Every Child Deserves to Be Treated with Dignity

Monday 2nd November 2020

Vidya Shankar is the founder of CASCADE Montessori Rural Research Centre in India. They have centers in the rural villages Narasingapuram and Jamunamarathur.

Vidya found that one of the key causes of juvenile delinquency was the lack of access to quality education. After thorough research, she was convinced of ability of the Montessori method to support the holistic development of the child, preparing the students for a world that increasingly calls for self-reliance. Centers have been set up in two rural villages, with a section for toddlers up to three years old and a section for children from three to six. In the evenings, the older children who go to government schools can use the centers as a space for learning and activities. The Montessori trained staff are from the community themselves, which creates trust and facilitates the relationship with the community.

Click here to read the interview with Vidya about the role of children's rights in her work.

Vidya Shankar