Campaign Story
About the project
8 unauthorized slums near the railway lines in Surat, Gujarat, lack access to educational facilities. The area experiences high dropout rates particularly after primary education due to lack of infrastructure, overcrowded classrooms, and lack of trained teachers. Anganwadi Centers provide limited preschool education to a few children due to space constraints. Parents are unaware of the importance of education and refrain from sending their children to school after 8^th^ standard because of the long distance. Child labor and child marriage is prevalent in this community due to low awareness levels and high poverty.
Making a difference
CRY America’s project in Surat works toward facilitating access to education and support for children living in the 8 urban slums of Surat. Key activities under this project include identifying dropout children, counseling them to re-enroll in schools, setting up remedial classes, providing parental counseling, and collaborating with school authorities to regularize and retain children. Another key focus area is forming children’s and adolescent girls’ collectives to raise awareness about child marriage and child labor in the community.
The way forward
● Conduct special support classes for 75 children from 9th to 12th standard.
● Organize a Special Training Program (STP) for 193 children who have dropped out or never attended school.
● Sensitize 73 School Management Committee (SMC) members from 6 schools on child rights issues.
● Enroll 60 children aged 6-18 years in remedial classes.
● Ensure the transition of 90 children from 5th to 6th grade & 118 children from 8th to 9th grade.
● Support 193 children in clearing their 10th & 12th board exams.
Improve the infrastructure of 6 schools and fill vacant teaching positions in collaboration with the Education Department.
● Conduct meetings with 8 boys’ collectives to sensitize them on good touch and bad touch.
● Organize vocational career guidance sessions for 50 children studying in 10th to 12th standard.
● Link 100 families with Food Security programs
● Ensure the retention of 25 girls in higher classes through sports engagement.
● Develop a Life Skills Module for 200 parents.
● Sensitize 240 members from 16 children and adolescent collectives on child rights issues.
● Sensitize 120 Community-Based Organization (CBO) members from 8 CBOs on child rights issues.
Project Impact
1,401
Children aged 6-18 years enrolled in schools.
130
Out-of-school children re-enrolled in schools.
137
Children from 1st to 10th grade received academic support.
67
School Management Committee members sensitized on child rights issues.
38
Children enrolled in the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) program.
35
NIOS children received partial fee support for enrollment.
101
Adolescent girls and children attended 24 life skills sessions.
156
Parents trained under the CRY Parents module.
103
Children cleared their 10th & 12th board exams.
99
Girls from Adolescent Girls Collective sensitized on child education & child protection issues.
Current Year’s Approved Grant (Jan ‘25 to Dec ’25)
Last Year’s Grant Disbursed (Jan to Dec, 2023) – $297,425
