Tongi Children Education Program (TCEP) – A beacon of hope for the slum children

Bangladesh is a country of about 161.4 million of people containing nearly 5.3 million of slum people. The slum is one of the biggest problems of Bangladesh. There are innumerable makeshift shelters that can figure out in Dhaka city and the Tongi area. Tongi is located in the Gazipur – a neighboring district of Dhaka.

The slum is a word, a name that reflects the miseries of deprived people who have to struggle with poverty to survive in this beautiful world. Slums and shanties are available in every country regardless of which are developed or developing countries.

ADRA in Bangladesh is working for slum children for decades intending to ensure elementary education for them. ADRA has been working in Ershad Nagar slum of Tongi from 1972 serving the community through providing quality formal education to children from pre-primary to the primary.

In March 2018, ADRA Bangladesh conducted an assessment named “Thematic Study on Child Education, Care and Wellbeing of Women in Ershad Nagor Slum, Duttapara, Tongi”. The survey was conducted in the slum area of Tongi, Dhaka. Among the 14 blocks in the Tongi slum area, eight were under the survey. The survey covered 1,030 households represented by women respondents with school-going children. The survey data indicated that children surveyed 68 percent of households aged from 14- 20 are engaged in earning to contribute to family expenses. It has been observed that 30 percent of children did not have a proper breakfast.

To overcome the above-mentioned problems and constraints ADRA Bangladesh runs a school in that target area naming Tongi Children Development Project (TCEP). The key objectives of the project are to provide quality education to the targeted slum children with basic school supplies and will provide a friendly environment to create their interest in education which will reduce the school drop-out rate.

Not only in Bangladesh but in all the under-develop countries the scenario of the slum area is almost the same. Life is full of struggle in the slum. Children are mostly deprived of their basic education. They have to fight against the gruesome vulnerabilities constantly.

ADRA in Bangladesh is working rigorously to transform lives in the slum areas of Bangladesh, Tongi is one of them. ADRA has been able to change thousands of lives of children Ershad Nagar slum of Tongi.