PROJECTS
1. Sri Vidyanikethan School
An initiative that started as a Kindergarten for fifteen children and one teacher in 1988 in a sub-urban area of Bangalore is now a school with over 400 children, (15 teachers) studying up to the 10th class. Known as Sri Vidyanikethan School, this initiative is special to that strata of society where families are constrained to discontinue their children’s education in order to make their ends meet.
2. Skills Development Program – Tailoring
Funded by Accenture
Vidyanikethan initiated the skills development program, which primarily includes free training in tailoring, for women from low income communities about 10 years ago. Till date, the program has trained about 500 women over the years.
3. Mugulur Makkala Mane
Introduction
The Department of Labour, the Child Labourers Society, Bangalore Urban, and the Department of Sericulture partnered with Vidyanikethan to initiate a residential programme for the rehabilitation of children and adolescents, who were working in the silk farms. Although the Government stopped the financial support for managing the programme, it had given their approval to retain the premises for managing the hostel. Since 2007, Vidyanikethan is managing this residential hostel for rescued girl child labourers and deserted children in Sarjapura, Anekal Taluk from mostly its own funds and with periodical support from Accenture, Luk India and other donors. In 2021, Cambium Network, which is a leading global provider of wireless solutions, came forward to support the hostel. Its support has been very significant in terms of caregiving for the children.
4. Margasusi Home
Funded by WABTEC
Located in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, Margasusi Home is a well-equipped hostel for girls with a capacity to house 50 to 55 children. It has spacious dormitories, dining area, play area, kitchen, and recreational facilities in a lush green mini-campus.
Since 1988, Vidyanikethan is managing Margasusi Home, which is providing children of female sex workers (FSW) and girls who have been victims of under-age marriage and/or different forms of abuse and neglect access to essential services, opportunities and facilities. As a result, the girls are able to transform their lives in a holistic and sustainable manner.
4. Tree plantation projects
1. Tree plantation at Government Schools
With support from Purva Star Properties Pvt Ltd, Vidyanikethan implemented a tree plantation project in Government schools in Dyavasandhra and Paduvanagara where about 15000 saplings were planted during 202-2023.
As these saplings are now growing into trees, the green cover in the area is gradually increasing and protecting the precious top soil and retaining water.
2. Bhoothanahalli Forest Rejuvenation Project
In the Bhoothanahalli Forest, located at Bengaluru Urban District, Karnataka, the farmers from the nearby villages started to bring their cattle for grazing. Also, due to other factors, the overall green cover in the forest began to reduce. The Department of Forest, Government Of Karnataka (Aranya Bhawan) wanted to restore the vegetation of the forest. Accordingly, it contacted Vidyanikethan, which has good experience in tree plantation projects, to implement forest rejuvenation in about 15 acres of the Bhoothanahalli Forest.
With support from Continental Automotive Components (India) Pvt Ltd, Vidyanikethan implemented the two years forest rejuvenation programme (September 2021 to March 2022). It facilitated the planting of more than one lakh saplings at Bhoothanahalli forest.
The valuable support of Continental Automotive and its volunteers led to many of the saplings growing upto 5 feet to 6 feet. During their visits, the volunteers plant seeds of different kind of trees including shade bearing trees and trees that will help to protect the soil cover. The saplings were provided by Indus Herbs to Vidyanikethan. Various officials, including the Chief Conservator of Forest and District Forest Officer, from the Department of Forest (Aranya Bhavan) visited the forest.
Reasons for participants keen to join the tailoring course
- Opportunity to earn a skill that is of interest to them, and which has potential to save money and to earn by taking orders
- To spend time productively as they have more time on their hands
- To get employment in a tailoring shop or garment sector companies, where most of the employees in the factory are women. Over 4.25 lakh people work in garment factories (Hindu newspaper report)
- Want to be financially self-reliant and independent
Basic agenda of the course
- Measurement, cutting, tailoring to finish
- Garments that are useful for the family – children, ladies – blouses, salwar kameez
- Incorporating fashion and apparel trends – palazzos, pants, different types of salwars
Impact of the skills development course in training
- Learning a skill of their choice, and that too one that has potential to help them to save money and earn, has given a lot of satisfaction to the women
- The participants feel a sense of achievement after the course as they got the opportunity to learn garments that are useful for them and their families
- The combination of theoretical and practical sessions on tailoring has given them the confidence to tailor new patterns not just for themselves but for others as well
- The participants have stated that they are saving money as they are stitching most of their own and their children’s garments
- They are getting appreciation from their personal and social groups and gradually getting tailoring orders
5. Upgradation and renovation in Government Schools
Continental Automotive Components (India) Pvt Ltd helped to beautify the Government School at Rajaji Nagar.
About 40 employees of Continental Automotive Components India Pvt Ltd volunteered to paint the Government School at Rajaji Nagar. Vidyanikethan facilitated the process by coordinating with the school authorities, and organizing various logistics. Sketch artists drew the outline after which the volunteering employees did the coloring or filling part of the painting.
Continental Automotive Components (India) Pvt Ltd upgraded the facilities and equipment in 5 Government Schools in Bangalore
Since its inception, Vidyanikethan has been partnering with reputed corporates on CSR project (Corporate Social Responsibility). This partnership between the NGO, who is the implementing agency, the supporting partner (the corporate) and the beneficiary such as a school, Anganwadi centre, or health care centres benefits the the users in a very significant manner. Continental has been partnering with Vidyanikethan on key projects related to education and environment since the last few years. For more efficient functioning of Government schools, there is need for adequate and proper furniture and storage spaces. However, many a time, the essential equipment is lacking in Government schools which can impact on their functioning.
During this time (May 2023 to October 2023), Continental gave the much needed support to the following Government schools in order to upgrade their furniture, educational equipment, storage spaces and drinking water supply:
- Vabasandra
- Shikaripalya
- Bhovipalya
- Rajajinagar and
- Ganagiripalya
The items included wall mounted fans, desktops, computer tables and chairs, printers, electric kettle, stainless steel food plates, seating tables, stand for placing the food plates, RO Water Plant, metal wardrobes, table for teachers and Head Master, and chairs for teachers. These essential furniture and equipment have made the learning experience very comfortable and effective.