| Sign up! |
 |
|
|
Greetings!
Children's minds are impressionable. But most street children in India, faced with tough times and hard situations, are robbed of their childhoods and forced to 'grow up' too soon. Their hands hold tools instead of books and toys; they have to work instead of study like other, more fortunate children their age.
Oasis believes that young minds and hardened hearts can be restored. Believing that education is the key to a brighter future, we strive to change those first impressions of abuse and despair and replace them with opportunity, hope and dignity. |
| Forward progress |
|
 Back to school
Devakumar, 16, and Abraham, 17, share similar stories. They both couldn't cope with school. They lost interest and dropped out.
Devakumar started hanging out on the streets of Bangalore and soon made friends with the local street boys. They were involved in petty crime and other such anti social behaviour. Abraham went to work with his father with his printing business after he dropped out of school.
In the summer, Oasis India conducted a football training camp and both Devakumar and Abraham were encouraged to attend. Football training is used to reach out to young boys from slum areas, to build relationships with them and keep them away from bad behaviour.
After the camp, they both continued to attend practice and have now become regular members of the Bangalore Yellows. Having developed a good rapport with the boys, the coach soon began to encourage the drop outs to finish school. With extra tuition and a lot of encouragement offered by Oasis staff, the boys are now enrolled in school and are working hard at finishing well. |
| Yearning for learning |
|
 Peer advice
Oasis reaches out to families living in slum communities, instructing parents on various life issues and encouraging children to attend school. Pavithra, Kavitha and Nirmal, from the Vyasarpadi community came to Oasis after getting a good report from their neighbours and friends.
After their parents split, Pavithra, 10, and Kavitha, 7, dropped out of school and moved to Chennai with their mother to live with their grandmother. They heard about Oasis from the neighbourhood children who attended Oasis' after school classes. Staff met with their mother and she was soon convinced to enrol her daughters into the local school. Being the middle of the academic year, the girls have to wait till the next year to enrol, but till then, they enjoy attending the after school classes.
Ten year old Nirmal's mother Selvi is grateful to Oasis for the change she has seen in her son. "My son lost interest and dropped out," she says, "but at the Oasis summer camp, the staff took a special interest in him and he is now regular at school."
Pavithra, Kavitha and Nirmal are now confident young children and are excited with the love and interest shown to them.
|
| Teach India |
|
Play your part
One skill that can open the door for new opportunities for people in India is being able to use English. Oasis India is equipping youth and women, from disadvantaged and abused backgrounds with English skills, helping them prepare for a better future.
Oasis India has developed a 4 level course tailored to the Indian context, using books, activities and an audio CD. The course focuses on spoken English, but also equips the women and youth with reading and writing skills. It is not taught in isolation, but alongside life-skills sessions that enable the women and youth to reflect on issues they face, ensuring they are more able to keep moving forward, prepared for work, family and community life.
£200 (Rs. 14000) enables us to provide the course material and teaching aids for a group of 25 women or youth for this 4 month course.
| |
|
Thank you for your support. We hope you enjoyed this newsletter. Do feel free to write to us with your comments or suggestions. Do take a moment to update your profile by using the link at the bottom of your page.
Sincerely,
Communications Team
Oasis India
|
|
|
