Nonprofit Initiatives That are Impacting Children in India Through Education

For decades (and to this day), India has been battling an abundance of grave social issues, all of which have been impacting the country’s youth in different ways. Some battles are won, while others are lost. With Indian organizations constantly striving for positive change and execution of solutions to issues like accessibility to quality education, we can distinctly see the result of the positive impact made so far.

Today, we can celebrate an achievement that is no small feat - according to a 2017 report, 96.5% of children in rural areas enroll into primary schools, while the national figure stands at 88%. These are the highest figures we’ve seen since independence.

There are countless industries and entities to thank for these statistics; indian charity foundations and nonprofit organizations have played a great role in addressing problems, raising awareness and planning and executing solutions. The NGO crowdfunding industry and India’s avid philanthropists and charity foundations have been remarkable in actively funding or finding help with funds towards research and solutions.

Distribution of education has always been a persistent problem, due to the millions of families residing in remote or inaccessible areas. However, activists, educators and nonprofit workers have taken on the belief that the biggest problem is not that India needs more education; it is the quality and the approach towards the issue that needs work.

Take a look at these 3 nonprofit initiatives that are making a difference in education in India!

Pratham’s attempts to woo parents:

The revision of the Right to Education Act in India stated that no child must be held back or expelled until they have finished their elementary education. Pratham saw that this provision posed a major drawback, as teaching methods were now paid scant attention, resulting in the quality of education given to rural and underprivileged children shooting down. Understanding the Indian tendency to stick to traditional values and show mistrust to any kind of new approach, Pratham began wooing parents and gaining their trust by helping young mothers learn how to care for their little ones, aiding parents that were looking to get their Aadhar card, getting privilege cards for their disabled children and so on. Then Pratham would give vocational training to youth aged 3 to 14, so that they were able to catch up with their classes easily.

The school in the mountains with no exams:

The CHIRAG School, located in Uttarakhand, takes in underprivileged children to provide a holistic education where instead of taking regular exams, the academic, personal and creative growth of each child is constantly analyzed. Children who show interest in music, dance or sports are encouraged and driven. A love for nature and culture is also encouraged in children through lessons on sustainability and interaction with the local community.

Kerala is educating over 5000 tribals:

The state that boasts the highest literacy rate at 93% is now working on an innovative programme to educate the tribal communities. More than simply teaching them to read and write, they were also taught about their rights and about government schemes and many were taught by instructors who themselves came from tribal backgrounds and could make a connection. Over time, a significant decrease in the consumption of alcohol and tobacco was noticed among the tribes.

Support a nonprofit initiative to promote education today. Start fundraising or contribute to an existing fundraising endeavour for a better and educated India.