Asha for Education

Kabir Foundation is engaged in social service activities in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. Its mission is to educate the marginalised communities, especially the Adivasi communities living in villages around Kahjuraho, so that they discard trust in quacks and faith healers. Alcoholism and malnutrition are also widely prevalent in these areas. Kabir Foundation considers that providing supplementary education to their school-going children is crucial for the upliftment of the communities.

Kabir Foundation was conceived in 2008 by Shri Rajendra Singh and Smt. Ghita Zurini, a Frenchwoman who was living in India for an extended period. They were motivated by the economic and social challenges being faced by Adivasis in Chhatarpur district and were exploring how best they could be of help. In 2009, while walking along the side of the road, they came across an Adivasi couple in tears. Their 4-year-old boy was very sick. They had just been to a doctor who had told them that his life could not be saved. The couple had relied on village quacks and had taken the child to the doctor only as a last resort. Smt. Zurini and Shri Singh were so moved that they immediately took the child and the parents to Delhi by plane and arranged for his medical treatment in a hospital. After 2 weeks of medical care, the child recovered.

Smt. Zurini and Shri Singh decided that educating the Adivasi community wiil be their focus. They registered Kabir Foundation with the state government in 2010 and started providing supplementary instruction to the children in Kunderpura village. They were financially very constrained. Shri Singh resigned from his job with the state government to devote himself full time to this cause. At some point in time, Smt. Zurini returned to France on account of health issues. She is no longer with the organization.

Through local support and perseverance, Kabir Foundation purchased a 2-acre plot of land within walking distance from Kunderpura village to set up an after-school learning and resource centre for the children. About 125 children are enrolled in the program. On any given day, about 100 children participate in the activities conducted by three teachers under the guidance of Shri Singh. The children learn skills that supplement what they learn in the government school they attend in the morning. For example, they learn music and dance, a lesson in English and participate in sports. They also learn about current affairs and health issues. Their government school does not have a field and no facilities for teaching Music and English.