India’s First Transgender School to be Inaugurated in Kochi on December 30, 2016
After discrimination for over a century, transgenders to get education facilities in a campus completely devoted to their community.
There's some good news for people belonging to the transgender community, better known as the third gender. Kochi has set up an education institute for the transgender community to take them one step closer to get good quality higher education.
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In a press conference transgender activists Maya Menon, Vijayaraja Mallika, and Faisal CK disclosed that Sahaj International School in Kochi is such an initiative for the first time in the country that will offer residential schooling facilities to the transgender people.
Initially, the school will accommodate around 10 transgenders and these students will study under the National Open School system. The school is expected to be inaugurated on 30th December 2016 by artist Kalki Subramaniam who is also a transgender rights activist.
The school promises to provide the transgender students:
- Sense of security
- Salvation from poverty
- Sustainability in life
The school is being started under the initiative of TransIndia Foundation and will be led by six transgenders workers. The students enrolled has been selected from different sections of the transgender community. One of its students is disabled and other one is a migrant. While elaborating about the school Vijayaraja Mallika said that in the beginning, they are getting help from the sponsors and but in future, they are planning to seek financial assistance and help from the Government
But starting a school for the transgender was not an easy task. The proposal of the organisers was turned down by at least 50 building owners and finally they were provided space on lease by a Christian organisation.
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But these transgenders are not alone, they are getting help in this noble mission from the different sections of the society las well. There will be a pool of social workers and teachers who will offer volunteering classes for the students. Besides the regular courses, the students will also offer skill development course. The school also instil the belief that education was necessary and will ensure that school drop-outs students can resume their studies.