This village belongs to Samaspur block in Gurgaon district. These places had agricultural land but now all of it is being acquired for upcoming offices and industrial and residential zones being set up by the government. Though individuals have earned money by selling land, lack of education and awareness among the local population, nothing is spent on village development and education activities.

   The village is a symbol of decaying rural India. Infrastructure and governance are in blur and life is a daily struggle. Ghata goan is a good example of what is wrong with the Indian villages. There is no health centre or doctor. Basic infrastructure is either not there or crumbling. Garbage dumps and overflowing drains line up the narrow muddied lanes.

   Agriculture is in deep crises. Economic activity or jobs have not sprung up in the village. Villagers go to nearby town for everything. Unemployment among men is high, more than 50 per cent and most of them spend their time drinking and playing cards as women do the household work. There are no role models in the village to inspire. In school the teachers almost never inspire. Those who manage to study till standard 10 or 12 struggle to find jobs, while landed illiterates make it big with bikes and cars, by just selling or dealing in land. The price of land in the village and areas nearby, just outskirts of Gurgaon at the foothills of Aravalli has shot up sharply.

   Proximity to Gurgaon may be a boon as well as a curse for Ghata gaon. The growing Gurgaon economy and soaring land prices has ensured that the landed class has access to quick money through land sale. At a rough count 60 per cent households have a mobile phone. But easy and quick money is pulling the village into a morass. The old problems continue – sexual discrimination, poor literacy and new ones like drinking and playing cards take root amid crumbling infrastructure.

   Governance standards are poor. Development funds are shown on paper but rarely ploughed in. The biggest worry yet is that an entire generation, upbeat and  full of aspiration, may end up expending their energy in the wrong direction.

   There is an urgent need to initiate vocational trainings in the village as the school drop out rates are more than 50 per cent but, they need to learn skills for job opportunity in the city. Most have sold off their lands so the coming generations need appropriate trainings and education for survival and earning. Sustainability from agriculture as was previously the scenario but is no longer an option as the landed have sold their land to builders.

Area of Intervention

   As the first step Advit set up a Resource Centre, The participants are regularly attending the classes at the Advit Resource Centre. All children coming to the Resource Centre go to school but, most are not able to cope well with the studies. “They are all at the crossroad of an urbanized village and developed city”. They have the aspirations of the rich urban educated community they see a few miles away. They aspire to do well. They are not poor. But, the system just does not allow them to. They are school dropouts. They have no family education to fall back on. The village beliefs and superstitions hold them back. Child marriage is rampant. They are trying to go to better city schools as well but are not able to cope with the studies, English language is a barrier. Lack of awareness and guidance at home prevents them from graduating to the educated class. The urban village divide just grows….. fall out is bad habits, unemployment, dejection, addictions…..

   Parents are trying hard to make them study but, money cannot buy everything. We wish that they are not stretched so much that they break. Advit is trying to support them and provide a platform for learning – Project PANCHVATI. The classes ongoing are –

   The Resource Centre focuses on addressing the educational, cultural, and personal needs of children and young people from rural communities. The programme's central strategy is fostering peer involvement. At the Centre located in village Ghata 2 regular and 4 volunteer teachers coach 30 students in English, Computers and Science.

   Besides, an informal school runs in the mornings - Vidya Vatika - Learning place for the underprivileged. 2 regular teachers teach 35 to 40 pupils who attend the school. The education programme is holistic in nature with the following curricula:

Literacy                       : Numbers / Alphabets / Language / General awareness
Self esteem               : Value curriculum / Empowerment curriculum / Discipline
Good time                  : Music / Drama/ Dance / Art/ Excursion
Empowerment          : Skill training / Parent meeting
Medical care              : Preventive Health / Health camps / Cleanliness / Hygiene

 

Vidya Vatika – Advit’s informal school for the under privileged 

   This is an informal school for children from low income families - children of domestic servants, drivers, tea stalls, gardeners and others involved in the upkeep of the neighbourhood, homes and offices attend the classes. Their parents cannot afford to send them to school.