The child of impoverished parents working as agricultural labourers, 14 year old Sharadha (left) has blossomed at the evening tuition centre in her Puliyankulam. Previously, Sharadha struggled at school and was hesitant to interact with others. After attending the Tamil Nadu Labour Union tuition centre, she was promoted to eighth standard at her normal school.
When Covid-19 struck, Sharadha volunteered to teach other students at the centre about pandemic health measures, such as wearing masks and gloves, and using hand sanitizers.
After seven years of NZEI funding, sixteen centres around Madurai have opened, reaching 448 girls and 397 boys from the Dalit and tribal families. This educational support has dramatically reduced drop out from the state schools and increased the numbers of these disadvantaged students going on to higher education.
