WHAT WE DO
Dipam Foundation is a charitable society established by Poonam Prasad and Divya Shriram with the primary objective of providing education to underprivileged children in slum areas of Delhi, who otherwise cannot afford the education and are deprived of basic amenities in life. The aims and objects of the society are purely charitable and we admit all children without any distinction of religion, caste and creed.
Our society was formed in 2009 and since then, we have been operating several Balwadis in the slum areas like Sangam Vihar, Devli, Lal Kuan, and Vishwakarma in Delhi. We provide education, medical health care, and nutrition to the underprivileged boys and girls. Each Balwari has around 50 children ranging from ages 3 to 5 years. We have employed a teacher who teaches the children a basic pre-school syllabus (which is designed by us) for 5 hours per day for 6 days per week.
Every Balwadi comprises a classroom, a kitchen, and a toilet where the space is taken on lease. In addition, Balwadis are equipped with teaching aids necessary for a pre-school. We follow both the Montessori and the play-way methods. We also provide the children with all learning aids (such as exercise books, pencils, erasers, puzzles, slates, colouring books, crayons).
We have also tied up with local doctors who come to the Balwadis once a month to provide basic medical care to the children. He takes care of the basic deficiencies the child may have. The children are given iron, calcium and vitamin supplements according to the doctors prescription that he writes for every child after examining them.
We also provide a hot nutritional meal everyday to the children, prepared in the school’s kitchen by our 2 full-time helpers on the premises. The menu for the daily meal is pre-planned by us, taking into account a balanced diet which takes care of the child’s protein, calcium, fat, and carbohydrates requirements.
Every child is provided with a school uniform which is different for both boys and girls. During the winter months, every child is also provided with a sweater.
We follow all festivals round the year and every balwadi celebrates these festivals with equal enthusiasm and fervour. At the end of the year, we take the children for an outdoor picnic. In the past, children have visited the Zoo, Bal Bhavan, Doll museum, Railway museum, and Children’s Park.
Our aim is to train every child to focus ahead in pursuing their studies in schools. When the child leaves our balwadi and moves on to primary schools, he or she has a strong foundation in basic pre-school teachings.
DIPAM FOUNDATION
New Delhi | 2017