Starting Point
We believe that making poverty history is a long-term policy that involves educating the children. We have been involved with Starting Point School since February 2004 when we provided an injection of funds to equip a classroom for 10 children and gave a commitment to finance the new class for a period of 12 months. Since then our association with Starting Point has flourished. The school caters for children from very impoverished families, often living in slum conditions, most of who are unable to feed themselves daily let alone pay for their childs education. Although every child has the right to free education in India the parents do have to pay admission fees as well as for the uniforms, books, pens, pencils, rubbers, rulers, lunch, transport, satchel etc which to those living in poverty is not an option. Attendance at Starting Point is free and they are transported to and from school, provided with their uniform and given a nutritious two-course meal each day they attend at no cost to their families. There are now thirty children who attend this school occupying three classrooms. They are taught English and Konkani languages (most of them speak at least two other i.e. Hindi and Kanada), arithmetic and the girls basic needlework. In addition to their academic studies the children are taught health & hygiene and social skills. There are various pieces of playground equipment (slides, seesaws, bicycles etc) for them to enjoy between finishing school and going home. Our objective is to educate the children up to a standard where they can integrate with children from ‘non-poverty’ families and when this has been achieved we secure a place for them at one of the government schools. We hope to purchase a computer and commence I/T training by the end of 2008. Each year before they leave Starting Point we take the children on a days outing which may be a visit to a wildlife park or a day at the beach where they can play in the sea, go on a boat ride to see the dolphins and have lunch at a beach restaurant. This will most probably be the only time in their lives that they will have a day out. The school is staffed with three teachers, a cook and a cleaner. On a recent visit to a settlement where a number of these children live one of the teachers witnessed the children holding a class teaching their parents what they had learnt! Education after Starting Point. For the children who are successful in graduating to a government school we seek sponsors to pay for all the costs associated with their education, which at present amounts to £8.00 per month. At the government schools the children have to pass an exam each year to be allowed to move up to the next class and each child that completes education up to the age of sixteen is almost guaranteed to find reasonable employment. The effect of this is that the income should be sufficient to provide for the whole family and hopefully rescue them from poverty. Should a child be capable of attending college to take ‘A’ level and then progress to university we would ensure they had the opportunity to do so. At present we have one young lady who has completed her ‘GCSE’ equivalents (passing with distinction) and will be going to college to study for ‘A’ level qualifications. To date over thirty children have successfully progressed from Starting Point and each are lucky to have a sponsor in the U.K. Sponsors can expect to receive an up to date photograph of their child at least once per year and a copy of their school report when available. In addition sponsors who visit Goa on holiday are encouraged to meet their respective child together with the parents.
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