One of the biggest problems that this country with over 1.2 billion people faces is lack of education. Even in the areas where it is available, it is often done in a mundane manner with the focus inadvertently being rote learning and not gaining knowledge. But before we bridge the knowledge, we need to focus on making India 100% literate. India, currently, has the largest population of illiterate adults in the world with 287 million, 37% of the global total.
But recently, I’ve come across an interesting initiative which was highlighted by Tata Capital and Do Right that is taking place in the religious, cultural and traditional hub of India, Varanasi. It is on the banks of the holy river Ganga that one sees young children working or whiling away their time for want of a school. Ajeet Singh, realized that the only way to get these children to learn was to innovate the hub of learning i.e. transform their school. Under his leadership, Guria, an NGO started a novel and unique ‘boat school’. It is in this school that the children spend two hours after their regular school day to study, play or revise freely without any pressures or tensions.
As the float on River Ganga, these children gain useful knowledge under the watchful eyes of their teachers which helps them excel at school and become educated and learned citizens in the future. This initiative sounds wonderful doesn’t it? But it needs your help and mine to continue. The NGO requires funds to continue its wonderful work and expand it in the future so that they can reach out to many ore children.
Despite doing all it can to create a stimulating environment for the children, this boat school has a lot more potential and further enhancements can be made. But they funds for this transformation.
The magical transformation includes: Makeover of the interiors, a library, educational toys, stationery, a computer and a painting kit.
How can you help?
Do share about the good work that Tata Capital is doing on social media and keep on the lookout for their next initiative.
We remember the day seven years back when were travelling in a Mumbai local trying hard to come up withe a name for our blog when struck us; Khushboo was always called a Jack of all Trades. The name stuck (with a slight modification, of course) and Minni was born. Six years, over 100 collaboration, lakhs of readers and several awards later; our love for blogging continues to grow. We continue to write on an eclectic range of topics from the funniest autorickshaw signs that we have spotted in Mumbai to how to bathe an elephant. We are true blue Munni of all Trades and we hope to continue on this joyride with our fellow Munnies and Munnas. 