Ruchika's PledgePage
To provide basic education to under-privileged children at Bhubaneshwar, India.
Ruchika offers a number of different programs for underprivileged children. It operates a children's shelter, a vocational training center, platform schools, and Non-Formal Education Centers (NFEs) for slum children.
Background:
Ruchika was founded by Mrs. and Mr. Khurana after Mr.Khurana retired from the Indian Army more than two decades ago and moved to Bhubaneshwar. Mrs. Inderjit Khurana has always had an abiding interest in education, and opened a school called Ruchika for the urban public.
Mrs. Khurana had an interesting encounter that eventually led to the formation of Ruchika Social Service Organization. One day at the Bhubaneshwar railway station, Mrs. Khurana was approached by a child begging for money. She asked him “Why don’t you study?” to which the boy retorted “Who will teach me?”. She responded “I will!” and that was the beginning of what are full-fledged platform schools today.
That incident motivated her to start teaching children earning a living working on the Bhubaneshwar railway platform. She was later joined Mr. Dwivedy, who has now become a very dedicated and senior member of the Ruchika Social Service team. Her effort to teach children on the railway platforms was one of the first ones in India then.
Since then Ruchika Social Service Organization (a separate legal entity than the one that runs the public schools), has blossomed into a well-established organization that is currently providing education to more than 4,000 children.
Since 1989, Ruchika has been running nearly a 100 Non-Formal education centers. These centers provide children with primary education. The schools were open for about 2 hours a day, and teachers were paid about Rs. 200 (US $4.50) per month. This program was funded by the Government of India. Unfortunately, in October 2000, the Government of India decided to close all Non-formal education centers. The Central Government NFE scheme was supposed to be replaced by state sponsored NFEs. Although other states have started new programs, Orissa unfortunately has not taken any steps to start such a program.
Fortunately for Ruchika, a program funded by UNICEF called "Janashala" for out-of-school children was adopted in Orissa in February 2001, and Ruchika replaced its 100 NFEs with Alternative Education Centers (AECs) in July 2001. The teacher's salary was increased to Rs. 1,000 (US$22) per month and the number of hours the school was open was also increased.
However, in typical Indian bureaucratic fashion, Ruchika was asked to close down 58 of its 100 AECs. The slum communities where Ruchika had been working for many years protested, but to no avail. To replace the 58 government-funded AECs, Ruchika has started 20 Balwadis for pre-school children in the age group of 1 through 6. Ruchika is now seeking funds to run the 40 AECs that have been closed down by the Government.
Ruchika offers a number of different programs for underprivileged children. It operates a children's shelter, a vocational training center, platform schools, and Non-Formal Education Centers (NFEs) for slum children.
Background:
Ruchika was founded by Mrs. and Mr. Khurana after Mr.Khurana retired from the Indian Army more than two decades ago and moved to Bhubaneshwar. Mrs. Inderjit Khurana has always had an abiding interest in education, and opened a school called Ruchika for the urban public.
Mrs. Khurana had an interesting encounter that eventually led to the formation of Ruchika Social Service Organization. One day at the Bhubaneshwar railway station, Mrs. Khurana was approached by a child begging for money. She asked him “Why don’t you study?” to which the boy retorted “Who will teach me?”. She responded “I will!” and that was the beginning of what are full-fledged platform schools today.
That incident motivated her to start teaching children earning a living working on the Bhubaneshwar railway platform. She was later joined Mr. Dwivedy, who has now become a very dedicated and senior member of the Ruchika Social Service team. Her effort to teach children on the railway platforms was one of the first ones in India then.
Since then Ruchika Social Service Organization (a separate legal entity than the one that runs the public schools), has blossomed into a well-established organization that is currently providing education to more than 4,000 children.
Since 1989, Ruchika has been running nearly a 100 Non-Formal education centers. These centers provide children with primary education. The schools were open for about 2 hours a day, and teachers were paid about Rs. 200 (US $4.50) per month. This program was funded by the Government of India. Unfortunately, in October 2000, the Government of India decided to close all Non-formal education centers. The Central Government NFE scheme was supposed to be replaced by state sponsored NFEs. Although other states have started new programs, Orissa unfortunately has not taken any steps to start such a program.
Fortunately for Ruchika, a program funded by UNICEF called "Janashala" for out-of-school children was adopted in Orissa in February 2001, and Ruchika replaced its 100 NFEs with Alternative Education Centers (AECs) in July 2001. The teacher's salary was increased to Rs. 1,000 (US$22) per month and the number of hours the school was open was also increased.
However, in typical Indian bureaucratic fashion, Ruchika was asked to close down 58 of its 100 AECs. The slum communities where Ruchika had been working for many years protested, but to no avail. To replace the 58 government-funded AECs, Ruchika has started 20 Balwadis for pre-school children in the age group of 1 through 6. Ruchika is now seeking funds to run the 40 AECs that have been closed down by the Government.