Give 400 needy children & youths a future in India

Our Keshwa Gurukul School in Robertsganj, Sonbhadra in the state of Uttar Pradesh started after Corona in May 2022 with five children. At the beginning of 2022, 50 children were already attending classes, and today more than 100 children are registered.

It is not only the number of students that gives us great pleasure, but also the quality of the education for BPL (Below Poverty Line) children that is so important and unique in the region. Classes are available to children from poor families free of charge.

We offer high-quality instruction that is otherwise only available in a private school, but which very few people can afford.
Of particular note is the fact that we teach bilingually, i.e. in Hindi and English. In addition, group work, music lessons, yoga interludes, joint trips to socialize the children, games, computer training and much more are offered, which is not the case in public schools. Around 50% of the students get a free lunch.

And we are organizing special events several times a year, such as International Yoga Day or Indian Independence Day, which are celebrated with a large program. And children learn the background and meaning of those events.

From this day on, we will introduce two students per report, who attend our school. Today we talk about Ansh and Jyoti. All family basic problem is poverty, as the earning of family is very poor. This is one reason why children are ofrench not allowed to go to school, but help their parents.

Ansh is an orphan, 7 years old, and lives with his grandfather in the Hydil Colony in Robertsganj. His grandpa does not have a steady job and only earns some money every now and then. Despite the difficult family situation, Ansh is mature for his age and is in 1st grade. He loves maths and would like to become a teacher.

Jyoti is 13 years old and lives in the village of Ghurma, Robertsganj, with her parents and three siblings. It was not easy to convince the parents to send Jyoti to school. This is a common situation in rural areas of India. It is unusual that all children in a family go to school. After several discussions, the parents agreed and Jyoti loves going to school and especially loves art. She would also like to become a teacher and is currently in the 3rd grade.

Thank you so much for your outstanding support.

Training for (young) women has started.

Shortly before the Corona outbreak in early 2020, everything was prepared in our Kesha Child Welfare Center in Robertsganj, Sonbhadra for the start of the Keshwa Gurukul School and two qualification programs. We had received the licenses for these projects from the Indian government. Government funds should be granted for the programs.

The pandemic stopped everything; the programs were not allowed to start. In spring 2022 we received approval to start the school project. We kicked-off with five school children and have grown a lot since then. More than 80 children are currently attending Keshwa Gurukul School. Unfortunately, there are no government funds at the moment. Further details on the school project will follow in the next report.

Despite the challenges, we decided in February 2023 that we also want to start Skill training for (young) women in tailoring and fashion from April on. We have a first-class infrastructure with very good sewing machines and a training room for theory classes. We are very proud and happy to offer this opportunity to needy people in Sonbhadra.

In March, Ms.Indu Singh was hired as a trainer and Ms. Geeta Kumari as an assistant. Currently 25 women are registered, 15 of whom are girls who have completed school and 10 women are married. Each training period lasts three months with four-hour lessons per day. After that, new women come to the training.

In early 2023, we started mobilization meetings with girls and women from the surrounding villages for admission to these free of charge training sessions. At the end of the training there is a practical as well as a theoretical exam. Upon successful completion, participants will receive a certificate from the Indian government.

Most women want to work from home and start a small business after they finish their trainings. We advise them so that they can make the most of this training to earn money. This also helps the children in the families, giving them the opportunity to go to school. There is often a lack of money in families, and children have to work instead of studying.

Since there is currently no governmental funding for the Skill program, we have to finance it completely ourselves. A problem that needs to be solved in the future is that some women want to come to training in the evening and not during the day, but our center closes at 7pm. But we will also find a solution for this over time.

Thank you very much for your support to make all this possible.