Sakshi children take part in an Amnesty International India demonstration for safe education – 14th November 2008
Amnesty international India organized a nationwide rally on “Safe school for Girls”. Pupils, teachers and head office staff from Sakshi joined a demonstration in New Delhi which started from Mandi House and culminated at Jantar Mantar.
This event is included in the Amnesty International’s “Safe School for Girls” campaign. According to this campaign, “Schools are meant to teach and mold potential but unfortunately some of them are also the places that witness fear and violence. Girls face violence at school at the hand of the teachers, school staff or classmates.These girls should be able to pursue their education in an environment which is safe, respectful and non-discriminatory.”
“The key demand of the Campaign is to stop school related violence”
“To Prohibit all forms of violence against girls, including corporate punishment, verbal abuse, harassment, physical violence, emotional abuse, asexual violence and exploitation”.
“Making schools safer for girls through National plans of action in order to address school-related violence against girls. School should follow guidelines, provide compulsory training for teachers, students and the designation of a government official who's responsible for preventing and investigating such violent incident and raise adequate public funding to disseminate the cause. Ensuring that school have sex-segregated toilets and washrooms, secure dormitories and supervised playgrounds and sport fields”.
“Responding and effectively investigating the incidents of violence against girls through confidential & independent reporting mechanisms, prosecuting the guilty when appropriate providing services to victims and survivors. Ensuring that all accidents against girls are reported and recorded, and that the people convicted of rape sexual assault or other criminal offences against children are not employed in schools.”
“Providing support services to girls who have suffered from violence: by counseling, providing Medical treatment; information on HIV/AID, Sexual and Reproductive rights to pregnant women and girls and by supporting them to reintegrate into the school system
“Removing barriers on road of Girl education by eliminating all fees ( direct and indirect) in primary school, making secondary schools accessible to all and developing programmes to ensure Girl's aceess to education, belonging to marginalized group.”
25th November 2008
Graduation in Sakshi – HPS Foundation Centres – 25th November 2008
Seventeen teenage girls studying in the Sakshi – HPS Foundation Computer Centre and Cutting-Tailoring Centre received their diploma certificate from Mr Zuber Khan, Sakshi's Project Director at Shaheen Bagh Centre. Sakshi's computing certificate is recognized by JSS (Jan Shiksha Sanshthan), a government institute which provides vocational training.
11 October 2008
Sakshi celebrates Diwali - 11 October 2008
On Saturday11th 2008, Sakshi's staff members represented the NGO at "The Diwali Crafts Mela" which is a huge gathering, organized by the "Delhi Commonwealth women's Association" at the Malaysian High Commission, New Delhi. Sakshi offered various products like candles, baskets, napkin ring and glasses in order to raise money. The event was also an occasion to acknowledge people about the NGO, Our Fight for education and health and other programmes in New Delhi slums. Most of the visitors appreciated Sakshi's activities and commitment.
8 September 2009
International Literacy Day - 8 September 2009
Sakshi celebrated the International Literacy Day on September 8th 2009 in one of the 100 Municipal Corporation Delhi Schools, Andrews Ganj (New Delhi), which benefits from the Sakshi - "Room to Read" Library Programme.
Each year this world event is organized by the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) to remind the international community of the status of literacy and adult learning globally.
This 2008 edition has placed a special focus on the important relationship between literacy and health, a point of view which is close to the Sakshi's anthem and philosophy of development "Literacy, the key to good health and well-being". According to the UNESCO, "Finishing primary education is enough to multiply five times the chances of one being informed about HIV and AIDS. As for malaria, which takes a million lives annually, it is particularly deadly among illiterate populations. Literacy and good health are inseparable".
We could illustrate this idea saying that the rate of infant mortality is higher when the mother can neither read nor write. For the UNESCO, some 774 million people, roughly one out of five adults in the world, are again illiterate. Notable progress has nonetheless been made. The number of illiterate adults dropped from 871 million in 1985 to 776 million in 2006.
Zuber Khan, Sakshi’s project director, introduced the day and welcomed the children & the other guests. He emphasized on the fact that the “Indian literacy rate has been increasing comparatively from the earlier statistics whereas the global rate has been reducing.
Mridula Tandon, Sakshi’s general secretary, dealt with the Library Programme. The initiative assumes to enhance underprivileged children’s reading and writing skills, enlarging their vision of the world by empowering them with the tool of knowledge. Sakshi’s teachers always try to transmit knowledge using friendly & playful methods and for such a transmission Sakshi organized a competition on this special day to motivate the pupils to improve their skills.
Satish Tandon, the president of Sakshi, underlined that celebrating the International Literacy Day was important for the NGO admitting the fact the its commitment is founded on the same basis (Literacy). He then acknowledged the financial support from "Room to Read" without which theLibrary Programme would have not existed. He also highlighted that in this globalized world knowledge of informatics is essential in order to rise from marginalized world and to adapt new job perspectives and requirements and thus for achieving the same Sakshi has created computer centers for school going children.
Baljeed Kaur, the famous Indian poet, was invited by Sakshi. She appreciated that all the children took part in such an event. Knowing that "Sakshi" organized competitions, she advocated that it does not matter to win prizes but to be selected by school.
Uddalak Datta, the director of the "Room to Read" Programme, stated that such kind of celebration was significant because it was a way to improve the children's confidence and skills. He added that it was a platform for bringing out the hidden talents. He also appreciated that Sakshi’s work in achieving all the objectives and targets of "Room to Read".
"Sakshi" has just been joined by a French student as an intern, Mathieu Serenne, who shall commit himself in Sakshi’s centres and the head office for three months. He has studied political sciences, philosophy, economics and history in France. After his three months internship in "Sakshi", he shall intern in a French NGO for eight months in Hyderabad.
After his introduction by staff members, he assured that his contribution towards the children.
After this inaugural session, the students from different Library Programme centres participated in “story writing with the help of pictures” contest. Another group took part in a poem recitation competition .The last two competitions tested drawing and storytelling abilities. Winners/ best of all received one diploma and a small present in its capacity to network with the government corporate as well as the NGO’S.
