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ANNUAL REPORT 2023-24 TRANSFORM RURAL INDIA

Success Stories

Bringing Back the Learning Loop

Reflection on an Education Project in Kurdeg, Jharkhand Petlavad Initiative on Education (PIE) in Petlavad, Jhabua

In the tribal-dominated Kurdeg block of school regularly. Facilitators at these centers The Transforming Rural India Foundation Key Components
Simdega District, Jharkhand, a transformative developed unique structures and (TRIF), with support from FIRSTSOURCE,
education initiative is rekindling hope among understandings of the learning process, launched a comprehensive six-month primary Har Ghar Padhai (Study Corners at Each
local communities. Payel, a mother of a creating replicable roadmaps for schools. education project in Petlavad block, Jhabua Home): In 31 villages, 801 in-house study
nine-year-old girl, rejoices as her daughter, District, Madhya Pradesh, in April 2022. Aimed corners were established, with 100%
once hindered by COVID-induced learning Parents gained a window into the collective at re-engaging rural children in learning coverage in 13 villages. These corners
gaps, now reads independently and engages learning process through participatory post-COVID, the project focused on fostered regular study habits for 368
in self-learning. For the first time, Payel programs such as Balsabhas, School improving attendance, parent-teacher children, improving study consistency and
attended a meeting with her child's teachers, Management Committee (SMC) meetings, relationships, community involvement, and reading skills for about 500 children.
a significant step facilitated by support from a and parent-teacher meetings. These teacher motivation.
community learning center. initiatives fostered joyful, activity-based Balsabhas - Community-School
learning environments in schools. Previously Reaching 100% of the villages, the program Collaboration: In collaboration with the
Kurdeg, located 200 kilometers from Ranchi, inactive SMCs were revitalized, focusing on implemented 80% of its planned activities. community, 46 Balsabhas were organized
houses Primitive Vulnerable Tribal Groups, improving school facilities and ensuring The initiative saturated all five clusters, in 27 schools, engaging 1,403 boys and girls
with 73% of its population being tribal. The quality education. covering 40 intervention villages with in poetry, storytelling, songs, bhajans, and
Transforming Rural India Foundation (TRIF) educational activities. Key activities included sports. These activities boosted children's
selected and trained community champions, Major Findings learning camps in 34 villages, 61 learning interest in school and positively impacted
known as Change Vectors, from these tribal centers across 44 villages serving 1,632 enrolment drives.
backgrounds to engage in educational Improved Reading Abilities: TRIF's work children, and 801 study corners in 34 villages
activities across 37 villages. With a three-day with 17 primary and upper primary schools benefiting 896 children. Enrolment drives in Enrolment Drive: Despite a delay due to
orientation, these Change Vectors embarked revealed that 99% of the sampled students 29 villages led to 31 rallies and identified 343 elections, the enrolment drive achieved
on a mission to improve education, supported (n=727) improved their reading abilities. children for enrolment, with 337 subsequently 100% enrolment in 22 villages and
by a regular monthly program. enrolled in schools. Additionally, 996 boys 98-98.5% enrolment in the remaining
Grade-Level Reading: Over 75% of children and girls were connected to learning centers, villages.
TRIF's initiative began with achieved grade-level reading proficiency. with 40 centers still operational, catering to
perspective-building exercises in 37 village 569 children. Education as a Collective Community
organizations. Approximately 40 community Transition and Retention: There was a Consciousness: Twelve community
leaders were trained to collect school 100% transition from primary to upper meetings involving 138 members and 18
information, leading to a comprehensive primary schools and 100% retention, School Management Committees (SMCs)
survey of local schools. Discussions were countering the 22% dropout trend at this discussed educational issues. Active
held in all villages to address educational transition stage in Kurdeg. participation of SMCs in 37 villages marked
challenges and develop action plans. These the beginning of academic sessions in
efforts culminated in action plans for 36 Academic Performance: Fourth-grade government schools.
schools across 31 villages, impacting 964 students showed significant improvement,
students. particularly in Hindi and Mathematics, with
the highest gains in Hindi due to enhanced
Education became a communal concern, with language proficiency efforts. Dipstick Reflection
local women collectives discussing issues
like mid-day meals, infrastructure, student The initiative successfully reintegrated
regularity, and self-learning environments at children into the learning loop. Preliminary
home. The establishment of 37 Community This initiative's notable findings underscore results showed 70% of children tested scored
Learning Centers provided spaces for the importance of community involvement in well in reading simple words, and over 40%
children to engage in both indoor and education, prompting policymakers to make could read simple poems. These outcomes
outdoor educational activities. This led to 117 informed decisions to enhance primary indicate that TRIF's approach is effective and,
previously dropout children returning to education in tribal areas. if sustained, could serve as a model for other
regions in the country.

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