By Isher Judge Ahluwalia – Excerpt: In the scheme of urban rejuvenation of the basti, initiatives on health and education came first. I visited the MCD school, which was clean and cheerfully decorated with artwork. The 15 municipal teachers are being supported by 25 trained members of the community. Enrolment has increased from 120 to 600 in the last five years, and attendance has also improved significantly. A renovated park adjacent to the school acts as the playfield for children. I saw two children playing and learning with a computer in a “Hole in the Wall”, a famous initiative of the NIIT. Bridging classes or tuitions are offered to students from class 5 to 8 after school hours.
A career development centre has been set up to provide vocational training programmes for the youth, especially in computers and IT. Some young people have been trained as heritage guides for the area. Women are being trained in aari and zardozi embroidery, crochet, tailoring and other crafts, while marketing support for their products is provided by the Aga Khan Trust to Noor and Insha, the women self-help groups.
Ismailimail 