A library has been set up in the children’s home managed by the organisation with books, computers and Internet access to reinforce the learning of children who have started school late

With the collaboration of URV Solidària through the aid programme for cooperation projects, the NGO Kolam has launched a project to improve the lives of children at risk of vulnerability in Udaipur, India. The project uses digital tools to improve the education of the children in the NGO’s home during the school year.

The social and economic context of these children means that they not only start their education later, but also have more trouble in understanding the educational subjects. For this reason, the NGO founded by Víctor López and Raquel Agorreta, in collaboration with Luis Miguel López, lecturer from the Public Law Department of the URV, have set up a space with the material in the classroom bridge of the children’s home. They have equipped it as a library, with new books, computers and Internet access. Educational materials have also been delivered to the community located in the suburbs of the Badgaon neighbourhood of Udaipur.

The books have been chosen because they are suitable for all ages so that the children can choose what they feel most comfortable with. This is necessary because the children are enrolled in the classes according to age not previous schooling, so the project aims to help children to learn at their own pace. The books are illustrated and have a simple vocabulary to facilitate the literacy process, since many have difficulties in fine motor skills and writing because of the lack of schooling.

The socio-economic situation of the families of the children living in the children’s home means that some children and adolescents have no digital knowledge. To introduce them to IT, a room has been equipped with several laptops and an internet connection, and twice a week a teacher gives computer classes.

In this way, Kolam aims to prevent child labour by offering tools and resources for a stable education and future employment on other programmes it organises. A group of URV students – Santiago Saez, Marta Fortuny, Maria Fabregat, Jan Gonzalo, Anna Fabregat and Maria Garcia – recorded the work of the NGO in the documentary Miradas de futuro (Looking at the Future) that they made for their bachelor’s degree thesis.

Call for cooperation projects 2022-23

URV Solidària has announced the 2022-23 call for international cooperation projects for development promoted by university members in various southern countries. Members of the URV community who wish to present initiatives can do so until next 10 May on the URV Solidària’s website. The last edition, with a total of 40,000 €, funded twelve projects in fields that ranged from human rights to education, medical assistance and tourism development.