6/21/11 SRI SRI VIDYA MANDIR enable. educate. empower TRIBAL SCHOOL PROJECT Gift her an EDUCATION Light up her FUTURE Uplift her COMMUNITY Support us to help the TRIBAL CHILD

6/21/11 TRIBAL POVERTY Neglected, uneducated, illiterate, jobless and stuck in poverty. CHILD MARRIAGE 55% of girls below 18 are married off in India; 61% in Jharkhand. CHILD LABOUR 14% of children of age 5-14 are engaged in child labour. Migration to cities intensifies social problems of city slums. Children of a Lesser God…? “What will you do if you were me?”

6/21/11 TRIBAL SCHOOL PROJECT Inspired by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Founder of Art of Living Foundation, the first Tribal School was started in 1999 in Jharkhand, India. Today, our 20 schools across India provide free education to 2,800 tribal children, who are first generation learners in their villages. SRI SRI VIDYA MANDIR

6/21/11 From without, Tribal School is a simple structure of brick walls and tiled roofs. From within, little souls are nurtured as seeds of hope for the tribal community.

6/21/11 Tribal School Today… Holistic Value-Based Education 97% Attendance rate 48% Female students < 15% Drop out rate Over 400 new enrolment every year Teachers recruited from local villages Teachers’ Training Institute by Sep 2011 Two High Schools in Ranchi and Ghatsila by 2012 ENABLE EDUCATE EMPOWER

6/21/11 First Generation LEARNERS Next Generation CHANGEMAKERS Future Generation’s LEADERS EDUCATION = seeding the long term upliftment of the tribal community, starting with today’s generation

6/21/11 At Kalchiti Primary School, cleanliness of the entire school is a shared responsibility by all children, every morning. Nurturing COMMUNITY SPIRIT and SENSE OF BELONGINGNESS experientially

6/21/11 Unique routine in Tribal Schools: Pranayama, Yoga and Meditation are practised daily for: SELF-AWARENESS CALMNESS FOCUS CONCENTRATION

6/21/11 No fancy running tracks or sports facilities, but SPORTS and GAMES are an integral part of Tribal School programs, held in the natural environment. Healthy Body, Health Mind

6/21/11 Tribal child uses only her local language at home. Hindi and English mastery are crucial to connect with the larger world beyond their villages. Challenges: Limited reading materials Lack environment to practise Hindi or English LANGUAGE: Critical Enabler for Tribal Child

6/21/11 LIBRARY To offer a wide variety of books for every school. A-DICTIONARY-A-CHILD To equip every child with a dictionary. BEFRIENDERS’ CLUB To practise written language proficiency + friendship opportunity with friends from around the world. Volunteer-led Initiatives… YOU can HELP too!

6/21/11 VOCATIONAL SKILL TRAINING Tailoring, sewing, craft- making skills to provide a service and generate income. Durga and Sunanda tailor school uniform after school hours to earn extra allowance.

6/21/11 Geeta Singh, 10, is a top student. But her single mother’s struggle to raise 3 young kids was too much. Elder sister Bimla, at just 14, was married off to a distant village, just 10 days after this photo was taken… Help is URGENT! education UP child marriage DOWN

6/21/11 Just HOW POOR are the tribal children? Many cannot even afford a pair of slippers. They love school enough to endure walking BAREFOOTED on sun-baked roads to and from school.

6/21/11 After school, it’s long way home. Some walk 1-3km, some cycle 5-6km, some take our free school bus 10km away and then cycle a further 5-6km. Your DONATION helps fund school bus and bicycles for tribal children to come to school.

6/21/11 Anindita is both a teacher and a student. Married young, she dropped out of school. Now on a degree course alongside her daughter, she also teaches English at Tribal School: “I missed out education when I was young. For these tribal children, education is very crucial as it’ll help them get out of their poverty cycle.” Support Tribal School Teachers to Touch Lives

6/21/11 “I want to do good for my village. Education is the only way to give these children a better future and help their parents kick bad habits like drinking. Teaching is my life mission.” Motka is the founding teacher of Salgadih Primary School. His son is in Class 1. Support Tribal School Teachers to Touch Lives

6/21/11 Mindset Change in Tribal Parents on the Value of Education “That’s the Tribal School you’ll be attending next year, my boy.” Tribal villagers did not believe in education. Our students have brought education into their homes and transformed their families with knowledge in health, hygiene and moral values, and reduced their parents’ bad drinking and smoking habits.

6/21/11 Babita comes from a Below Poverty Line family. Tribal School supports her education for the past 10 years. Today, she is a student leader in Class 9 and helps the teachers to organize the school affairs. Babita sews uniform and knits sweaters for the school to earn extra income for her family. Her dream is to be a doctor to serve her tribal community. CHANGE MAKER for Next Generation…

6/21/11 Father died. Mother went insane and died. Chandan dropped out of school at 14 to work and parent his 3 younger sisters. Tribal School gave him a job, housed his 3 sisters in our hostel, so all 4 could continue school. In Class 9 now, Chandan aspires to serve Tribal School Project as a teacher and leader to pay it forward to others what he has received. CHANGE MAKER for Next Generation…

6/21/11 Next Lap – HIGH SCHOOLS in Ghatsila and Ranchi Support us to help the Tribal Children complete high school education

6/21/11 “Would You Really Care For Me?” Today’s poverty stricken Tribal People are the yesteryear’s neglected tribal children. Support our effort to educate today’s Tribal Children to empower tomorrow’s tribal community: Be a SPONSOR Be a VOLUNTEER

6/21/11 VOLUNTEERS WANTED Conduct IT lessons Lead extra-curricula activities Lead educational excursions Empower teachers with new ideas and methodologies Organize Arts Festival annually Online moderator for website & Facebook Fund raising

6/21/11 VOLUNTEERS ON SEVA The Yong Family from Singapore spent a month in Ghatsila. They organized art competition, imparted IT skills and raised fund. Robyn, 12, shared tips on using PowerPoint and the Internet. Ms Tulu, a professor in Ranchi University, volunteers as a weekend teacher and helps coach the local teachers.

6/21/11 SPONSORSHIP FOR CHILD EDUCATION “Thank You for Your Kind Donation” Books and materials. School uniform. School bags. Midday meals Bicycles. School bus. School maintenance. Teaching aids. Salaries

6/21/11 The road ahead may be long for the tribal children. YOU can help to Enable, Educate and Empower them. Support Tribal School Project. SRI SRI VIDYA MANDIR

6/21/11 SRI SRI VIDYA MANDIR enable. educate. empower TRIBAL SCHOOL PROJECT Vyakti Vikas Kendra India Mr Brij Bhushan Chawla 164/C/50, Lake Gardens Kolkata Tel : +91 (33) Mobile :