The Second Chance School

The Second Chance School established by Ritinjali, is a residential programme aimed at imparting literacy, social values and vocational skills to those who had to forego the first chance. Along with vocational courses, we help impart key skills in language and communication, numeracy, life skills and information technology. The main target groups who benefit from this programme are semi-literate/illiterate youth, youth who have dropped out of the formal education system, youth who do not have any knowledge of English; which is required for office jobs, youth who are not equipped with technical skill-sets and entrepreneurial youth without means, expertise or direction.

Educational organizations and employers are increasingly interested in ensuring that people acquire a wide range of key skills to enable them to adapt to new work and learning situations. Ritinjali's aim, therefore, is to imbue the urban youth with confidence and equip them with competencies so that they are prepared to enter a suitable vocational course. This would then enable them to adopt the right attitude to successfully reintegrate with society.

A new batch of 14 students became part of the Second Chance School in July 2007. Some of them have been enrolled into government schools, some into a variety of vocational courses, such as the newly opened Bakery and Confectionery center in Gurgaon, Motor Mechanic courses and Office Management courses as well. A significant feature is that the students who have joined vocational courses are also encouraged to appear for the Class X and XII examinations, which are conducted by the National Institute of Open Schooling.

Below are the success stories of some of the students at the Second Chance School :-

1.Suraj Vishwakarma

Suraj vishwakarma used to sell pan at a place called Nehru Vihar in New Delhi . He was subsequently picked up by Projects concern India , PCI an NGO that also works with street children. From PCI he was sent to Ritinjali and through Ritinjali Suraj was admitted into class 8 th in a school run by the New Delhi Municipal Corporation situated in Kidwai Nagar, New Delhi . His performance reportedly has been very good and is among the best students in his class. Other than studies he has been actively participating in extra-curricular activities held in the school as well as by Ritinjali.

2. Manglu Ram

Manglu Ram wanted to study but his father would not allow him to do so, and made him work as a labourer in his village. Manglu ran away from home and reached New Delhi railway station where he started doing petty jobs. He was picked up by PCI and taken to one of their shelter homes from where he was brought to Ritinjali. Ritinjali got him admitted into the New Delhi Municipal Corporation School situated in Kidwai Nagar in Class 7 th .He has been performing exceptionally well and has stood among the top three students in the terminal examinations. He also actively participates in all the extra-curricular activities held in the school and also the ones that are organized by Ritinjali.

3.David Tirkey

David's story is one that is similar to Manglu's. Tortured at home by his stepmother and his father, David was brought to Delhi by his sister who used to work as a household maid in Delhi as she did not want David to go through the torture that he was going through. Through one of our members we came to know about David and after talking to him we found him very bright and enthusiastic and immediately took him into the Second Chance School . We got him admitted into class 7 th in the same school that Suraj and Manglu go to. David's performance has been very good and he has also been performing very well, other than that he has also learnt a lot in the computer classes that are specially held for the Second Chance students.

4.Minku Kumar

Minku is youngest among all and was brought by his elder brother to Ritinjali. His brother co-incidentally was a part of the first batch of Second chance school and is now working in a multi national company. Minku's parents couldn't afford an education for him in his native village in Bihar and his brother had to look after his parents and other family members. Through Ritinjali Minku was admitted into class 6 th in the same school. He is reportedly an average student but is very good in extra-curricular activities and has been appreciated by his teachers for the same.

5.Faisal Baharami

The militants killed his father and his mother was threatened, as she was working which did not please the militant outfit in Afghanistan . Fearing for their lives they ran away with whatever they could gather and reached Delhi . He along with his mother and his 4 other relatives got a one-room accommodation in Mahipalpur.We came to know about Faisal and brought him to Ritinjali. Even though he was educated upto class Xth in Afghanistan he could not speak proper English or Hindi, as the medium of language used there was different. We made him attend the evening classes at the Second Chance School and also got him enrolled into the bakery and confectionery center in Gurgaon, Haryana. He learnt to speak Hindi and can talk even though not that fluently. His performance at the center has been so good that he is regularly taken to hotel Trident from where the master trainer comes.

6.Ali Baharami

Ali is the elder brother of Faisal. After being brought to Ritinjali he was also made to attend the evening classes and was sent for the Motor mechanic vocational course. His performance has been very good and he has already started earning a stipend which has been a great help to his family who are now very much dependent on Ali and Faisal's work.

7.Afzal

Afzal was staying in a shelter home run by the Child welfare committee, Alipore from where he was brought to an NGO called Salaam Balak Trust. He was sent to Ritinjali for vocational training and was enrolled in the bakery and confectionery center in gurgaon. Afzal is a pretty slow learner but then is very hard working and is learning the skills now.

8.Abbas

Abbas ran away from his house in Kolkatta and reached Delhi .He started working in the railway station and was brought to a shelter home run by Salaam Balak. He was sent to Ritinjali where he was enrolled into the bakery and confectionery center .His performance has been very good and he has picked up the skills pretty quickly. Meanwhile Abbas has also been enrolled for the class Xth exams through the National Institute of Open schooling. He is also preparing for his exams, which will be held pretty soon.

9.Shyam Bahadur

Shyam is a native of Nepal and also ran away from his house in Nepal . He was brought to Ritinjali from Salaam Balak to be enrolled in a vocational course. He was enrolled for class Xth exams through National open school and is also preparing for his examinations. Meanwhile he was also enrolled into the bakery and confectionery center in gurgaon and has been performing pretty well.

10.Vinod Kumar

Vinod Kumar was brought to Ritinjali from Salaam Balak Trust.Vinod is a very bright and focused boy who is quite clear about what he wants in life. He has already completed class Xth exams through NIOS and has been enrolled in class XIIth exams. He is an amateur kick boxer and has participated in a number of tournaments all over Delhi and NCR. He was keen to do a web-designing course and we have enrolled him for the same in NIIT, saket. He regularly goes for the course and whatever doubts he has he comes back and clears it from the Computer teacher at Second Chance School .

12.Kundan Jha

Kundan was also brought from Salaam Balak .He wanted to continue his studies as well as learn a vocational skill. He was sent into a cyber café for being trained as an office boy, meanwhile he was also enrolled for the class Xth examinations through National Institute of open schooling. He has been preparing for his exams to be held pretty soon. His performance at the vocational center has also been very good and he usually manages the entire cyber café on his own.

13.Dinesh Kumar

Dinesh Kumar used to work as a coolie in INA market carrying huge loads throughout the day to earn money. At night he used to go to our Night school in INA market. He wanted to learn a vocational skill and also continue his studies when he came to Ritinjali. He was enrolled for the class 12 th examination through NIOS and into the tailoring course. He has been performing very well and is expected to be among the top students when the results will be out.

14.Raju Kumar

Raju Kumar is a native of Bihar .He was earlier brought to Ritinjali from the Child Welfare committee but then was taken away by his parents back to Bihar . He showed interest in coming back to Ritinjali and we were more than happy to welcome him back. He was enrolled into class Xth examinations and was also sent to a cyber café to learn computer hardware and also to work as an office boy. Through the cyber café he has learn a lot and has been placed as a computer operator at Airport Authority of India.

15.Manoj Kumar

Manoj Kumar came to Ritinjali, as he wanted reappear for his class 12 th examination but due to problems at home, he could not continue his studies. He came into Ritinjali where he takes help from the teacher at SCS and we have also arranged for tuitions for him for some special subjects where he needs individual help. Special books have been arranged for him so that he can prepare better for the exams. He has also filled up forms for some medical and engineering entrance examinations.