DESCRIPCION

This project is run at the Sikshangan Challapara school in Kheadah, where free primary and secondary education is offered. The school is situated in Kheadah, 24 South Parganas district, in a rural area to the south of Calcutta, West Bengala.

In this region there are high levels of academic failure. Whilst each family situation is different, all of the children live below the poverty line. The IIMC offer study scholarships which cater for schooling, uniform, school equipment and school bags. This project sees football move into this rural area for the very first time. The football pitch is around 150 metres from the school. Every afternoon the children head from the school over to the football pitches, where they train and have an afternoon snack. Before the training session they receive a 30-minute talk on a social topic or self-esteem reinforcement. All of the participants have benefitted from medical check-ups. The IIMC volunteers, who for the most part are doctors and nurses, have seen how their jobs within the Calcutta region have been extended to include the support they offer at the school.

DESCRIPCION

The foundation's activities centre around education, given that it is considered as the basic tool for the participants to emerge from circumstances of poverty, marginalisation and social exclusion and be able to look forward to an exciting future. The same local partners have been working on the project for many years, many of whom are religious groups, such as the Tiruchirapalli Multipurpose Social Society Service (TMSSS), whilst in Tamil Nadu the state offers its support.

TMSSS is an official registered Roman Catholic Diocesan organisation in Tiruchirappalli and aims to promote justice and development. In turn, it is the governing body of the St. Thomas, St.Patrick, St. Roman Catholic and Sacre Coeur education centres where the young boys and girls will be the direct beneficiaries of the creation of these 4 sporting venues which form 2 socio-sporting schools..

Young catholics, musilms, hindus, buddists, Jains and those from different castes all coexist in these schools.

TMSSS is an official registered Roman Catholic Diocesan organisation based in Tiruchirappalli that aims to promote justice and development. In turn, it is the governing body of the St. Thomas, St. Patrick, St. Roman Catholic and Sacre Coeur education centres where young boys and girls will be the direct beneficiaries of the creation of these 4 sporting venues which form 2 socio-sporting schools.

Young catholics, musilms, hindus, buddists, Jains and those from different castes all coexist in these schools.

The main aims of this project are:

• To develop a basic Sporting Education Programme for primary students who are at serious risk of social exclusion.
• To instil the importance of education in families and children in order to try and prevent child labour.
• To provide educational and nutritional support for those who take part in training.
• Create a meeting and training place for boys, girls and their families, where they feel supported and protected, in turn making them feel like they play a key role in the project.
• To integrate the boys, girls and their families in the school's activities.
• To involve and make parents aware of the benefits of their child having an education. A School for parents under the format of discussions with representatives of the school (2 or 3 times per year)
• To develop group activities which involve cooperation between staff, monitors, family and friends etc.
• To instil values such as teamwork, solidarity and multiculturalism.