To download a copy of the January 2011 Newsletter, click on the link at the bottom of the page!
For many thousands of children growing up in India's slums, just getting a foothold on the bottom rung of the educational ladder is difficult. But with that vital first step into learning and a lot of hard work, slum children can hope to realise their dream of a better life in India's rapidly changing society. In South West Delhi, the Saakshar non-formal education centre for slum children is helping hundreds of children onto the learning ladder.
I first heard about Vigyan Vijay Foundation's Saakshar project in 2003 when I was studying in Delhi, and on my return I was able to help people at Chrisat Church raise support for their work. My first visit to Saakshar and its children was for two weeks in March and April 2009 as photographer in residence. I was deeply moved by the joy and optimism of these children and their families, and overwhelmed to see the difference which Saakshar is making to their lives. Photographs and text were published as articles in magazines, and the images were exhibited in Oxford to encourage support for their excellent work among Delhi's most disadvantaged children. A generous gift enabled us to buy Saakshar's children a minivan which was delivered at the start of December 2009. This is helping children to visit other places in Delhi and grow in confidence of their own ability to participate fully in India's bright future. Further donations will be used to extend and develop Saakshar's work with slum children. We registered as a charity in the UK in 2010, enabling us to reclaim tax on donations through Gift Aid.
In January 2011 I had the chance to visit Saakshar again to see how things are going, and was deeply impressed by the steady growth in the confidence of the children and the capability of Saakshar to help them learn. I also visited the new fourth Saakshar School in Noida, in a very poor slum area, where the children are very eager to learn. With Christ Church's support I will visit again in the spring of 2012.
Thank you to all who have supported Saakshar School Appeal during 2011 in so many ways.
Ralph Williamson - December 2011
Saakshar children from Nasirpur slum at their Sports Day, Jan 2011.
Photo: Ralph Williamson
