We are happy to share updates of the positive impact that the secondary education and community health programmes are having in Southern Rajasthan.
Project Diganth: Improving Secondary Education
Partnership with Jatan Sansthan and Kshamtalaya
We have been working with Kshamtalaya and Jatan Sansthan for five years to improve attendance and learning outcomes at two government secondary schools in the project area. The dedicated team continue to build positive relationships with students, government staff, and community members to improve secondary education provision.
A recent priority has been supporting young people in the transition from secondary school to higher education. The team have held sessions exploring students' aspirations and the career options and pathways available to them. Selected final year students have been attending a bridge course to prepare for university entrance exams.
A Quality Improvement Group meeting was held, including partner teams, school teachers, parents and students. The group explored trends in attendance for students living in different areas, the barriers for those with lower attendance, and solutions to overcome these. A very rich and dynamic conversation took place and some of the suggested ideas are now being trialled.
A special thank you to Divyanshu, Programme Manager for Project Diganth. He is moving to new challenges this month, after a year and a half building positive relationships with students, facilitators and leadership teams to continue to increase the impact of the programme. We wish Divyanshu all the very best in the next exciting chapter.
“Sir, your determination and hard work reflects in our work.” - Student, Mandwa Secondary School
Community Health Outreach Work
Our community health team is committed to ensuring that Bakhel community members can access professional healthcare and support.
The Safe Motherhood Programme continues to support women through healthy pregnancy and birth; encouraging access to formal antenatal healthcare, including vaccines and supplements, and advising on healthy lifestyle choices. The women expressed gratitude for the support of the team and the excellent bond and level of trust between the community and the health workers was very clear.
After delivery, the health team support the mothers and their children through the Safe Childhood Programme. The team visit their homes and encourage parents to vaccinate their children and seek formal healthcare support when concerns are identified. There has been a significant reduction in infant mortality since the programme's outset.
Thanks to Global Hospital and Research Centre, remote villages have access to affordable, convenient healthcare through the mobile clinic. The van visits the project area once a month, where a doctor sees patients, prescribing basic medication or referring to a health centre or hospital when required.
The Next Chapter
Last year we were informed of a new government project to construct a dam which will submerge the whole area in which our projects are situated. The timeline for this remains uncertain, but it is likely that work on the dam and displacement of the community will take place in the next couple of years.
Looking into the next financial year, we will continue to work with our partners to provide the education and healthcare support that have proven to have a positive impact on the lives of community members.
For Project Diganth, the focus on supporting students to both achieve the best that they can academically while providing access to careers sessions, life skills, and additional workshops will ensure young people are equipped with the best tools to succeed once the dam is built.
The community health programme will continue to support women and young children for as long as possible, providing knowledge and support that women can take with them to their next home.
The transition will be traumatic and challenging for the whole community. We are looking into ways to equip the teams with additional skills to be able to support community members through this big change and are mapping options for what the programmes will look like once the dam construction begins.
Thank you
Educate for Life’s mission is to ensure provision of holistic education, healthcare and community development services in under-served, remote rural communities in southern Rajasthan in India.
If you would like to make a donation, your gift will support our community health and secondary school programme work. You will help us continue to change lives and make a difference.
