Branch: Ajmer
Canteen facilities provided to School for the Blind Customers and Ujjivan staff jointly decided to use the Social Development Fund to help the physically underprivileged in their local community. They identified a local school for the blind to support, as part of the Social Development Program.
New furniture was provided for the lunch room of a school for the visually-challenged, in Adarsh Nagar in Ajmer. Chief Guests at the function included Mrs. Anita Bhadel, MLA, Mr. Suresh Kumar Bhadhana, Ward In-charge and Mr.Jitendra Jangid, Bank Manager, HDFC Bank.
The students and staff put together a cultural performance on the occasion.
Branches: Baruipur, Tollygunge, Subhasgram, Bidhan Nagar, Dumdum, Chakdah, Sreerampore
(all in West Bengal)
Study Kits and School Bags provided to customers’ children
A lack of educational material and basic items for school-going children severely impacts the well-being of the children. These lead to de-motivation and subsequent dropout from school, endangering the lives of the children. Without a formal peer support system, these poor children get into criminal activities and/or inducted into child labour.
With a view to support these eager children in continuing their schooling, customers and Ujjivan branch staff identified bridging the gap between the haves and the have-nots through the provision of basic education materials.
Over 1300 children aged 5 – 10 years, were provided stationery, lunch boxes, and school bags. The smiles on the faces of the children said it all.
The Indian Government’s anganwadi (child-care and mother-care centre) scheme caters to children in the 0-6 year group. It caters to the poorest of poor children in providing nutritional and educational care.
Low attendance is a major hurdle in the effectiveness of anganwadis, with small percentage of the enrolled children in the 3-6 year bracket attending. Communities seem to have no confidence in the service and mothers retain children at home or admit them to private pre-schools.
Lack of basic amenities such as running water, furnishings and educational aids are several constraints faced by the hardworking anganwadi teacher.
In several of our Social Development Programs where Ujjivan branch staff, customers and the local residents have come together to identify and work on a local community development project, pin-point the local anganwadis as a focus area.
Towards this end, many of Ujjivan’s Social Development Projects include providing basic amenities to the centres for the children and teachers.
Branches: CIDCO, Nasik Road, and Pune East
Educational aids provided to anganwadis
Here’s what some of the Chief Guests had to say:
Ms. Maithili Jha, Addl. Supt. of Police: “For the good upbringing of children, value education by mothers is very important. Women must not confine themselves to only kitchen work. For social development, women must take initiative and also help instill morals to their children”
Mr. P.B Ambore, Deputy General Manager, Bank of Maharashtra: “Poor women should be financially literate for their own social development, but in reality it’s the opposite. In today’s world, a rich person is considered developedand the poor are deprived their development. As part of its social commitment, Ujjivan is trying to bring the women into mainstream of development and helping the economically active poor women to get their kids educationally, socially developed. With this aim Ujjivan has is providing educational aids to the anganwadis in Indira Nagar”.
Mr. Balkrushna Borkar, Police Inspector - Ambad Police station: “Today, no bank is coming forward to give loans to poor women. In this situation organizations like Ujjivan have come out to help the poor in giving loans for education, business etc. and with this, poor women’s could join mainstream of development. Education is now the necessity of the day. As such, a class who is deprived of education may tend towards criminal activities. Social organizations should bring such uneducated youth to mainstream of education”.
Mrs. Surekha Patil, Child Development Project Officer, ICDS: “Social organizations like Ujjivan are working towards making poor women self dependent and working for their social development”
Others who were present at these Social Development Program functions included, Mr.Vijay Koli, Women and Child Project Development Officer, Nasik Municipal Corporation and Mr. Vishwas Deokar, Editor, Sakal Newspaper.
Customers and local community residents were excited and pleasantly surprised by the gesture from Ujjivan in supporting their ilk, expressing their gratitude and happiness at being associated with a truly social organization.
The events were also covered in local press.
Branches: Gauribidanur, Shimoga, Davangere North and South, Chikkaballapur, RSPuram, Salem, Magadi Road
Furnishings, equipment, educational aids and toys provided to Government schools and anganwadis
Beneficiary organizations: Over 75 local education institutions
Items: Mats, storage water tanks, chairs, lunch plates, educational aids, toys
Attendees to the programme functions included, customers, community leaders, senior-level government staff from Women and Child Welfare Department, bank managers and social welfare workers
