Freedom Years

Madhukar Gumble, a homeopathic doctor and the man behind AHS, has been actively working in this field. Around 1999, Save The Children (STC), Canada, selected Amravati for Child Workers Opportunity Project (CWOP). The Amravati project was entrusted to the AHS.

‘‘We treat every out-of-school child as child labour and try to give him his due under a four-fold programme. First we identify such kids, give them informal education to create interest among them for school,’’ says Gumble.

To ensure zero dropout, AHS started co-ordinating with schools by conducting support classes for possible dropouts. ‘‘We also sensitised teachers,’’ Gumble says.

Needy parents were given financial help so that they would let their children give up their hazardous jobs. Training sessions were organised in villages to strengthen the workings of education committees. Trade unions and factory owners were taken into confidence to ensure no child worked as a labourer.

Says Girish Godbole, STC’s India director: ‘‘Apeksha’s rapport with the administration is excellent and children’s participation lively. We’re using the experience to spread the programme in Akola district as well.’’

Akola Collector Anoop Kumar has already taken the lead with two pilot projects at Akot and Murtizapur.