After-School Tuition, Chennai
The Wings of Hope has been instrumental in a project providing after-school tuition for children living in the most deprived areas of Chennai.
Along with SAVE trust, a local NGO, the Wings of Hope run after-school tuition help and support for children who live in the slums of Chennai, the most deprived areas of the city. Children of all ages come and expand their knowledge, or get help with homework in a friendly and safe environment. Many of their parents and siblings are illiterate, and state schools in the area have problems with teacher absenteeism so these children are not supported in their education. This work is crucial for helping children to continue in education, allowing them to work towards a better life, truly empowering through education. Spaces for these sessions are provided by the community, including rooms loaned by the police station, and roof terraces of local houses. The next stage in the development of this project is to have a purpose-built space to act as a main hub and centre for the project.
In 2016, the Swaminayaran school in North-West London also collaborated in this work, donating toys and cards to these children who were delighted to receive such exciting gifts from England! Previous WOHAA winners have also visited the project in action.
The group also run summer camps, where children play games and educational activities, and are encouraged to think big. This year, they held a science fair!