Garhwa
district is in the newly formed
Jharkhand [previously Bihar] state in India is famous for the child
labour in the carpet sector. Recurrent droughts, landlessness, feudalism and the
extremist groups influence on the fragile economy are the contributing
factors for the deep problems associated with the issue of migration and
child labour. It is estimated there is 11000 carpet weaving children in
the four blocks Dhurki, Dandai, Nagar Untari and Ramuna of Garhwa alone
where the carpet weaving child labourers are the maximum.
The children are
engaged in the carpet weaving sector as early as 6-8 years. In this labour
intensive work it takes its tool on the young children's health. In the
very poor visible conditions and with no air and ventilation and their
long working hours with the straight backs and bend knees there have many
related problems at very early age itself.
AID has been working
among the carpet working children in Garhwa district for the past 6 years.
80 education centers has been catering to the educational needs of 2500
children in the region. Recreation, health care are also part of the focus
in the program.
WHY
A TECHNICAL COLLEGE IN GARHWA?
A technical college for
working children in Jharkhand is being initiated in Meral block of Garhwa
district. The region infested with large number of working children in
carpet looms has no alternative option for any other vocation. In the
absence of drought and depletion of agricultural labour the community
members including the children have no other option but to migrate to
other states and districts in search of employment. In this circumstances
at technical college for the working children had been built in Garhwa.
FIND
THE NEED AND MEET IT
The AID community
college of working children is built to fulfil the aspiration of the
working children primarily in Jharkhand region. This is the first
initiative of this kind in the region. Different consultative meetings
were held with the working children on the various trade options they
would like to have given a choice to them. Many worth while suggestions
came up based on the practical realities in the region. Keeping in view of
their urge to learn these skills and its utility in the region the
following trades have identified to be imparted to the children.
On one side the working
children would be provided with alternative skills as well. Hostel
accommodation for students is also provide. The first batch of 100
students have been enrolled for the following trades
Carpentry
Tailoring
Welding
Automobile repair
Electrical wiring
All these students have
completed their basic education from the creative education center and now
joined in the technical training institution for further training.
As in the whole
district there are no much facilities available, the community college in
a long run would like to become a center of excellence in rural
technologies.
HUMAN
RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT CENTER - THE VISION OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE
The vision of community
college is to serve as a human resource development center. It aims to
provide alternative skills to senior children to disengage them from
hazardous sectors such as carpet weaving.
It strives to prove a
boon to the region faced with migration and lack of skill development.
With the abundance of human resources available, it is envisaged their
proper channeling will prove beneficial.
CONCEPT
OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE
AID evolved the concept
and practice of community college on the basis of its experience in
working with carpet working children and undertaking vocational training
for the rural women and youth in other areas. AID considers basic
education coupled with locally relevant and appropriate vocational
training are one of the means of discouraging child labour.
Our experience has
shown that many number of children are forced to engage in hazardous
carpet work for years on account of lack of other options and
opportunities.
The community college
is one of the means to break the vicious circle of child labour and
poverty. It is a vocational resource center to build upon the technical
skills of carpet working children. It is a new initiative to experiment
and develop alternative employable skills to carpet working children to
switch over to other forms of safe and sustainable employment
The college will be
community focused and locally governed, administered and advised
They are student
centered with decisions made with students interested and needs in mind
Flexibility in meeting the needs of the students and the community
Relevant vocational training courses with technology transferable in the
region easily Low cost with participation of learners and the institution
to jointly bear the cost of the training
To produce skilled
workers to meet the trained manpower requirements of the community and
business in the region
To retrain the already
trained to upgrade the skills\
To help the small
entrepreneurs in starting new business enterprises by training them in the
areas of their interest
Introduction of new
courses or redesigning the existing courses to meet the current needs in
the region.
LOCATION
OF THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
It is located 12 km
from the district headquarters in Garhwa in Jharkhand district. It is on
the national highway connecting Jharkhand and U.P. it is spread around 2
acre of land with built up space 7500 Sq. Ft. \
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