Akanksha: Tata Steel Mining To Promote Education For Tribal Children In Odisha’s Sukinda

Sukinda: Tata Steel Mining Limited (TSML) has launched a project aimed to lift the standard of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).

‘Akanksha’, in collaboration with Tata Steel Foundation (TSF), the CSR arm of Tata Steel, will promote education for tribal children around its mine here in Odisha’s Jajpur district.

A total of 20 students — 10 each from Juanga and Mankidia tribes — have been identified to be enrolled this year under Akanksha in Sansakar public school at Rahani, under Kankdahada village of Dhenkanal district.

This initiative will ensure a positive societal change since many children of these two tribes have not been to schools or have dropped out.

“The project will focus on the holistic development of the students and mainstream them to ensure they grow beyond their limitations and emerge as change-makers in the days to come,” said Sushanta Mishra, Senior General Manager (Mines), Tata Steel Mining.

The project first identifies children with consent of their parents, facilitates admission in the selected school, arranges logistics, academic and hostel fees, organizes free medical services in nearby hospitals, and tracks the performance of children through a well-defined monitoring process.

Akanksha will help these children emerge stronger and more confident to face the world and join mainstream academia eventually.