The Chennai Slum Project

Kids.R.ok in 2015 planned to start a education focussed project in Chennai, a city with 9 million people. The team did initial surveys in slum areas like Saidapet (central Chennai) and Mathur which is in the northern part of the city to find a need.  With the areas scanned and meeting the children dwelling across the slum areas, we felt there was much to be done right here in Chennai which is also our Indian headquarters. This move seemed logical as the team members were located in Chennai and the project would be an easier task to keep track of unlike the distant Orissa project. On the other side, volunteers who know about us would feel more likely to see our efforts and come to volunteer to help children because of its proximity.

Just to highlight the goodness in all this, we could observe the children were very enthusiastic to learn, and when it is 20:00 and time for them to leave, they continue to stay back and ask more questions eager to learn. We literally have to force them to leave the class and go home. A special mention to the family who gave us their place to hold evening classes, this family just have one big room which is where the class takes place, the man who works in a nearby restaurant comes back from work and they wait outside their house everyday till the classes finish. Why are they doing this? In that man’s words,

“You (kids.R.ok) are doing such a good work to help these children in the poor slum neighbourhood, we just want to do our small part to contribute to this work“.

It was touching to hear the words from a man who was even willing to remove the bed from the room, so the children could have more space to sit and study. We hope that this project will be a blessing to the children and all who are in involved in it.

If this project goes well, kids.R.ok will after the summer plan to start a parallel project in Saidapet for another group of 20 children. To those who would like to come and volunteer on any evening that you wish to, please contact  sunjeet@kidsrok.org

“The kids in Saidapet are a total delight and I love spending time with them every time I visit.” Swetha Sunjeet  – kids.R.ok volunteer