MCD joins up with NGOs to help slum children

NEW DELHI - The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has joined hands with two NGOs to provide improved education and healthcare in MCD schools in slum areas of the national capital.

The NGOs - Oxfam and the Society for All Round Development (SARD) - have undertaken to collaborate with 20 MCD schools in west and Najafgarh (south west) zones of the MCD to educate slum children.

“Six hundred children in 20 MCD schools will benefit directly from the increased learning. We will have medical camps and also provide computer and English teaching,” said Nisha Agrawal, CEO, Oxfam, at the project’s launch Monday.

Premlata Kataria, director of education-MCD, said the combined effort by the NGOs will benefit the schools which are located in many “untouched” areas of the city.

“We have 1,700 MCD schools under us and we try to provide the students with basic necessities. We are happy to work with Oxfam and SARD, who will further help us in untouched areas like slums,” added Kataria.

Chairing the event, Prithvi Raj Sawhney, mayor of Delhi, said: “I appreciate this collaboration and I believe together we will be able to reach the slum children and look after their education and health issues in a better way.”

SARD is an NGO that helps disadvantaged communities come into the mainstream development process by ensuring their access to resources. Oxfam links grassroot programming to local, national and global advocacy and policy making.