India is currently home to 1.21 billion people, out of which 833 million live in rural areas, as per the provisional data from 2011 Census. Education is a fundamental right of any child, whether the child resides in a high profile society or in a remote village. Work an Hour 2011 showcases six projects engaged in providing quality education and providing a safe haven for rural children. We need your contribution to continue supporting their commendable work and to help them expand.
Baikunthapur Tarun Sangha (BTS)
Pradip is in the 2nd year of his Mathematics-Honors program in the University of Calcutta. That is an extraordinary accomplishment, given that he comes from extreme poverty in West Bengal with no access to education. The BTS Patha Bhavan was formed in 1983 and has afforded Pradip – and other children like him – an education, along with nutritional and healthcare support.
Sudha, the first higher-secondary student from her entire village was branded mentally-challenged but now with the help of FORWORD is teaching and inspiring several children from her village. She and many others studied at the Forword’s evening learning centers which aim to reduce dropout rates and helps kids cope with their studies. Since 2003, this project has benefited children belonging to ‘lower’ castes in 50 remote villages.
Rural Education Welfare and Resource Development (REWARD) Trust
REWARD is a zero-overhead volunteer run organization of teachers, scientists and primary education specialists. 52 teachers have taught 7500 students in 20 government schools in 25 rural villages since 2005. Given that 85% of India’s children study at government schools, your donation can help REWARD in ensuring a future where every child is able to receive quality education.
Educating children who live in remote villages with a 100% illiteracy rate is difficult enough; this organization encourages kids to teach their parents what they have learned. Parents feel excited to be able to read and write; feel proud that it’s their children who have taught them and feel indebted to SGVS for this opportunity. 130 children have earned their primary education through SGVS so far, with more students joining every year.
Vareching(name changed) comes from a physically abusive home, plagued with mental illness and extreme poverty. Against all these odds, he is studying at the TEP School – along with 500 other children – in a remote and impoverished region of Manipur. This education has given him a legitimate chance at life, and helped many other children in similar positions find jobs in the Army, police, and offices in major cities.
Timbaktu Collective- Children Resource Center (CRC)
A global company like DELL has employed Mabu as a software engineer. This was made possible by the English, Computer and mathematics education Mabu received at CRC. Students, who are more interested in crafts work, tailoring and stitching, are taught just that to help them become self-dependent.
