ONGOLE: The Schedule Tribal Chenchu people of Nallamala forest area are now enthusiastically waiting for setting up of ‘Bal Samskar Kendras’. The main objective of these Kendras is to inculcate humanistic approach of life and create awareness among the tribal children about the real happiness, value of friendship, sportiness, helping others, self-respect, value of education, value of money, human relationships etc of character and carrier building training by the NGO- NTR Vignana Kala Kshetram Trust.
NTR Vignana Kala Kshetram was found a decade ago by former State and Central Minister’s duo Daggubati Venkateswara Rao and his wife Purandeswari with an aim to inculcate good citizenship qualities among the children of downtrodden sections, including the fishermen community and scheduled tribes.
The NGO has been establishing the ‘Bal Samskar Kendra’s at various places of the district to facilitate moral education to the poor, backward, scheduled caste and tribal children.
After the Rural Development Trust (RDT) Anantapur, the NTR Vignana Kala Kshetram Trust is the second NGO which is going to maintain the intellectual development of the Chenchu tribal children of Nallamala forest area through setting up these ‘Bal Samskar Kendra’ (BSK).
There are around 82 Schedule Tribes habitations (Chenchu Gudems) in the Nallamala forest area and most of the Chenchu tribals who are residing in the Yerragonda Palem assembly segment limits of the Prakasam district are far away from the social life as they were residing in the deep forest locations.
Already the Trust is running 24 Bal Samskar Kendra in 22 villages of the combined district, Chirala and Vetapalem area for the children of the fishermen community.
Now, the Trust has made arrangements to set up 12 Bal Samskar Kendra’s for the Chenchu tribal children belonging to various Chenchu habitations from December 1, 2022 onwards.
Tutors appointed by the Trust will teach moral education classes to the children. The classes will take place in morning one hour and evening two hours sessions.
“We have already selected a few staff for this new ‘Bal Samskar Kendra’ and are going to appoint teachers with Rs 2,000 to Rs 7,000 salary per month,” said BSK’s In-charge from Tirupathi.
Through these, the BSK’s children will learn moral values, humanistic approach of life and good habits like respecting parents, all elders, teachers and others, moving friendly with same age children, self confidence, empathy, truthfulness, helping nature, sincerity etc” the In-charge explained.