Lanjigarh:27/March/2009
Kile Majhi, (4) is on learning mode.

He is reciting English rhymes and identifying the numbers.

Six months earlier, he was not so lucky enough to think about education and school.

But now the boy of the vanishing tribe of Dongria Kondh goes to the newly opened Child Care Centre (CCC) set up and run by the Sterlite Foundation, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources in his village.

And he is very happy now because, unlike children in neighboring villages he does not have to go to the jungles.

However, after opening of the CCC, the residents of this tribal village could feel the difference, after sixty two years of Independence.

"We are illiterate and same were also our forefathers.

We are very thankful to Vedanta Company for responding to our cause.

Now our children can receive education in this school." Says Chanchala Naik, Naib-Sarapanch, Trilochanpur GP.

For them the CCC is a school, as they receive basic education and training.

35 children, mostly from Dongria Kondh community are studying in this centre.

In order to encourage the children for education and also to minimize the burden on their parents, the CCC provides dress, books and teaching and learning materials free of cost.

Besides, the children were also taught about sports, games, singing and dancing.

Nutritional food such as egg, rice, dal and vegetables are given to the children.

The students of the peripheral villages of Lanjigarh are immensely being benefited out of these child care centers of Vedanta Aluminium Limited (VAL) in the area.

Dr. Mukesh Kumar, CEO, VAL has all along harped on the peripheral development of the areas in and around the project.

"Health of our children has also improved, after joining the school. Being a tribal village, Phuldumer was completely ignored by the Government," says Ratu Majhi another tribal leader.

"The response by children and villagers is excellent. The children come to the Centre neat and clean," adds Gita Pattnaik, a teacher of the centre.

Earlier there was not an education facility available in the village.

The nearest school is at Trilochanpur, five kilometer away from the village.

"As forest comes in the way, it is risky to send our child to the school," said Shringa Majhi.

So, all of the children preferred to go to forest, rather than to schools.

All the parents vow that they will send their children to primary schools, after completion of their education in Centre, said he.