Vizak Slum School is a special school with a special need. Recently our film crew, Mrs. Eager and Mr. Rennie scheduled a visit to a special school in the slums in Vishakhapatnam (Vizak) a major port city on the east coast of India with a population of over 4 million. This school is situated right in the middle of the major slum in the center of the city. It is estimated that over 10,000 people live here in very poor circumstances. Most rooms are only 6 x 4 and have 3 - 6 people in each room.

Vizak Slum School main street entrance

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This school was started by another Adventist organization for the children of prostitutes and now has over 110 children. Some of their mothers are still in prostitution and most families live well below the poverty level.

On arrival our group was told that a decision had been made to close the school based on the proximity of another school and funding issues. After talking to the staff and seeing the real, measurable work this school is doing it only took eye contact between Jim Rennie and Helen Eager for them to agree this school must not close. "This school is what Asian Aid is all about. The reality is, if we close this school, most of the children will simply stay at home or beg on the streets. They urgently need us," she said.

The school is in a three story building located right in the slum. There is no playground. On Sabbaths, over 100 people worship in the building. Immediate plans include: Cleaning and painting the building, tiling the floors, developing safe walls and producing shade on the roof so the students will have somewhere to play, adding black boards and desks and improving food preparation and storage. Children will be given a midday meal to ensure they get some nutrition.

A plan for transport and subsidy to send the older children to the high school and boarding school will also be put in place "We have to help this school. The slums are not a pleasant place to visit and yet the people were very nice to us as they truly appreciate the school," reported Jim Rennie.