Send a Child in India to School for a Year

Dear Friend,

The Government of India issued a lockdown order which began on the 21st of March, 2020, to reduce the spread of Covid-19. As a result of this lockdown, all our Shiksha Kendras (Seva Mandir run bridge Schools) have been closed. Even after eight months of pandemic, the opening of our bridge schools is still under consideration. Since the Central Government allowed reopening the education institution in phases but the final decision left up to the State Government’s directives which are yet to come into light for the primary education.

The Covid-19 seriously interrupted the flow of education through centre-based teaching and learning process. Our efforts thus, become critical & essential, at the same time from retaining them in the safety net, ensuring their education, well-being, health, & hygiene, and also supporting their family as a unit to achieve the core objective of the programme.

The educational activities that involve children’ gathering is completely on hold as per the government directives. However, education is a must for the children to be remained touch with daily learning outcomes and without them; they will definitely engage into other household activities, earning livelihood and grazing domestic animals or may drop out permanently. We are devising alternative models to engage children and make some level of teaching-learning processes accessible to them through teachers-children-parents connect at present.

Our supreme focus is to keep the students in the education net, for which we are continuing the engagement with them for making the teaching and learning opportunities accessible to children. Our teachers are doing small group teachings through daily home visits and are also providing study material kit and sanitation & hygiene kit to every child. They are also providing emotional support and guidance to children to encourage them for learning.

We want to thank you for all your help and support to our programme because of which we are able to make these positive changes in the lives of hundreds of children.

We are also happy to share with you that this year we’re participating in #GivingTuesday! 

#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving that takes place December 1 this year. That’s right — following Black Friday and Cyber Monday! What better way to start getting into the holiday giving-back spirit? 

GlobalGiving is giving away $1 million to nonprofits from midnight to 11:59 p.m. EST on Dec. 1. The more you give, the more we get! Donations received during this 24-hour period will earn a portion of the money. That means your gift, no matter the size, will be boosted. Monthly donations are also eligible for GlobalGiving's 100% match.

We’d love if you participated with us. The best way to do that is to share our cause on social media using the hashtag #GivingTuesday and to join millions of global givers on December 1 by donating at https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/education-in-india-1/. 

Your donation will help in making bright, happy and safe future for hundreds of children. 

Regards

Atul Lekhra & the Seva Mandir Team

Follow us on www.facebook.com/sevamandir

Links:

• Seva Mandir's Website
• Seva Mandir's Facebook Page

Dear Friend,

I hope this update finds you and your loved ones in good health. 

First of all we want to thank you for all your help and support to our project. Your continuous support gives us the confidence that we are on the right path and doing well.

COVID-19 pandemic plunges the world into a state of uncertainty but we have faith that India and the world will be able to weather this storm as we have weathered many in the past. Seva Mandir has an important role to play, and we’re working hard to help rural communities in southern Rajasthan during this time of need.

After the announcement of lockdown due to Covid-19, all educational institutes have been closed. With COVID-19 being declared as a pandemic and continuous state of lockdown in the months of March, April, and May has posed significant challenges to the ongoing projects in our work area. Though now the phase of unlock has started.

We realized that solution lies in adapting to the situation and thus continuous brainstorming sessions within the organization at different levels and outside with other organizations paved way for certain interim measures.

We have undertaken the following measures for our education programme –

• Since all the classes and field activities were suspended during these months, so teachers were given a set of planned activities to be completed from their homes. These activities aimed at preparing lesson plans in Hindi, Mathematics and English along with making teaching learning materials.
• Work on capacity building of teachers was done during this period through conference calls
• Awareness program- Teachers have actively participated in raising awareness in communities about COVID-19, its spread and preventive measures. Information over phone calls is also being disseminated within the community especially to the parents of children enrolled in our bridge schools.
• Considering the current crisis, running Bridge Schools with preventive measures of social distancing will be unfeasible. Thus, it has been planned that teachers will reach out to children in their respective hamlets with proper security measures. These children will be provided a student kit with essential stationery and worksheets which can be done independently with minimal guidance. Teachers will act as facilitators and visit regularly in order to keep these children motivated.

With these measures we have also faced some challenges –

• Fears & doubts of the parents- which we had addressed through counseling activities & regular discussions.
• Convincing parents for the instant continuation of education of their children.
• Making children to catch up with the pace of learning.
• Individual’s responsibility of taking the responsibility of every child taking their health, personal hygiene, and mental well-being into top consideration.
• Network issues

But as it is said that problems also brings new opportunities with them, so during this time we also learned a lot.

We are also happy to share that till now through our Covid-19 Relief Programme we have provided more than 50,000 relief kits for sanitation, food, storing grain and personal protection. Our comprehensive awareness campaign on Covid-19 has focused on the symptoms of Covid-19, how to protect those most at risk, quarantine methods, and more. Additionally, Seva Mandir is also coordinating with the government to support their own relief efforts.

We are deeply grateful for your overwhelming support and messages of encouragement. Until now, over INR 6 million (USD 80,000) has been spent in providing relief. Now, it is essential that we look forward and begin the second phase of rehabilitation efforts. The economic consequences of Covid-19 are becoming apparent and the families and communities that we work with will be disproportionately affected.

Once again thank you for your valuable contribution. Please stay healthy and keep social distancing.

Regards

Atul Lekhra & the Seva Mandir Team

Follow us on www.facebook.com/sevamandir 

Links:

• Seva Mandir's Website
• Seva Mandir's Facebook Page