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villagers are involved in farming and cattle rearing. A considerable number of people are unskilled
labourers. Limited access to basic commodities of contemporary life like public transport, gadgets, modes
of communication, lack of awareness about personal hygiene, professional growth and advancements
around the world, is a very challenging state of the Malkarnem village. Most of the villagers are
uneducated.

Established in the year 1983, the school has 120 students studying in classes from V to X (secondary
school/high school). The medium of instruction used in the school is English. The torch-bearers of
knowledge comprise of seven full time regular teachers and eight temporary teachers (lecture basis
teachers). The administrative staff consists of one multi-tasking officer and a clerk. There is only one
sweeper who is appointed by the Government, on daily wages. The members of the School Management
Committee (SMC) and Parent Teacher‘s Association (PTA) are the other stakeholders of the school.
Almost 90% of the students belong to Schedule Tribe community. The regional language used to
communicate is Konkani.

The following are the major problems/challenges associated with the school:

1. Most of the students are first generation learners.
2. Low socio-economic status of the children
3. Lack of public transport facilities
4. Lack of awareness about personal hygiene and sanitation
5. Shortage of staff in the school
6. Monetary Constraints
7. Adverse terrain

Efforts Initiated or the Process of Transformation

Of the several challenges faced in the school, we focused on transforming the following dominant ones
which would help us in improving the health and hygiene of children as well as in implementing effective
teaching – learning methods.

A. Effective implementation of practices related to personal hygiene, sanitation and menstrual
hygiene

“We can no more gain God‟s blessings with an unclean body than with an unclean mind, a

clean body cannot reside in an unclean city” – Mahatma Gandhi

There was a remarkable dearth of knowledge and awareness among children, their parents and the
villagers about personal hygiene, sanitation and menstrual hygiene. Low attendance of children due to
various types of illness, especially of the female learners during menstruation period, low hemoglobin
count in their blood which affected their concentration level, physical and mental well-being, was an
alarming scenario.

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