Fundació privada ADA Món Adivasi

NGO in charge: Janhit Vikas Trust
Person in charnge: Fr Brian d'Silva s.j
Location: Tara Kolad, Raigad District
Duration: 2 years (2007-2008)
Beneficiaries:
Budget: 3.000E annual

The area where the project is developed is basically in the region of Panvel, in the district of Raigad. The main adivasis tribes of the area are Kathkaris, Kolis and Thakurs. Among them, the Kathkaris are he most marginalized, almost without earth to cultivate. They work generally as seasonal workers when there is work in the plains or migrating to the brick makers factories during the months of December to May.

The access to the education is the key to reduce the infantile work . About 25,000 children, the majority in age, work in the brick makers factories and they are absent to school. The illiteracy level is alarming, especially between the young girls and the women. The poverty and the non guarantee of an obligatory minimum education are partly the responsibility of the government.

The "mobile BhongaShales" or schools try to:
-To create schools in the brick makers factories for the emigrants workers children
-To avoid the non scholarization of children
- To install the tribal culture and traditions within the academic curriculum. Fact that helps the children to the integration in their community schools at the returning to their villages.

To fill this educative gap through this initiative, has demonstrated positive signs of success with the reduction of scholastic abandonments. Also it has given opportunities to the children to participate in activities in which often were rejected.

We have created 10 Bhonga Shales (Bhonga: mobile cabin; Shala: school) that are outdoors schools in informal sites, moved to the same brick makers factories from November to May. They are located in the area of Tara and Apta (in the region of Panvel).