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Solibad's "India" program consists of two different programs. The first one, "Sweet Silence" lasted 3 years, from 2016 to 2018. Since then, Solibad has continued its assistance to this country through a partnership with Objectif France Inde (OFI) and the help to build a library.
"Sweet Silence " - India
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Location : This project is located in the Tamil Nadu region of southern India, not far from Tenkasi
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Start date of the program : 2016
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Date of partnership with SOLIBAD : 2016
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Number of children/families impacted since the beginning of the action in 2013 : 150 children of the deaf from the "Shanti School"
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Amount invested by Solibad in this program since 2016 : 5000 €
The program in details
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Solibad, in partnership with the association Bulles d'espoir, supported 150 deaf children in the provision of computer equipment and the salary of a teacher.
The children of the Shanti School are, for the majority, deaf from 60 to 100%. The financial situation of the school does not allow them to fit the children with hearing aids. The main challenges for Shanti School are the following:
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To ensure an education program in line with the national programs.
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Acquire autonomy in communication and education
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Developing a professional project
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Acquire communication skills: sign language, English, Tamil, and computer skills.
The money brought by Solibad allowed the purchase, in 2 steps, of computer equipment (computers and laptops) so that the children, despite their handicap, could access computer skills, fundamental for their professional future.
The provision of a teacher made it possible to accompany the teaching team in this new discipline.
A wind of modernity in a rural area with few opportunities.
Badminton equipment was also donated for sports activities.
The aid ended in 2018 because the school was able to benefit from other local funds.
OFI - Library funding in 2019/2020
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In 2019, Solibad, still in partnership with Bulles d'Espoirs, has joined forces with an association working for schooling and education for children in particular.
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We have therefore financed the construction of a library for a school of nearly 3600 children in the province of Tamil Nadu with a budget of 6000 €. These children, from the untouchable caste, have little access to culture and reading, and this library will be a real breath of fresh air and a beautiful source of learning and culture for all these children.
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Following the pandemic, the work was much delayed, but the structure was almost finalized by the end of 2020, and the library should finally see the light of day at the beginning of 2021.
"Education for all"
Since 2021, our partnership with OFI has been extended with another local charity, Asha Bhavan Center, which looks after marginalized and very fragile communities in the South of India. Solibad has financed a program in the school of Parbakshi, where 160 children used to go on a daily basis before Covid striked - half of them only could continue during the pandemic.
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The aim of this program is to ensure that underprivileged children are able to get an education.
We have also helped to construct sports structure in order for children to be able to play sport and develop skills, interaction and self confidence.
Badminton has been a key part in this new program, including mixed sessions for boys and girls.
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Through this program, we finance also all school operations, administrative costs and bare the salaries of the teachers, to ensure that the children can get a proper education.
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This is also a way to fight against child labor, very present in these communities.
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New school suppported by Solibad!
For some time now, our partner Objectif France Inde (OFI) has been assessing the impacts on the school in Parbakshi due to Covid and the fact that the children have not had school for 2 consecutive years. The results are quite sad since almost half of the children have not returned to school...
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There are several reasons for this disaffection, including the migration of many families to Jarkand and Bihar because there was no work around the Parbakshi school, but also the fact that the government is proposing a new plan to bring children back to their previously disused schools (they are offering the children a morning snack, lunch, a family food ration for the month, a uniform with shoes, a school bag and school materials). In addition to all this, these schools refuse to give a "transfer certificate" which would allow the children to return to Parbakshi, without this "transfer certificate", the examinations are not recognised. OFI continues to follow the development of this school and to assist it but many factors are beyond their control and the control of the Asha Bhavan Centre.
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However, a new objective has emerged: that of setting up the same sports program but with a new school, that of Shanti, near Trichy in Tamil Nadu, where the number of beneficiaries (students) will be much higher this time (out of the 2000 children who were present at the school, 1600 have returned as a result of Covid). OFI has been involved in this school for many years and encourages, in particular, all the extra-curricular activities. As the teaching is in English, there is also less competition with government schools.
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After consultation, the board members then decided that the annual Solibad funding to OFI will be used for this new school. This sum will also allow them to buy sports equipment (badminton and other) and to pay a sports teacher... A young person in civic service has also been recruited by OFI to do sports with the children of the program and the location of this new school, near a national road, also makes it easier to access !
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