Institute of International Social Development

Started in 1996. Presently ongoing

Objective:

Project SUSHIKSHA was launched after a survey by a team of experts who confirmed, "Education of women is the key to development". The program is run according to the second MDG "Achieve Universal Primary Education".

Description:

SUSHIKSHA is an educational program, especially for Women from disadvantaged backgrounds with no accessibility for the light of knowledge and selfreliance. The curriculum includes basic reading and writing of the local vernacular and basic arithmetic for accounting. Besides, gradual awareness on environmental development for a sustainable better quality of life is also carried out. The project has effect on a population of at least 50,000 slum dwellers of Tollygunge slum in Kolkata followed by 1,000 people from the remote Bhitargarh village, Mecheda in Midnapore district of West Bengal, India. Presently the project is also being implemented in the tribal areas of Birbhum district along with Project Self-Help Groups.

Achievements:

Intervention successfully completed in its initial site, a slum in Tollygunge, South Kolkata in 1997.
Over 50 non-literate women and girls successfully completed literacy program in Bengali and Mathematics.
Participants are trained to make handicrafts as a commercially applicable skill.
Distribution of black boards and 500 slates to rural NGOs for the center in 1997 was done.
Opening of a center for adult women of Bhitaragarh village, Mecheda, Midnapore district in 2000.
Twelve women received Pass Certificates from this center in 2001.
Cultural and value-based orientation undertaken through this project.