VIJAYAWADA: Recognising deprivation as a bane that can stunt growth of brightest of the children, Learning for Life, a United Kingdom-based non-governmental organisation (NGO), has offered to sponsor a unique education drive.

Besides financial help, the literacy programme envisages extending psychological support for trauma management to students who are orphaned at a young age due to various reasons.

In Andhra Pradesh, Sanghamitra Service Society is the lead partner to the UK-based organisation, while the Vijayawada-based Vasavya Mahila Mandali (VMM) is its local partner. Launched on July 1, the programme will cover 21 schools in the city.

As part of the programme, 1,095 students from 19 municipal and two zilla parishad schools have been selected in the 5-18 age group for bestowing special care and attention they deserve.

Of them, 145 are orphans, who lost both parents. They are given an additional benefit of 6 kg of rice and1 kg of cereals every month.

Tutors' job

With an objective to help the children gain emotional balance and perform well in their studies, a tutor has been appointed for every 50 students.

These 22 tutors coordinate with teachers and parents to identify and plug the shortcomings to pave way for their overall development. Their job also includes building a close rapport with parents and prodding them to encourage their wards in academics and co-curricular activities.

Vitamin A pills

Each child is also allocated a monthly sum of Rs. 60 by the funding organisation for distribution of a nutrition powder.

VMM secretary G. Rashmi, the project director, works with a programme coordinator, a field officer and an accountant.

Reacting to the VMM's plea to contribute to the educational drive, the Krishna district administration has agreed to distribute Vitamin A pills to the beneficiaries.

Besides, the Rotary Clubs of Vijayawada Mid-Town, Vijayawada East and Rotary Club of Vijayawada have given their consent for sponsoring medical check-ups for children by conducting eye and dental camps.

Children belonging to 13-18 age group will be imparted vocational training in skills like electrical motor winding, musical band, tailoring, fashion designing, embroidery, computer skills, TV and radio mechanism and gas stove repair.

"The idea is to enable the adolescents to either begin an economic activity or work for any shop or firm," says Ms. Rashmi.

The project personnel attend a review meeting every fourth Saturday to take stock of the progress achieved in the programme implementation.

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