“All our initial efforts have met with hostility and suspicion. But after many persistent and hopeful attempts, few parents allowed their children to enrol in our school. The academic success produced by such students has convinced other parents to send their children to our school.
I wanted to provide an uncompromising quality of education to the street children. So, we have chosen and developed a syllabus that is similar to ICSE. The curriculum is based on the concept of the ancient teaching method of ‘from those who know to those who do not know’.
The curriculum is linked with lifestyle aspects such as agriculture, sanitation, weather, and cooking. It aims to inspire responsible creativity in children. We act as advocates for a better environment and society. Our mission is to be part of the solution.”
These are the words of Uma, who established a school for street children and created a huge positive impact in improving the standard of living of the people. Uma is a Math graduate. After getting her Ph.D., she didn’t aim for a materialistic livelihood.
Therefore, she engaged herself in various charitable works for many years. While pursuing her MBA, she made a documentary on beggars and street dwellers. Through the camera and documentaries, she brought out the lifestyle of the people and tried to improve their livelihood.
But she could see that there was no progress in their lives. Moved by their plight, she assured them that she would change their lives. After that, she established a foundation called ‘Suyam’ to educate street children and rehabilitate their families. In 2003, she established a Montessori school for street children named ‘Siragu’ in Avadi. Through this school, she fulfilled her promise made to the mothers.
400 students are studying in this school, which has up to the eighth standard. Marginalised children, such as street children, orphans and child labourers rescued from brick kilns, attend this school. It is still functioning as a school for the children of the poor, including gardeners, auto drivers, hawkers selling near traffic signals, agricultural labourers, house maids and cleaners. Children without parents stay in ‘Siragu’ itself.
Through the initiative of Suyam Foundation, schools for the poor were opened in different parts of Tamil Nadu. Bharat Mata School, a school for slum children, a small school at Tiruvallur for rural children and Kannimeri Nursery School at Kanyakumari for coastal children are run by this Trust.
Usually, there is no school fee, and only a few schools charge nominal fees. Jeevan Vidya Organisation helps in establishing a harmonious relationship between Suyam Foundation School teachers, parents and the public. The Jeevan Vidya Organisation is promoted by IITians and focuses on value education.
Uma, who is active in the welfare of street children, development of rural women, value education and development of natural environment, has participated in the Cuckoo Conversations Live program on 04.05.2020. The life experiences of Uma, who takes responsibility for the education of children and designs the curriculum for them internationally, and conducts activities for the same for the development of a marginalised community, will take us through many obstacles that we cannot overcome.