In an effort to educate and uplift underprivileged children, the Noida police have launched two new mobile education vans. The aim of this project is to provide alternative avenues of education to children in slums and vulnerable environments.

The initiative which is known as “Nanhe Parinde” is a collaboration between Noida Police, HCL Foundation and Chetna NGO.

The objective of “Nanhe Parinde” is to render assistance and help to vulnerable children by providing them a safe space where they would receive alternative education, arts and crafts, training in self-defence, gender and inclusion, co-curricular activities, and sports, nutrition. All this will be imparted through a specifically created curriculum, according to the officials.

Thanks Shri Alok ji CP Gautam Budh Nagar @noidapolice for flagging off two more education van under #NanheParinde in collaboration of @HCL_Foundation @chetnango pic.twitter.com/1EogyISgTT

— CHETNA NGO (@chetnango) November 14, 2021

In order to impart education and life skills to the children, these mobile education vans are equipped with LCD screens, sound systems, CCTV cameras and sanitation facilities. Every van will reach out to 50 to 60 children daily at designated spots with support from the local police stations.

At present there are four such vans operating in the Gautam Buddh Nagar district. According to a tweet by Chetna NGO these vans have been named after birds and are called koyal, maena, gauraiya and bulbul.

Today two more education vans added in fleet of Nanhe Parinde. All vans now have their own name, कोयल, मैना, गौरैया, बुलबुल। Noida Police, HCL Foundation, & CHETNA NGO will be able to help more children now. Thanks @noidapolice @chetnango @HCL_Foundation pic.twitter.com/Pb1xwXWrK0

— CHETNA NGO (@chetnango) October 29, 2021

Speaking to the media about this project, Alok Singh, Commissioner of Gautam Buddh Nagar, said : “The collaborative effort of Noida Police, HCL Foundation and Chetna NGO has created a favourable environment for the disadvantaged and street-connected children. This effort will protect the children from slipping into conflict with the law and will further empower them. These children and youth are the future of our country and this will provide nurturing.”

Started in January this year, the initiative has connected 883 out-of-school and dropouts with an alternative system of education while children have benefited from 16,882 nutrition packets distributed under the programme to improve their health.

Further 108 out-of-school street-connected children have been brought into the fold of the formal system of education, of which 69 street children have been enrolled in schools while 39 children were enrolled in OBE (Open Basic Education) category.

More than 332 children have picked up new life skills, like child rights, safe and unsafe touch, leadership and planning, decision making, and self-awareness.