Kawada is a slow-moving, peaceful village near Talasari in the Palghar district of Maharashtra. A tribal region, it consists of 7 tribal padas, and the total population of the village is close to 8000. The people here practice seasonal agriculture. On the days when there is no farming, they work as labourers in the construction and fisheries sector. Some of them also work in factories in Gujarat as this place is merely 20 km from the Gujarat border.
Since the past few years, there is an increase in awareness of education. Parents have begun to understand the importance of education, and there is an increase in the enrollment of children in schools. There is also an increase in awareness of pre-school education and it is reflected in a rise in enrollment of children in all the six Anganwadis of the village. The Anganwadi at Patil Pada is one such vibrant unit, and Sarika Pahu is happy to be associated with it. Sarika, in her fourth month of working with Pratham, is well aware of the difference the Anganwadi has created in the village.
"I was told by Manisha who worked here before. She left the job, and I joined. I knew about the Anganwadi. It is in our village since the past four years", she says. "When I came here, children looked delighted and sang songs. I felt happy seeing this and decided to join immediately. It was last year in October", she continues. The Anganwadi has children from 3 years old to 6 years old, and Sarika has to ensure they play games, are indulged in activities, offer prayers and sing songs. We then ask Sarika if she observed any marked difference in children. "Yes", she replies.
"The younger kids get delighted if we ask them their name. They know how to pronounce their name properly and always begin by telling their name in a full sentence. In fact, the children who are not from the Anganwadi reply just by telling their name but children from here reply by saying my name is and then tell their name", she says. It has been achieved because of repeated interactions with children and also their parents. Sarika insists that parents should talk to children when they are at home. "We ask them to narrate what they did at work or how did they spend the day on the field. The idea is that they should talk to the children", she says.
Sarika recalls an incident which convinced her that children had begun to acquire the skills of imagination and narration. "Mayuri was a silent kid when she came here. But the activities and conversation with her parents were creating a difference in her. Her mother catches fish and sells it in the market, and once Mayuri was with her the whole day. Next day she narrated how her mother caught fish and enacted all the steps perfectly", she says with a smile.
Sarika says working with kids gives her satisfaction and happiness. She thanks Pratham for giving her this opportunity and wants to continue this association further. "I want to see these kids excel in primary school. And it is my job to create a strong base for them here", she says with a smile.
Since the past few years, there is an increase in awareness of education. Parents have begun to understand the importance of education, and there is an increase in the enrollment of children in schools. There is also an increase in awareness of pre-school education and it is reflected in a rise in enrollment of children in all the six Anganwadis of the village. The Anganwadi at Patil Pada is one such vibrant unit, and Sarika Pahu is happy to be associated with it. Sarika, in her fourth month of working with Pratham, is well aware of the difference the Anganwadi has created in the village.
"I was told by Manisha who worked here before. She left the job, and I joined. I knew about the Anganwadi. It is in our village since the past four years", she says. "When I came here, children looked delighted and sang songs. I felt happy seeing this and decided to join immediately. It was last year in October", she continues. The Anganwadi has children from 3 years old to 6 years old, and Sarika has to ensure they play games, are indulged in activities, offer prayers and sing songs. We then ask Sarika if she observed any marked difference in children. "Yes", she replies.
"The younger kids get delighted if we ask them their name. They know how to pronounce their name properly and always begin by telling their name in a full sentence. In fact, the children who are not from the Anganwadi reply just by telling their name but children from here reply by saying my name is and then tell their name", she says. It has been achieved because of repeated interactions with children and also their parents. Sarika insists that parents should talk to children when they are at home. "We ask them to narrate what they did at work or how did they spend the day on the field. The idea is that they should talk to the children", she says.
Sarika recalls an incident which convinced her that children had begun to acquire the skills of imagination and narration. "Mayuri was a silent kid when she came here. But the activities and conversation with her parents were creating a difference in her. Her mother catches fish and sells it in the market, and once Mayuri was with her the whole day. Next day she narrated how her mother caught fish and enacted all the steps perfectly", she says with a smile.
Sarika says working with kids gives her satisfaction and happiness. She thanks Pratham for giving her this opportunity and wants to continue this association further. "I want to see these kids excel in primary school. And it is my job to create a strong base for them here", she says with a smile.
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