluk, Bengaluru Rural District. The toilet constructed by Mythri (MSSS), an NGO based in Bengaluru. Mr. Rosario pioneer of MSSS, Mr. Vishwanath and professor from GKVK, Bengaluru were present during the pit opening ceremony.

Opening ceremony of ecosan toilet compost pit

Opened Compost pit

About the organisation: MSSS( Mythri Sarva Seva Samithi), Bangalore (1987) is a registered, nonprofit organization involved with urban poor and waste related environmental issues. It works with waste picking groups and has specialized in urban poverty alleviation and integrated sustainable waste management. MSSS has nearly two decades of experience in pioneering number of innovative initiatives locally and nationally and is a well-known leader in the subcontinent on the subject. Starting work with waste picking families, further MSSS has developed expertise in Health and hygiene education, ecological sanitation, neighborhood cleanliness through community participation, decentralized approach to waste management with the integration of waste pickers, small enterprise development and development of low income communities. Other working areas of MSSS are schooling for vagrant children (PPC), medical care and skill training for street children, housing, sanitation; self help group promotion, micro credit programme for the poor, networking and child rights activism. 1 Pre Primary Education Centre (PPC) i) The Begin: Pre Primary Education is one of the programmes of MSSS, run in one of the branch offices, located in J.C. Road, in the heart of the Bangalore city. In this location MSSS is working in five slums namely Cement Huts, Vyamshala, Gurrappa Garden, Vinobhanagar and Corporation Colony since more than 20 years. Although these slums are named separately, they are located in the same place as a package. There are about 550 houses with about 2800 population. Majority of the families are predominant waste pickers and some families are engaged in domestic services and small scale business. The condition of the families is in such a way that both husband and wife has to work to earn to feed their family. There is no anganwadi/crush so that parents leave their kids in a secured place during their working hours. So three options are left for parents, that is: Firstly, leaving child alone at home which is insecure, nobody will be at home to take care of child. Secondly, leaving child in relatives’ care, but this is very rare, because very less women stay at home. Thirdly, asking older child (preferably female child) to take care of younger kid. The child has to stay at home leaving school to take care of younger brother/sister. This results in discontinuation of his/her education. These situations results in increase in number of drop out children. The effect of options mentioned above has direct impact on child. That is lack of nourishment in the growth of child, in aspect of health, hygiene, nutrition and education. Parents pay very less attention to think on these aspects. They least bother about giving money to children, but do not think what does child eat from that money. These issues were observed and studied by MSSS and thus the concept of Pre Primary Education Centre was introduced in those slums. 1 Source: www.waste.nl/page/1446 PPC was started with the following objectives: • To provide care and security to child when their parents go for work. • To provide non-formal education to child before enrolling to the formal school • To provide balanced nutritious meal considering the health and growth of the child PPC was started in 1987 for the age group of 3-6 years, with about 15 children in Gurappa Garden slum with personal fund of the organisation Director. After about eight months Child Relief and You (CRY) supported for the activities and salary for one teacher. The strength of the children was increased to 40 numbers in next two years. Then another branch was started in Fire Work Colony and it was named as “Aralukendra”. In the year 2005 mid-day-meal was tapped for children from ‘Akshaya Patra’. Presently in both branches about 70 children are attending PPC. ii) Activities PPC timing is 9.30 am to 4pm. The activities are conducted for children till 12.30pm such as telling moral stories, teaching rhymes, alphabetic practices in English and Kannada (local language), and identification of fruits, vegetables and animals through charts, indoor and outdoor games for physical exercise. They are also thought about personal hygiene. After lunch children are provided matrix to sleep till 4pm. After that it’s duty of parents to take children to home. If parents arrive in the late evening from work then servant takes children to their home at 4pm. iii) Mothers’ meeting Mothers’ meeting is conducted once in a month as a part of PPC, to discuss about their child’s growth in each activity and to demonstrate low cost nutritious food preparation. This meeting is also a stage to discuss issues such as immunization, hygiene and importance of education. iv) Impact of the programme Attending PPC has developed interest among children in education. About 90% of the children get enrolled in formal schools every year. Parents prefer sending child to PPC rather than leaving them alone at home. Elder brother/sister of the child attends school regularly. Immunization coverage is about 80%. Parents go to work with peace of mind as children are in secured place and mid-day-meal is provided to them. Conclusion: PPC is useful for the poor families especially for working parent. It has significant improvement in children health which is measured every month. Mothers’ meeting provides opportunity to discuss about children health and education issues. Enrollment of children to formal school after completion of PPC has reduced dropout rate in the programme areas. Akshaya Patra is providing mid-day-meal for the children. But programme is lacking funds to develop further with infrastructure, toys for children and to provide comfortable sleeping facility.

Children Cheers

Children learning Basic literacy

Fun time in Play

Supplimentary nutrition

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