Proposal - Slum Library

Every girl has a right to education!                                   Proposal - English Books Library for slum girls                                 

Aarti Naik, (S.Y.B.A. Sociology), Dnyanada College, Thane

 

What do you want to do? 

 

English Books Library for Slum Girls:  

 

Community based English Books Library will be especially for socio-economically poor slum 

girls. This English Books Library can be accessed by near about 70 to 80 slum girls (age 8-17) 

from surrounding slum area of Mulund (w), Mumbai.  This library will become one special place 

of slum girls where they can raise their voices without any fear with confidently.  

 

English Books Library will provide following things –  

 

• Books to develop speaking and listening skills in English language  of slum girls 

• Books for general knowledge (G.K.) building and health awareness  

• Books to provide life skills education for slum girls  

• Magazines & English News paper for slum girls  

• E-Books and Games on computer through internet  

 

Capacity Building activities for slum girls – 

 

• To develop the Self Help Groups of slum girls 

• To conduct  the sessions to build the writing & speaking skills of English language   

• To establish the Support Groups of mothers   

• To organize ongoing programme and events (ex. celebration of women`s day) 

• To organize the workshop on girl`s rights  

• To organize a workshop on Effective Ways of Study  

• To organize a workshop on career guidance  

• To organize Street Play Training for slum girls  

• To organize Exposure Visits (ex. Nehru Science Center, Worli)  

 

Why do you want to do it? 

 

The main purpose to initiate this English Books Library is that slum girls should get one right 

place where they can come together to share their views and to use these available books with 

different capacity building activities for their personality development. It will also help to reduce 

school dropout rate of slum girls. This English Books Library will become valuable Information 

Resource Center for slum girls and parents who always struggle to find out appropriate 

educational resources due to their poor socio-economic conditions.  

  

I am Aarti Naik I am Aarti Naik, age 21, and I belong to a marginalized community of India. I 

have been staying in a slum area of Mulund (w) in Mumbai since my birth. I was dropout of 

school in 10th grade and there was no hope to continue my education but thanks to Ashoka’s 

Youth Venture fellowship, my life has totally changed. Ashoka`s Youth Venture has provided me 

opportunity to become Changemaker of my slum community. I have been working with poor 

girls from a slum area for a year now, to build their capacities to continue school education. 

These girls are facing so many socio-economic problems to continue their education. Now I am 

proud to say that not only I am helping to slum girls to access their education but also continuing 

my B.A. (Sociology/Psychology) from Open University. My life became meaningful with 

understanding the importance of girl’s education and empowerment. Slum girls are getting 

education of English language with very low standard, so they find difficulties to learn English. It 

affects on their confidence level to pursue further education in English. Therefore I strongly feel 

that there is an urgent need to provide English books resource and to conduct sessions to 

improve their English vocabulary as well as reading, writing, and listening skills. I firmly believe 

that if this English Books Library will available for slum girls, they will get an opportunity to build 

their knowledge and skills to continue their education.  

 

How will you do it? 

 

I will start English Books Library in rented house which may include one room. I will sensitize 

parents of slum girls to get greater participation in ongoing activities of English Books Library. 

As per the need of the slum girls, I will make sure to available different kinds of English books. 

Along with that Slum girls will get daily newspaper, magazine and educational CDs. I will use 

the internet to provide creating English learning programme. I will conduct sessions on english 

vocabulary as well as reading, writing, and listening skills in english language. I will organize 

competitions on english words bank so girls will motivate to remember more english words. I will 

also organize competitions on writing and reading skills. Slum girls will become monthly 

member of this English Books Library. They will also get an opportunity to show their inbuilt 

talent through the participation in ongoing community based events and programme. Initially I 

will select thirty slum girls from my community area. Gradually I will increase the number of girls 

as per the availability of time, space and books.  I will invite resource persons form different 

fields as per the need of the girls.      

  

How will you tell others about your project?  

 

I will publicize my project following way: I will organize Slum girls gathering, Parents gathering, 

Teachers gathering, Changemakers gathering, Poster Presentation and invitations to print and 

Electronic Media representatives. I will create Blog, Orkut and Facebook page to join people 

with English Books Library. I will also do email campaigning to aware people from different 

sectors. These strategic publicity activities will help to get sustainable support for english books 

library.    

 

Budget - 

 

Expenditure (per year):  

 

Rs. 25,000.00: English Books to improve reading, writing, listening and speaking skills & others  

 

Rs. 24,000.00: Annual House rent to run the English Books Library 

 

Rs. 15,000.00: Furniture (1-Table, 4-Racks, 2-Chairs, 5-Mat) 

 

Rs. 35,000.00: Computer & CDs       Rs. 12,000.00: To organize workshop, events & visits  

 

Rs. 5,000: Printer cum scanner   

 

Rs. 3,600: Internet connection 

 

Rs. 3,000.00: CD Player     

 

Rs. 1,500.00: Stationary    

 

Total Expenditure: Rs. 1,24,100.00