Project Rupendra

COVID lockdown restrictions took a heavy toll on children's education as schools shut down indefinitely. Children living in shelter homes without supportive families were most severely impacted.

 

On the 1st of September  the LK Jha foundation launched its Educational Support Project RUPENDRA to provide institutionalised children textbooks, notebooks, and stationery kits to support them to pursue their education at their shelter homes. The students from 5th to 8th standard are residing in shelters in the pilgrim town of Alandi on the outskirts of Pune, coming from disadvantaged socio economic conditions. Children of farmers, single parents and many orphans.

 

Students shared their life stories and their struggles to access affordable education. They expressed their thanks for the much needed support from the LKJ foundation and their determination to transform their family circumstances with the good quality education they are receiving from their Alma mater, the Sant Gadge Maharaj Vidyalaya, which has admitted 150 of these students by waiving their fees.

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There are limited public school options for high school children in Alandi and the fees for the private schools are high. Children from these shelter homes are enrolled in Sant Ghadge Maharaj Vidyalaya in Koregaon Park in Pune with the assistance of L.K. Jha Foundation. As the school is committed to the education of children and serving the disadvantaged, it agreed to admit 125 children from the shelter homes in standards 5th to the 8th into their school. 

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The school management approached the Foundation for the support towards

(1) Textbooks

(2) Notebooks

(3) Stationery

(4) Uniforms for the said students.

 

These needs were fulfilled under project RUPENDRA with the sponsorship received from Tata Bluescope Steel Private Limited.

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