Education
Women In NeedThe programme was started with children who are first generation learners. Education is modern India’s greatest leveller. It is the tide that lifts every boat. We are all prisoners of birth but education has the power to snap the meanest bonds of economic and social enslavement. It is the route out of the caste ghetto, the path out of the slum and the road to high table. In spite of many adversities, children who manage to study, many struggle due to poor inadequate facilities and poor teaching, often ending up remaining unemployable. Initially, in the programme, the mothers and adolescent girls, who had to work, were educated with the basic knowledge of reading and writing, through adult literacy classes and vocational training. The objective was to improve the quality of life through persuasion, counselling and support and by imparting knowledge of basic healthcare to prevent diseases and malnutrition, thus enabling them to acquire personal hygiene, family planning and social awareness, culminating in self confidence.
The programme for children was designed in such a way that they could go on living with their families and at the same time got a chance to pursue their education. The programme also centres on those children who have to work from a very young age, due to poverty. These children otherwise would not have health and mental care or any surveillance during day time. At the same time they would have suffered malnutrition owing to availability of insufficient food.
Co-Curricular Activities of Women ln Need (WIN)
Co-Curricular Activities of WIN include :
Computer Classes
Project of WIN have a dedicated Computer Laboratory with 10 computers and the Computer Laboratory of the Diamond Harbour Project have 4 Computers.
Dance Classes
Annual Cultural Programme
Drawing Classes
These classes assist students to increase their talent interest in the subject as well as having a good pass time allowing them to explore their creative talents.
Pre-school Day Centre
The education programme for children is carried out through day care centers and kindergarten in Montessori method, for children of age group between 3 and 6 years. The programme also takes care of their mid-day meal and nutrition. Mainstreaming these children into formal education is also done by providing school fees, books, stationaries and uniform, among other essential items.
Coaching Classes
Since these children come from families with no educational background, they need monitoring and guidance at every step. Therefore, once the children get admitted to regular schools (mostly in Govt. schools), we support them with Coaching Classes throughout the week on regular academic subjects such as mathematics, Science, Bengali, English, Social Studies, to supplement their learning processes at school.
Skill Development Classes
Education Projects in the country faces the challenge of universal admission to schools, drop outs in primary and secondary stages and deficiency in learning and attaining employability. WIN, in its humble way, has been able to ensure that all the children under its care, go to school and complete their Higher Secondary (Class XII) education and learn their lessons fairly. However, on the issue of employability, WIN needs to pursue motivate more students to pursue job related skill development training to improve their employability. WIN has facilitated many skill development courses for its beneficiaries under the National Skill Development Council like Peerless, Ramakrishna Math and Mission (R.K.M.M.) Training Institute.
A Major Step Towards Quality Education in English Language For Our Student Beneficiaries
We Can Resources is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing quality education to the underprivileged. Recently it joined hands with Women In Need to help the Primary student beneficiaries of our Tollygunge Project and Dhobiatala Project, studying in Classes IV, V and VI, bridge the gap between their actual performance and expected performance in English language. In this activity, WeCan Resources also actively involved the teachers who taught these students. Initially the WeCan Resources professionals interacted with the student beneficiaries to understand the gaps in their learning of English language. Later, two separate sets of Learning Camps were planned to be held for these students in the presence of their English teachers, eight in number.
Initially, an Orientation Program for these eight teachers (Kamal Chatterjee, Soma Sen, Taposhi Roy and Jasmine Khatun from Tollygunge Project; Lipika Banerjee, Sandhya Kundu, Rina Das and Sitara Khatun from Dhobiatala Project) was held in WIN House on December 9, 2024. The teachers were introduced to English teaching skills through fun and games scientifically, through songs, group work and creative activities, teaching the children phonetics for improving vocabulary and spelling skills, encouraging them to individual storytelling and bonding with books. Later the student beneficiaries of Tollygunge Project attended Learning Camps on December 18, 19, 20, 2024 while those of Dhobiatala Project attended theirs in January 2025 along with their English teachers using these English teaching skills. The experience was indeed novel for both the teachers and the taught. Planning of a similar exercise for teaching Mathematics to these students is underway.
Infotainment Sessions for Women Beneficiaries of Tollygunge Project
A series of twelve Infotainment Sessions were arranged for eighteen selected women beneficiaries of our Tollygunge Project, in WIN House during July and August The sessions were organised and introduced by two mental health counsellors. The idea was to introduce these beneficiaries to some important socio-economic-health issues and help them share, express and voice their views about these topics, thereby giving them the confidence for self-expression and self-decision. The sessions were held weekly, each for one and half hours. The topics covered were the following:
Session 2 – Guided Group Discussion on Financial Management and Investment Management
Session 3 – Guided Group Discussion on Child Psychology Management (0-6 years)
Session 4 – Guided Group Discussion on Child Psychology Management (6-12 years)
Session 5 – Guided Group Discussion on Gut Health & Nutrition as key to well-being
Session 6 – Optimal Use of Smart Mobile Phones as Computers
Session 7 – Optimal Use of Smart Mobile Phones as Computers – continued
Session 8 – Guided Group Discussion on Menstrual Health & Hygiene
Session 9 – Guided Group Discussion on Perimenopause & Menopause
Session 10 – Guided Group Discussion on Necessity to Invest Time in Developing Support Group of Friends & Family
Session 11 – Guided Group Discussion on Self-Care & Self-Love for Overall Well-being
Session 12 – Guided Group Discussion on Rights & Help Out