Human Development Charitable Trust

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT CHARITABLE TRUST

EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR MARGINALISED CHILDREN IN BODH GAYA, INDIA:

1) What is the context of the project, and why is it needed?

Gaya District lies within the Indian state of Bihar, with a population of about 500,000. At present Gaya is the only cosmopolitan city in the state, with Bihar’s only airport.

However, the various companies which operate from Gaya make the city susceptible to major health hazards including heavy environmental pollution and anti-social activities such as extortion, killings, drug trafficking, unregulated prostitution and child abuse.

The project’s target area is Bodhgaya, specifically its rural village of Mastipur, about 1 km from the Mahabodhi Temple. The students are enthusiastic about learning, with a dedicated team of both local and volunteer international teachers:

Bodhgaya, about 10 km by road from Gaya city, is a religious site and place of pilgrimage associated with the World Heritage Mahabodhi Temple Complex. It is famous as the place where Gautama Buddha is said to have attained Enlightenment. Nearly all Buddhist countries have constructed their own temples and monasteries in the town: 

Our NGO (Human Development Charitable Trust) is running in the small village of Mastipur, about 1 Km from Bodhgaya town. The population of the village is around three thousand people, all belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC). These people are totally uneducated and, being very poor, cannot afford education for their children. There are no primary or middle schools in this village. The only school is our small school, giving free education to about a hundred children in a small community building.

We are taking up this project in this location because:

•  90% of the inhabitants are living below the poverty line;

• Many of the children became orphaned during the COVID-19 pandemic;

•  Prostitution is prevalent, with a recognized red light area where women, young girls and children are pushed into the commercial sex trade;

•  Children are employed by older people in anti-social activities including drug trafficking, stealing foodstuffs from goods trains;

•  The village has the highest level of illiteracy in the district;

•  There is no development infrastructure, no safe drinking water, and a poor drainage system;

•  The village has a very high rate of malnutrition, with deplorable health conditions and a high incidence of various sicknesses and diseases; and

•  Children have to work for the sake of their own and their families' survival.

The implementing organization, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT CHARITABLE TRUST (HDCT), is working primarily with child labour and children and youth living on the streets, runaway adolescents, and the various issues that are a part of their struggles. Issues of health, vocational training, education, and psycho-social support are addressed as a part of the initiatives.

HDCT seeks to transform the lives of vulnerable children through comprehensive educational programs, health care and developmental activities that promote and safeguard the rights of the children in the community.

2. What is your project seeking to achieve?

HDCT believes that every child has the right to education and to enjoy their childhood, but for these street children, education and fun are only a dream. The reason for choosing to address this problem is because of the vulnerability of the children involved in child labour and the risks involved in being on the streets.

3. Full project definition:

a. Purpose: Why are you doing this? The purpose of this project is to mainstream illiterate and disadvantaged children, orphans etc into the formal education system. The project intends to facilitate the provision of educational support, nutritious food, psychosocial support, and education on health, hygiene and children’s rights. Parents and community will be made aware of the rights of the child and the need for education for the future of their family and the community as a whole.

b. Objectives: What specific outcomes will be achieved, and how will you achieve them?

c. Deliverables: What will the project deliver as outputs?

4. What are the costs and timescale?

The total cost for one year, inclusive of teachers' salaries, school materials, uniforms and provision of school lunches, is estimated at INR (Indian Rupees) 1,692,000; that is, about 31,000 Australian dollars. A full breakdown can be provided upon request.

Contact persons:

1. Ravi Kumar Sharma (Chairman), Sujata village, Bodhgaya, Gaya, Bihar, India

2. Graham Simmons (Project Director), Five Dock NSW. Australia