Care, classes for labourers’ children at Games sites

NEW DELHI - Peering through a bioscope, drawing on slates, saying their mathematical tables — these aren’t scenes from a classroom but from makeshift daycare centres for the children of labourers working at Commonwealth Games sites in the capital.

Seven-year-old Zainab, whose parents were away working at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, which is a venue for the mega event from Oct 3 to 14, says she loves coming to the creche.

“Mujhe yahaan bahut achha lagta hai. Main yahaan pahaade padti hun aur drawing karti hun (I like coming here. I learn mathematical tables and drawings),” said the little girl.

These centres are a joint initiative by the NGO Mobile Creches and Sesame Workshop India, the organisation behind the edutainment show “Galli Galli Sim Sim”, which is the Indian version of the internationally popular “Sesame Street”.

While the centres have been installed by Mobile Creches, the study material as well as training to teachers are being provided by “Galli Galli Sim Sim” free of cost.

“These are mobile centres that have been set up at one corner of the sites. The kids are taught with the user friendly material through trained teachers. We have a bioscope at the centre where kids are shown the ‘Galli Galli Sim Sim’ TV show and are educated through the same as well,” Sashwati Banerjee, executive director, Sesame Workshop, told IANS.

According to Banerjee, these centres have been functioning since 2007, but the ones at the Games sites were set up only when the work began there.

Though many such centres are spread across the city and in other cities as well, for the Games sites, these are located near the Indira Gandhi Stadium, Shivaji Stadium and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

“It is very nice that these children get to study here or do something productive. Even the parents feel at ease as their children are safe here,” Baladevi, a teacher incharge, told IANS.

A total of four teachers have been deputed at each centre to take care of nearly 40 children, who visit the creche between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. every day.

“At first, it was extremely difficult to convince the parents to let the children be here till the time they work at the construction site. But they realised that it’s a safe option. The girls come here after doing their household work and everyone mingles very well,” said the incharge.

Apart from books, study and entertainment material that touch upon subjects like literacy, maths, science, health and nutrition, the creche also provides nutritious food for children as well as periodical check-ups by a doctor for free.

For toddlers, there are temporary cots made with cloth sheets.

The centres are a welcome change for Zainab and children like her, who would have otherwise been playing in the mud or forced to help in household chores.

(Radhika Bhirani can be contacted at radhika.b@ians.in)