The important thing is not so much
that every child should be taught,
as that every child should be given the wish to learn.
John Lubbock
The best entrepreneurs today are the ones who commit their lives to the cause of the Gift. The gift of desire given to every child –“The desire to learn”.
Every child has the right to learn. But the right alone can do nothing if children in India are devoid of the means. Lack of resources leads to a sense of neutrality and apathy in the minds of the unprivileged.
This is the sole concern of a number of non government organizations in India. They are working hard towards the goal of education for all. They want to harvest in every child the dream for a better future and the desire for knowledge. By education, we don’t just mean the superficial learning of a few subjects. It refers to the learning about the art of existence.
It was once said that whole purpose of education is turning mirrors into windows. That’s what these organizations are dealing with. They are trying to take care of the most fragile but ultimately the most lucrative business of all times. If we want a better India tomorrow, we have to harvest the country’s mind when it’s young and fragile. And for this we need to help those who are trying to help the needy. Here is a brief listing of five NGOs from the major states of India that are working towards education:
DEEPALAYA (Delhi): With the belief that “every child deserves a chance”, Deepalaya has been working for the past 30 years for the development of rural slums in Delhi and also the rural parts of Haryana and Uttarakhand. It has established 337 educational centres where 50,000 beneficiaries are given formal and non-formal education. The organization also provides vocational training to defeat the ever growing problem of unemployment. Deepalaya got the award for the best NGO in north India in the year 2007.
Contribute:Â http://www.deepalaya.org/
Agastya International Foundation (Bangalore): Agastya works for rural India which according to the organization is creatively skilled and entrepreneurially enabled. This Bangalore based foundation aims at transforming the thinking of rural students and teachers. It helps children learn through a practical approach rather than with a  theoretical one. Having been established in 1999, Agastya has now had an impact in over 30 districts and four states of India. Agastya’s quoted vision is “to build a creative India of ‘tinkerers, solution-seekers and creators’ that are ‘humane, anchored and connected’ by inspiring widespread social development, innovation and leadership through education”
Contribute:Â http://www.agastya.org/
AKANKSHA (Bangalore): Stretching from 15 children in one centre to over 3500 children in 58 centres and 6 schools, Akanksha has been successfully pursuing its goal of building for every child a planned and a secure future. Other than preparing a strong fundamental base in English and mathematics, it helps to impart a sense of value, confidence and self esteem in children. Learning of important tools that shall help students earn a living is also considered a crucial need. One of the many beliefs of this foundation is that dreams do come true….and quite obviously, they do.
Contribute:Â http://www.akanksha.org/
EUREKA CHILD (Chennai): Eureka child is an Air India education initiative which is working towards quality education for every child in Tamil Nadu. It emphasises on joint ventures with other NGOs to promote a common cause. The organization has been working with the government to create a network of teachers and to work with the government officials for the implementation of planned programs.
Contribute:Â http://www.eurekachild.org/
KARUNA (Rajasthan): I could have given the fifth spot to another well recognised NGO from some part of the country. But I chose this one. You can consider a personal motive behind it. Karuna is an unregistered NGO (to be registered in less than a month now), that belongs to the students of Modi Institute Of Technology And Science, Lakshmangarh. What started as a student forum a few years back has grown up to be a headstrong visionary organization. Karuna was ventured with the idea of helping the children of the labourers who worked inthis college. With the hard work of the college students, the vision has now been expanded. This group of enthusiasts is now working for the betterment of a primary school in the village of Lakshmangarh. Students of this college take time out of their academic schedules to go and teach the kids of the school. These girls also concentrate on vocational training in the fields of pottery, shoemaking, candle making etc. Books, stationary and uniforms are also provided to the school. Overall personality development of children who are poor and do not have the sufficient resources is the goal of this establishment
Contribute: Karuna does not have an official website yet. But it can have one for sure if it gets your support. Please contribute in any way you can. HELP needed. (Drop in comments if you can be of any help and your message shall be forwarded)
P.S: Always aim at raising gourmets rather than gourmands when you are educating the stomach, and always aim for the wise rather than intelligent when you are educating the mind 😉
image: youtube-kids.blogspot.com