“For now I ask no more than the justice of eating”

The primary purpose of each human being striving to be employed, achieve, earn and saving is to survive without hunger throughout the life. Each time I hold a spicy, crispy, tasty burger and chew it under the air conditioned restaurant, i forget all the tension for a moment and relax myself. It’s not only in burger, any food i love to eat gives a lot of relaxation. How about a moment we are stuck with huge targets and running behind the complexities of career achievement during lunch time? Do you ever felt that you haven’t done justice to yourself?

 For many, the hunger enters into their life as an uninvited guest who screw them top to bottom and not letting them to have even a free of thought. A silent tragedy continues to play out in many homes and streets in our country about 200 million go to bed with empty stomach. In Anagalpura village also, the situation is same. The parents fight hard to the strong, thick stones, breaking them into pieces and carrying them on their shoulders. They know the real value of each coin that they get after working in the heavy sun. The sun loots their energy, hopes and enthusiasm and push them down to earth at the end of each day. At the dawn, they still awake before the sun enters into their eyes and start to fight with stones again. The ultimate reason is to see the smile on their kids face and embrace them with a plate of meal every day.

The Feed The Children program began in the year 2004 by Lovedale Foundation to abolish the cycle of poverty in Anagalpura. The program was piloted in Banyan Community School where free education is guaranteed to the children from marginalized, abandoned, under privileged and destitute in Anagalpura village. FTC program had a positive impact in selective cases (e.g., enhancing enrolment, attendance and lowering drop out of students) which are essential for achieving the higher level of academic performance of students particularly belongs to BPL level students residing in the rural areas in the state of Karnataka. The program allows the students to fill their tiny stomachs with tasty food and snacks without fail. The school provides three times meal in a day including nutrition drink, lunch and snacks to abolish the cycle of poverty and encourage them to avail the free education.

At the beginning of every week, the retention was very high due to the empty stomach at weekends and it forces them to reach school at the earliest. Furthermore, FTC program has some other benefits like removal of classroom hunger, social and gender equality and formation of good habits of students (like washing their own hands and utensils before meal ) other than academic achievement in school. But in order to get satisfactory outcomes, FTC program should be incorporated with the ongoing health awareness programs across our project centers. We indeed require adequate support from    individuals and corporates for the sustainability of this program to expand it to other states in the country. For further details please get connected with us through info@lovedalefoundation.org

The Hidden Faces of Metro City

Ohh, Bangalore!, the IT hub!

I was so excited to move to Bangalore for my further studies a few years ago. The infrastructure, culture, modern amenities in the educational institutions pulled me to this amazing city. I always wondered, the huge developmental steps taken by the government and system followed by each individual in the city. During my studies, as a part of exposure visits, we were taken to few Govt. Schools and slums in the city. The situations in the communities were so pathetic to believe in the middle of this ‘Metro City’. I have asked this question to many people, as being one of the most advanced, systematic and ever growing cities in India, how does Karnataka has huge number of dropouts, illiterates and unemployed youths? When the students from other parts of the state and country choose Bangalore as the best location to learn and settle down, the localities finds it difficult to adjust with the living conditions and proper utilization of resources in their own state. 

The history of our country has been checked, from pre-colonial times to the present but always available to only a privileged few. The post independence period herald promises by the government and silence on critical areas in the provision of education for its citizens. Eminent educationists, various committees and commissions have lent their might and shaped elementary education system in India resulting in the passage of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 (RTE Act).

Most of the commission reports the recommendations such as the nature and quality of teacher training needs to be reviewed and enhanced significantly. Teachers need to be appropriately and adequately trained as teachers play as significant role in ensuring learning outcomes for the children. Teachers need to be trained and equipped with necessary skills and competency to address the varying needs of students in their class. Teachers needs to be inspiring and motivating and they should have the competency to devise appropriate methods for teaching children by helping the latter to create knowledge by combining information and their experiences outside classroom.

When many parents are afraid to send their children to school due to exploitation of students physically and mentally, the parents in Anagalpura village feels so happy to send their children to ‘ Banyan Community School. The Banyan Community School is run by Lovedale Foundation, focuses on promoting quality education and reserves its admission to only those people living Below Poverty Line as measured in India, children with special needs, children from slums and orphans.

In order to create model quality education programme for the children, the Foundation has initiated a Model English Medium High School called Banyan Community School. Catering nearly 350 children. The school has developed a model infrastructure of 100% Eco friendly architecture, with grey and rain water harvesting, creative and artistic class rooms, children library, music rooms, computer lab, craft workshop, hygienic kitchen and dining room, providing most balanced nutritious midday meal, nutrient drinks, high cleanliness, neat and tidy dress code, physical practices, science lab, play ground, daily travel facilities etc.

 Honourable prime minister says on teacher’s day, “Serving the nation does not only mean doing grand things; doing small things is a big service to the nation.” We invite volunteers from all walks of life:  students, teachers, psychologists and anyone who would like to help us make a difference in the lives of our Banyan School students and their community.  If you would like to volunteer with us, please send an email to info@lovedalefoundation.org