Friends of Calcutta
The Centres
Tangra

Located in an old dumping ground the Tangra centre was first built in the late 90’s. The primary method of income for inhabitants in this community is through recycling of unused goods which have been scavenged from a nearby dumping ground. All sort of goods are recycled here ranging from plastics, rubber and packaging. The children who attend the centre are largely the children of the people involved in recycling from waste material or locally known as “rag-pickers”. The Tangra centre educates children of all ages in from the locality ranging from infants right up to adolescents and there is a very strong vocational training program here.
Topsia

Topsia is a predominantly Muslim community where many migrants have settled from the neighboring state of Bihar in search of work in Calcutta. The production of leather and rubber goods is very common here with large numbers of the parents of students working in these factories. Here there are two buildings, our vocational training room and main school building which located between two highly polluted canals due to the large number of factories in the area. Over 150 students are educated here and there an increasing number of students in the latter stages of secondary their education.
Khidderpore

Situated in the dock area in the south of the city Khidderpore centre is where the children of many undocumented Bangladeshi migrant dock workers come to be educated. In some of the most difficult circumstances the dedicated staff headed by the school cook known locally as “the mashie” provide education to the children here. Khidderpore centre provides many of the children with their first opportunity to be educated which is often very difficult due to the transient nature of the people living here. Due to the undocumented nature of the people living here the centre is essential in providing education and medical care to local people here.
Bhubaneswari Free Primary School

The Bhubaneswari Free Primary School located in the remote Sundarban region 120km south of Calcutta. The school is situated in a remote isolated community and provides the first access to education for children from the area. Due to the area’s remoteness, the provision of quality education is limited and the school is essential in providing education to children from the locality. The school presently educates 190 children from pre-school age up to class IV.
Programmes
Morning School

Follow Up

Vocational Training

Medical

Nutrition
