After attending a few classes at Jaago, a students’ club, Umadini knew what she missed at school. So, she decided to carry on. Even a disapproving headmistress could not deter her from visiting the club. Today, Umadini, along with 100 others, take Jaago classes after school hours.
Umadini and her friends come from Tarini Basti, a slum near the Bhubaneswar airport. Amit, now in Standard VI, is a regular at Jaago. “My Maths and English have improved,” chuckles Amit, who wants to become a police officer. Susmita is an old timer. Santosini comes to Jaago accompanied by her sisters. Though reluctant in the beginning, her parents are quite supportive now.
Established in October 11, 2007, Jaago is a socio-educational club run by engineering students of the Institute of Technical Education and Research (ITER). Its classes are meant for school-goers whose parents could not send them to expensive English medium schools. Tutors at Jaago try to plug in the gaps unique to most midday meal schools where Umadini, Amit and Santosini study. They hold remedial classes for subjects taught at schools as well as lessons in moral science and etiquettes.
Now, Jaago boasts of nearly 100 students. The acceptability of its classes has grown exponentially. “To start with, we donated 50 rupees each to arrange the transportation of our students. looking at our growing popularity, our Director Prof MK Mallick backed us with university bus facility for carrying our little friends to and fro.” recalls Ved Prakash, an ardent Jaago member.
Institutional support in the form of moral and material reinforcements from Dean Prof RK Mishra and other faculty members has never been an issue. In all, there are about 65-70 BTech students rendering their services to Jaago.
Jaago also extends its support to Tarini Basti in the form of health camps. Recent health check-ups among adults of the slum revealed a majority of them being addicted to liquor and marijuana. Jaago members will organise street theatres at the slum to create awareness of the ill effects of narcotics consumption.
Not all of Jaago’s finances come from the college alone. “We have learnt to raise our finances (from other sources).” says a proud club member.