Educational
Organization for Orphans and Handicapped Children Tenali,
India
Windsor, Canada
Overview:
The success of the 10th year of operation of the school for orphans and handicapped children was made possible by your kind support and help. On the eye of its 10th anniversary, I thought it would be appropriate to report briefly about the progress of the school and future plans.
Objective and Progress:
The objective of the Educational Organization for Orphaned and Handicapped Children has been to promote the education, health, nutrition and carrier needs of poor children. To fulfill this objective, a residential school was started on leased premises on August 15, 1992 in Tenali, Andhra Pradesh, South India, by admitting 25 (twenty five) orphaned and handicapped children in grade 1. Since 1992, we have been admitting 20 to 25 children per year, having hired one extra teacher and adding one grade each year. The school at present has 10 full time teachers, 6 part time teachers in vocational area and 4 support staff. The enrolment in grades 1 to 10 consists of 165 children, who comes from the poor families that have lost both parents or at least one of their parents or who were abandoned due to poverty. 60 to 70 of the 165 children are girls and 40% have physical handicaps caused by polio and birth defects.
On August 15 1994, a dorm to house the children and medical clinic were opened. The clinic was equipped with first-aid and other medical supplies, so that physicians in the area could visit and examine the children periodically. Yoga, meditation and human values were introduced as part of the curriculum in all grades. As a starting point in vocational training, Professor Dan Boles, University of Windsor, introduced pottery, painting and sculpture. He completed one year of stay at the school teaching the children painting and sculpture.
On August 15th 1996 sewing as part of vocational training, especially for girls, was started in a two-room complex adjacent to the school. A new instructor was hired to teach sewing classes.
In April 1997 a small piece of land (800 sq. yards) adjacent to the children’s hostel was acquired with a deposit. Part of the land was converted into a vegetable garden to feed the children and two rooms were built to house, a mother teacher.
In June 1997 Professor Dan Boles and Ms. Maya Primorac came to Tenali from Windsor, Canada to teach English, painting and pottery for a year. Both of them returned to Canada with good memories. On August 15th 1997, carpentry was introduced to grade 5 and 6 students as part of their vocational training. A part-time instructor was hired.
In March 1998, Ms. Kelly Irwin and Ms. Amimoon Cheng from New York visited the school and spent a few days interacting with the children and taking photographs of their daily activities. On August 15th a modest two-room guest-house was inaugurated to provide free accommodation to volunteer teachers from Canada and USA. A library with 300 books was open. A dairy farm with five dairy cattle to provide milk to the children was opened and two additional rooms were built to provide classroom space to the children in carpentry and tailoring. A full time trained nurse was hired to look after the clinic and to provide medication to the children in accordance with the instructions of a physician who visits the clinic monthly.
In January 1999, three Canadian students from McGill University went to Tenali to teach English, hygiene, science, mathematics, and to reorganize the library and the medical clinic for children as voluntary teachers. They returned to Canada in June with good memories, to pursue professional programs in medicine, physical therapy and teaching. In December, Amy Stapleton a university student from Brisbane, Australia went to Tenali to teach English and sports to the children. She was given free room and board at the guest house on the school premises.
During 1999 to 2000, we introduced candle making and electrical repairs as a part of vocational programs for older students along with the introduction of grade 9. A full time teacher was hired to handle grade 9.
In 2001, we introduced television and cassette repairs as part of vocational program. Grade 10 was introduced by hiring a new full time teacher and two part time teachers to coordinate the staff activities, children’s attendance, public examinations of grade 7 and 10.
In 2002, embroidery and carpet making was introduced. New teachers to teach mathematics, science and vocational training were hired. Grade 7 and 10 students passed their public examinations held in April. Norma Nidoff, Windsor, Canada visited the school in January to teach cooking and gardening for six weeks to the children.
In July 2002, basket making as part of vocational programs was introduced. A part time teacher to teach this course was hired. Ms. Jean Clarke and Ms. E. Tadiboyina from Windsor, Canada visited Tenali school in January. Both of them spent six weeks teaching hygiene to hostel children, painting the dorms, the clinic and the school premises. One of our children who graduated with her high school diploma, grade 10 from our school, was hired as a grade 2 teacher at our school. During the July-August visit of founder Tad Venkateswarlu, a compound brick wall around the school premises was constructed along with five semi permanent structures to hold classrooms for grades 1-5 classes.
Future Plans:
The first batch of students with grade 10 graduated in July 2002. To prevent the drop out rate of older students due to poverty, adult literacy classes to parents will be introduced. Students with the highest marks graduated in Grade 10 will be hired to teach adult literacy classes during the evenings. The school will pay the monthly market rate salary to hired students.
The primary objective at present is to raise funds for constructing a permanent housing complex (concrete and brick building) by replacing the temporary sheds to house and educate the children. Based on the cost of land, building materials and labor supplied by contractors in India, it would cost $150,000.00 to finish the construction. After the housing complex is completed, an educational trust for children will be established to make the school self-supporting from the yield of investments at local banks.
© Copyright 1999,
The Educational Organization for Orphans and Handicapped Children
Web Site Last Updated June 2004 - Al Laporte