In India, a large part of the contract or daily wage labour move from one state to another for want of work. The culture is such that husband and wife both migrate together with their children for work and settle down at the new location till they are engaged.

Vedanta Group has joined hands with Rural Development Organization, Tamil Nadu to reach out to children of these migratory parents, who move from one State to another for want of work, to provide them education – nutrition – health benefits.

Vedanta Group had released an open advertisement last year in leading national daily – entitled – “Together Towards A Better Future – Sustainable Development Proposals Invited From NGOs” – which invited sustainable development proposals from various NGOs, who are working towards community service, for financial support.

Rural Development Organization (RDO) from Tamil Nadu was also one of the NGO’s who presented the proposal for providing education – nutrition – health benefits to children of migratory parents who come in Nilgiri from Kerala, Orissa, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Assam and even Nepal, for want of work in tea estate. Nilgiri Hills in Tamil Nadu is the heaven of tea plantation but this has also increased the inflow of migratory labours.

While these `Migratory Labours’ move out to work, their children are left un-attended. Their education, safety, health, everything is sensitive and requires attention. These children have been also prone to trafficking and exploitation. Another danger is the big wild forest of Nilgiri which is full of wild animals.

Today, with the association of Vedanta group, RDO has opened-up 31 schools and more than 620 migratory children are studying in these schools, importantly, 50% of these children are girls. Each school has a full time teacher, one Assistant Teacher and one cook. Overall there is staff strength of 96 people.

The migratory children studying in these schools are in the age-group of 4-12 years and they all have been provided with notebooks, Hindi text books, story books, chalks, slates, pencils, bags, uniforms, track suits to name a few, and get good hot meals every day.

For students joining late, RDO has also arranged for bridge classes to make them at par with other students of their age.

These 620 migrating children now no more wander on the roads and no more suffer from lack of food, health, education and care.

Some day you begin and then you prosper, but the beginning is the time when you need support – emotional as well as financial, for such projects. With association of Vedanta these 620 migratory children are being groomed to become responsible citizen of India.