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IC colony women coach Dahisar slum kids, guide them to a brighter future
IC Women's Welfare Association in Mumbai provides free education to over 150 children living in slums, helping them improve their studies and instilling values in them. The center, which has been running for 10 years, offers tuition classes and special English classes, as well as activities like dance and drama. The center also holds monthly parent-teacher meetings to counsel parents on ensuring their children stay away from negative influences.
MUMBAI: For more than 150 children living in Ganpat Patil Nagar in Dahisar, the time after school is no longer for loitering around in the slums they call home. Instead they hotfoot it to a centre near a BMC park in Borivali’s IC Colony, where the gift of education awaits them.
The centre was launched by the IC Women’s Welfare Association (ICWWA), a 24-year-old establishment, in 2013. It functions from the Samaj Kalyan Kendra, a space in IC colony that was given by the area’s former corporator Abhishek Ghosalkar, and has been holding free tuition classes for 10 years now.
“When we began, it was with just six children from the nearby slums and two teachers,” said Yvonne D’Souza, chairperson and founder of ICWWA. “Today, 23 teachers volunteer and around 170 children come to this centre for free education.”
Gunja Gupta, a Class 12 student, has been going to the centre for the past seven years. “It helped me improve tremendously in my studies,” she said. “I scored 80 percent in Class 10. I want to be a teacher one day so that I can teach children too.”
Her mother, Asha, a resident of the nearby slums, happened to see the centre on her visits to the BMC garden. “One day, I decided to walk in and ask Yvonne about the place,” she said. “The very next day, I enrolled my three children.”
Asha added that the centre had also instilled values in her kids. “I can see my children blossoming here,” she said. “My daughter, who is in Class 12 now, performed extremely well in Class 10 without any paid tuitions, just by studying here. I have personally learnt many values at the centre. I am not educated but I want my children to be educated and get good jobs.”
Every evening, the place hums with energy as children are grouped together by class and subject. The centre runs special English classes. “They study in a government school where they get the necessary basic education,” said Aarya Gadade, a psychology student from Sophia College who teaches at the centre. “What we do here is help them get better in language and certain subjects they may find interesting.”
Ramila Kotian, a retired LIC employee, teaches all subjects to Class 7 students, but with a focus on mathematics. “Last year, a former student wrote to me, saying how it was only after attending the free tuitions here that she realised how interesting the study of mathematics is,” she said.
The centre also has college students come over to teach children activities like dance and drama. During HT’s visit, children were seen preparing for a Christmas event to be celebrated on December 20. “I am recruiting young children to participate in various dance performances that will be staged on December 20 as part of our Christmas celebrations,” said Annette Ferro, who has been associated with the centre for the last three years.
Once a month, parents are called for a parent-teacher meet, where they are counselled to ensure that their children do not fall prey to the wrong activities while living in the slums. “My childhood was spent in the slums, and my mother did everything possible to ensure that I got a sound education and a good life,” said Yvonne. “I am now giving back to society through this centre.”
