BUILDING BLOCKS INDIA
Family Development Services is a politically and religiously unbound organisation, registered at the Office of the Registrar of Societies in Bangalore, India.
The goal is to improve slum children's lives throughout India by giving them an education that is comparable to that of the majority of private institutions. This is mostly done through their three major projects: Building Blocks, Project +10, and Foster Homes.
Building Blocks is an organisation committed to breaking the poverty cycle in India by providing free quality education to underprivileged children who lack the opportunity to receive any form of instruction.
Every child at Building Blocks comes from a very low-income family. Most of them were living in highly unsanitary conditions on the streets and frequently caring for their younger siblings before enrolling in Building Blocks schools. In either scenario, kids would be left alone with little food and supervision while their parents—typically construction workers—were away all day. The majority of the children did not have access to nutritious meals, clean water, or hygienic toilets, making them more vulnerable to malnutrition and other health issues. Since their parents are only able to afford food to survive, these children would never have had the chance to receive a quality education.
HARIHARAN'S STORY
With 6-year old Hariharan’s dad passing away and mother Shalini not being able to work because of her health problems, it has been a financial struggle for his family. Shalini’s mother and her brother-in-law both work in the food industry. So, they bring food from their workplace daily and their family survives on that food. They have applied for a government ration card which will be a source of supply of their monthly staple food items. Shalini is very thankful for Building Blocks as her children got the opportunity to get education and care. She wants Hariharan to become a police officer. Hariharan is a good learner, a happy child and is very helpful to his mother. He helps her in the different chores of the house. Hariharan is a very smart child and an allrounder.
OFOUNDATION SPONSORSHIP
OFoundation is proud to support Hariharan with a sponsorship, providing him with a financial backing for his education. It is agreed to support him throughout his educational career until graduation from highschool. The entire period for the sponsorship adds up to 10 years. OFoundation wants to be at the forefront of ensuring a quality education to children of low-income families, especially in the third world countries such as India.
PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS OF BUILDING BLOCKS
1. Regular school program: 6 days a week, from 9.00 am to 1.00 pm.
2. Nutrition program: Breakfast and lunch served 220 working days a year.
3. Selection Strategy: The social workers and school managers ensure that admissions are given first to the neediest through a strict selection strategy. The selection process is finalised in three months’ time through a process of case history consideration, scorecards, house visits, screening test, and orientation meetings. Bi-annual follow up visits are also done by social workers.
4. Curriculum: All our schools follow a well-structured, integrated common curriculum that is regularly assessed and updated. Teachers and staff participate in training sessions that equip them to effectively deliver the curriculum to the best of their ability. The weekly lesson plans are designed based on feedback from the teaching staff. Class tests are conducted every Friday and Term End Assessments are conducted in September, December, and March by the Curriculum coordinators.
5. Management: The School Head is responsible for the smooth and safe running of the school. Priorities include building staff and community relationships, managing day-to-day operations and student data, keeping books of accounts, and sending daily and monthly reports. The activities of teachers and junior staff are maintained and monitored daily using checklists.
6. Community Engagement: Social worker conducted regular awareness programs cover topics like child sexual abuse, financial literacy, health and hygiene, and fire safety. School Heads and external partners also collaborate to improve the parents’ living standards.
7. Relationship Building: Orientation and PTA meetings are conducted to convey to parents the importance of education and to reinforce the rules and regulations of the school in regard to attendance, cleanliness, etc.
8. Library program: A well-stocked and highly structured, age-appropriate reading program is followed for 15 minutes a day in the lesson plan. The teachers maintain records of how each book is used.
9. Co-Curricular activities: Educational field trips are organised for the students, while other extra-curricular activities such as art, drama, and theatre are done in the school.