by Allegra Mangione, GoPhil Development & Marketing Coordinator
GoPhil partner, TARA Child Protection & Empowerment, has two approaches to protecting children: supporting the most vulnerable children unable to stay with family members in their small homes and keeping vulnerable families together through the TARA Outreach Centre (TOC). A long time partner of TARA, GoPhil’s support now focuses on TOC, as it is well-aligned with our approach to keeping families together to strengthen communities.
We recently received the following update from TARA with uplifting anecdotes and hopeful news.
TARA Outreach Centre Reopens
This quarter, TARA reopened its outreach center (TOC), celebrated five years of TARA Girls, and continued to ensure children at TARA homes have a safe place to learn. While the lockdown in India was a time full of stress and uncertainty for many, a sense of normalcy has started to return to GoPhil partner, TARA.
Located in the Saidulajab neighborhood of South Delhi, TARA Outreach Centre (TOC) combines education and family case management to ensure families stay strong. TOC supplements government schooling with a high-quality education, especially important now as school closures have impacted more than 320,000 children in India.
TOC had been temporarily closed due to the lockdown since mid-March. Children have been out of school, and schools have provided limited at-home learning resources. Many parents were out of work and struggled to make ends meet. Concerned that the closure would disrupt children’s education in the long-term, TOC reopened on October 12, 2020, helping many children get back on track. Excitement is in the air as TOC reopens, and schoolchildren are delighted to learn in-person again.
One TOC student shared:
“During the lockdown, we felt like we were caged inside. We wanted the centre to open soon as we were facing difficulty in understanding the work being sent by the schoolteachers. Also, they are not available to help with our questions. It is easy to understand face to face. Now with the centre open, I can ask my questions. I am happy that the centre is open.”
To keep students safe, only children ages ten years and older are returning to classes in groups of 4 students at a time. All participating students received approval from their parents before returning to TOC and hygiene and mask protocols were adopted for all. TOC is currently surveying families to better understand community needs and how government school closures have impacted families.
Continued Partnership for Strong Families, Safe Children, and Bright Futures
GoPhil has committed to funding several key staff positions at the TARA Outreach Centre: an Outreach Social Worker, an Education Coordinator, and a Nanny.
We invite you to join us in helping TARA provide access to education, enabling children to continue their education and reach their full potential by making a donation today.
