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Kaikala Chetana, a voluntary organization based in Kaikala village under Haripal Block, Hooghly district, West Bengal, has been providing non‑formal education to rural poor children since 1996. Several members associated with the organization had a special interest in ‘differently abled’ children due to their background in the disability sector.
Observing the difficult conditions faced by such children—born to impoverished rural families of agricultural workers and small farmers—and the inability of these families to support them, the group felt the need for a dedicated initiative. This led to the creation of the Roopkatha Foundation, which was formally registered in December 2012.
Roopkatha aims to support the overall development of underprivileged and special‑needs children in rural Bengal through inclusive education, resource centres, and trained local volunteers. The mission includes providing these children with a safe and joyful childhood, offering recreation, counselling, and helping them become contributing members of society. It also focuses on training volunteers, offering short‑term vocational skills, promoting bio‑farming and biodiversity, conducting disability assessment camps, and organizing awareness and sensitization programmes on inclusive education. Roopkatha further works to ensure communities can access government schemes and facilities available to them.
Roopkatha Foundation began its work in April 2013 at Kaikala village (near Tarakeswar) in Haripal Block, Hooghly district, West Bengal. It established a Resource Center for underprivileged and special‑needs children, where trained local volunteers—youths, housewives, and senior school/college students—provide developmental support that the children cannot access at home or school.
Its first initiative, the Roopkatha–Chetana Collaborative Program, also started in April 2013, using trained volunteers from Kaikala Chetana to run inclusive training programs for village children. Roopkatha now operates multiple Resource (Inclusive Learning) Centers in the area given in the list.
| Sl. | Center Name | Classes / Week | Students | Volunteer(s) | Centre Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | MAIN CENTER | 2 Days | 25 | Swapna, Asha, Annapurna | 70% SC children, 20% OBC children and 10% other children attend the Center. Age group: 4 to 14 Years |
| 2. | ICHHAPUR SABARPARA (TRIBAL) | 2 Days | 35 | Anita, Sonia, Sushmita | 100% children come from ‘Sabar’ Tribal Community. Distance of this Center from Main Center is 0.5 km. Age group: 4 to 14 Years |
| 3. | KAIKALA SABARPARA (TRIBAL) | 2 Days | 25 | Sushmita, Sonia, Anita | 90% children come from ‘Sabar’ Tribal Community. 10% are OBC and Muslim children. Distance of this Center from Main Center is 0.5 km. Age group: 4 to 14 Years |
| 4. | CHANDANPUR (KUMROGORI) SABARPARA (TRIBAL) | 1 Day | 40 | Resource Volunteers | 70% children come from ‘Sabar’ Tribal Community. 30% are from SC Community. Distance of this Center from Main Center is about 20 km. Age group: 4 to 14 Years. |
| 5. | BHORER PAR | 2 Days | 46 | SoyelRes Volunteers | 95% children come from SC ‘Bauri’ Community. 5% are OBC and Muslim children. Distance of this Center from Main Center is about 2.5 km. Age group: 4 to 14 Years |
| 6. | KUNJABAN | 2 Days | 45 | Asim Res Volunteers | 60% children come from ‘Bauri’ SC Community. 40% are ‘Santali’ Tribal and Muslim children. Distance of this Center from Main Center is about 5 km. Age group: 4 to 14 Years |
| 7. | CHANDANPUR (BABLAPUKUR) SABARPARA (TRIBAL) | 1 Day | 60 | Res Volunteers + 2 Local Student Volunteers | 100% children come from ‘Sabar’ Tribal Community. Distance of this Center from Main Center is about 15 km. Age group: 4 to 14 Years |
| 8. | POLBA - BIHARIPALLI – 1 & 2 (COMBINED) | 1 Day | 45 | Maya2 Junior Volunteers | 100% children are from a SC Community. Distance of this Center from Main Center is about 20 km. Age group: 4 to 14 Years |
| 9. | MAHESHPUR SABARPARA (TRIBAL) | 1 Day | 40 | AloRes Volunteer | 100% ‘Sabar’ Tribal children attend the Center. Distance of this Center from Main Center is about 7 km. Age group: 4 to 14+ Years |
| 10. | KANAKPUR SABARPARA (TRIBAL) 1 | 1 Day | 34 | Res Volunteers Sima | 100% ‘Sabar’ Tribal children attend the Center. Distance of this Center from Main Center is about 3.5 km. Age group: 4 to 14 Years |
| 11. | ADANGACHHI | 1 Day | 40 | SunitaRekhaRes Volunteers | 100% ‘Bauri’ SC children attend the Center. Distance of this Center from Main Center is about 6 Km. Age group: 4 to 14 Years |
| 12. | MALIA | 1 Day | 32 | Res Volunteer | 100% children come from ‘Duley’ and ‘Bauri’ SC Communities. Distance of this Center from Main Center is about 12 km. Age group: 4 to 14 Years |
| 13. | BALIGORI | 2 Days | 39 | Anita Res Volunteers | 60% children come from ‘Sabar’ and ‘Santhali’ Tribal Communities. 40% are SC and OBC children. Distance of this Center from Main Center is about 4 km. Age group: 4 to 14 Years |
| 14. | NARAYANPUR SABARPARA (TRIBAL) | 2 Days | 48 | Res Volunteer | 100% ‘Sabar’ Tribal children attend the Center. Distance of this Center from Main Center is about 3.5 km. Age group: 4 to 14 Years |
| 15. | HARISHPUR (TRIBAL) | 2 Days | 35 | MallikaRes Volunteers | 100% ‘Santhali’ Tribal children attend the Center. Distance of this Center from Main Center is about 3 km. Age group: 4 to 14 Years |
| 16. | KRISHNABALLAVBATI - 3 | 2 Days | 35 | PapiyaRekhaRes Volunteers | 100% SC children attend the Center. Distance of this Center from Main Center is about 3 km. Age group: 4 to 14 Years |
| 17. | KRISHNABALLAVBATI - 2 | 2 Days | 25 | Res Volunteer | 100% ‘Sabar’ Tribal children attend the Center. Distance of this Center from Main Center is about 2.5 km. Age group: 4 to 14 Years |
| TOTAL | 649 |
Most of the children are first‑generation learners from socio‑economically disadvantaged families and face learning difficulties due to challenging home environments. Trained community volunteers teach them twice a week for two hours, using a play‑way, activity‑based approach. The curriculum builds skills in reading, writing, mathematics, and develops awareness in art, craft, science, environment, health, and general knowledge. The overall goal is to help the children gain self‑confidence and develop an interest in learning so they can overcome their learning problems.
The present source of funds for these rural activities is small donations from friends, well-wishers and by Governing Body members.
Somnath Chatterjee (Mobile No. 9874549807), Email: chetona_kaikala@yahoo.com
We look forward that each such unit in rural Bengal will create modern day Roopkathas.
