A team of 32 economically poor children, including 15 SCAD gypsy children, who have been mainstreamed to regular schools, were taken to New Delhi on Saturday, 4th August 2018, by train. Earlier, SCAD coordinators briefed the then collector, Mr Sandeep Nanduri, on SCAD’s Gypsy project after which he took special interest on the gypsy children and arranged for a programme. He designed his pet project, ‘Project Spark – Inspire and Ignite’ for providing the gypsy children with better education and uplifting their parents’ economic conditions. SCAD Nirman ensures that the gypsy children get admitted in non-formal schools and then to regular schools based on their performance. Since the gypsies, make little money by selling beads and other fancy items, they do not provide the right opportunities for their children to get proper education and force them in to ‘child marriage’. SCAD Nirman committed to extend all possible help to communities, creates awareness among the gypsy children about the boundless opportunities available before them if they really want to pursue their higher education and the importance and impact of education.

A day with the Collector: For nine gypsy children, including four girls, from the Narikurava Colony in Pettai, entering the air-conditioned Collector’s chamber was a never-before experience. As Collector Sandeep Nanduri, after getting them seated in front of him, started speaking to them casually, they could not believe what was happening. He spoke to them about his pet project, ‘Project Spark – Inspire and Ignite’ which he has designed for providing them with better education and uplifting their parents’ economic conditions. “Since the gypsies, make little money by selling beads and other fancy items, they do not provide the right opportunities for their children to get proper education and force them in to ‘child marriage’. We want to create awareness among the gypsy children about the boundless opportunities available before them if they really want to pursue their higher education. Hence, this project that will tell them the importance and impact of education,” explained Mr. Sandeep. After accepting flowers from the children, the Collector gave them chocolates and interacted with them to understand their aspirations. While some of them wanted to become doctors and engineers, a couple of them wanted to be police officers. “You’ll soon spend a day with the Superintendent of Police. I’ll make the necessary arrangements,” Mr. Sandeep assured the ‘future police officers’. When the Collector formally inaugurated the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction signature campaign and a workshop for anganvadi workers, the gypsy children were also part of it.