PROJECT UTTORON

“Uttoron” is our flagship education initiative. This project aims at supplementing primary education and learning systems in disadvantaged areas, thereby enhancing the quality of education and value systems among young students. We partner with government and non-government partner agencies to identify primary schools, and setup alternate learning systems, including engaging teachers, arranging space for classrooms, providing stationeries and other learning accessories. Foundation members and project coordinators visit the schools frequently, progress is closely monitored and assessed against key parameters. 

Foundation members envisaged this project based on considerations such as:

  • Facilitating quality education to the children can have a huge positive impact on the family and society they are part of,
  • Our resources can be better utilized by partnering with schools that are already functioning and helping them in complementing their resources,
  • Close monitoring, and being responsive to the requirements coming from the students and their families, can yield positive and sustainable results.  

 

“Uttoron” started off by setting up two supplementary tuition centers for two Shishu Shiksha Kendra’s (SSK’s) in Haringhata block. Out of these two, Mollabelia SSK didn’t continue for long, however Thakurtala Adibasipara has been a hue success.

Buoyed by this success, we started supporting two more schools in Budge budge block, this time, we engaged full time teachers, as the schools were operating with a single teacher who had to take care of entire school. While the need was real and intent good, none of the initiatives succeeded – after many attempts to achieve meaningful outcomes, both the projects had to be discontinued. 

Our experience in Haringhata and Budge budge was a huge learnign for us. We got a fair idea on what can work and what doesn’t, also as ann NGO, what are our strength and weakness. In the process, we also got in touch with many other like minded people. In late 2024, we lanched a partnership with a fellow NGO, “Be-and-make”, who runs a similar project called “Sopan”. The “Sopan-Uttoron” partnership project is now facilitating two learning centers, one near Panduah and one in Malda. After some early setback, Uttoron is now back on track, and is poised to go from strength to strength from now on.