OUR PROGRAMMES

INCLUSIVE, EARLY EDUCATION

We started our journey with an inclusive kindergarten in Kashele village, on 3rd Dec 2018 (World Disability Day). At present, we have 80+ students, including 6 children with disabilities, who study in one kindergarten and three Anganwadis. A majority of them come from Katkari settlements in Kashele and adjacent tribal hamlets. We follow an ‘inclusive curriculum’ that integrates constructivism, universal design for learning (UDL), and social-emotional learning (SEL), to address diverse learning needs of all children.

Our aim is to increase one grade every year and gradually become a model inclusive school where all children with and without disabilities study together in the same classroom.

LIBRARY / DISABILITY CENTRE

On 3rd June 2019, we set-up ‘Samaaveshi Library’, an inclusive, community library aimed at to improving STEM, literacy and life skills among local children with and without disabilities in Kashele village. The highlight of the library is the weekend library workshops attended by 30-40 children, including 8 CWDs. Besides, this library space is used for weekly physiotherapy services and remedial learning for 10+ children with disabilities in the area.

By 2030, we plan to set-up a network of five community libraries/ disability resource centres across Karjat block with a collection of print, digital and assistive learning resources.

INCLUSIVE ANGANWADI TRAINING

In August 2019, we launched the ‘Inclusive Anganwadi Training’ with an aim to transform rural Anganwadis into ‘inclusive’ early education centres. Our objective was to build capacity of local Anganwadi teachers in early disability identification and inclusive, early education skills. Through a twin-track approach: 1) a series of workshops on disability and diversity, foundational learning, digital literacy and inclusive-ed skills, and 2) setting-up a ‘mini-library’ of multi-sensory play and learning materials at each Anganwadi – we’re striving to build ‘an ecosystem of inclusive education’ in Karjat.

At present, we’re working with 100 Anganwadis, and gradually plan to cover all 300 Anganwadis in Karjat block by 2030.

SOLAR, SMART ANGANWADIs

Over 50% Anganwadis (of total 300) in Karjat block DO NOT have electricity. Samaaveshi started a PILOT in 2021 to transform five local Anganwadis into ‘SolarAnganwadis’ by installing a 165W solar power system + 1 Smart TV + 1 Smartphone. The idea was to harness solar energy and provide uninterrupted power and access to digital (and assistive) learning to rural Anganwadis. This objective was to improve child enrolment, classroom engagement and early learning outcomes among preschool children in Karjat.

Going forward, our goal is to solarize all 150 Anganwadis in Karjat that do not have electricity, by the year 2030.

ZILLA PARISHAD (ZP) SCHOOL 'INCLUSIVE-ED SUPPORT'

In June 2022, Samaaveshi started a pilot with a ZP school in Kashele village, to transform school infra and implement inclusive education for primary grades. In 2023, we expanded this project to a second ZP school within Kashele gram panchayat. The strategy entails improved school infra (solar, WASH facilities, classroom furniture, e-learning, sports equipment, library etc.) and placing full-time teachers to facilitate inclusive-ed. Currently, we’re supporting the education of 70+ primary students, including 6 children with disabilities

By 2023, we plan to expand to all five ZP schools within Kashele gram panchayat, and demonstrate Kashele as a model village/gram panchayat for inclusive education.