School Project

India

In one of India's most impoverished rural regions, illiteracy is generational as each child gets caught in the same web of disadvantage as their parents and grandparents. Teacher absenteeism is high, and student enrolment is low because buildings are dilapidated and roads leading to and from schools are scarcely maintained.

• The average teacher-student ratio is half the national average at 1:53.
• Lack of classrooms mean multiple classes are taught together.
• Only 20% of schools have separate toilets for girls and 10% have access to safe drinking water.

These poor facilities mean that disease transmission within and across schools is high, and recent outbreaks of encephalitis have closed schools for weeks at a time.

This project is raising the bar with reduced class sizes, adequate infrastructure and regular teacher training. Since its foundation ten years ago, the school’s strong reputation in the region has expanded its sphere of influence with children commuting long distances to attend. The school has reached a stage of maturity that it is now ready to implement strategic income generation initiatives to achieve operational sustainability.

Key Areas of Expenditure:

• Scholarship for ‘at risk’ children
• Business diversification training and mentoring program for teachers
• Market research for enterprise development
• Monitoring and evaluation of enterprises