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  As a vital part of the drive towards the betterment of children in remote areas, Aadhaar has adopted a model based on a concept from PURA (Providing Urban amenities to Rural Areas) advocated by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the ex-President of India. This concept, known as the "knowledge center", offers school-going children the possibility of enhancing their knowledge. Though these children are enrolled in government run schools, the facilities there are far from being sufficient and by no means comparable to schools in towns and cities. A knowledge center typically has a collection of books to complement their academic curriculum, besides serving to improve their language skills. It also has a desktop computer containing educational software programs, lectures and motivational movies. Thus, a knowledge center makes the interested children computer literate, a pre-requisite to face the future with confidence. A full-time librarian helps the children choose the right books and streamline their activities. Perhaps the most important benefit of a knowledge center is that it gives the children a chance to interact outside the school premises, thereby developing their interpersonal and social skills. The first Aadhaar knowledge center (AKC) was inaugurated on 11th of July 2006 in Soundad, an underdeveloped village in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Soon we learn that it take more efforts and financial resources to run the AKC than just establishing it. Since then efforts were made to develop a self-sustaining model for the knowledge centers, so that each of them could be a financially independent entity. So far we have five self sustainable AKCs are running and another four AKC projects are in progress. The details/status of each AKC can be monitor by clicking the link below.
Narayan Garh, a small village in the foothills (terai) of Himalaya, tells a typical story of one of the underdeveloped places in India, which is still deprived of basic infrastructure (education, health, electricity, roads, communication, etc.). AADHAAR is taking a lead to develop 0.7 acre land, which is owned by the village for common use, to build AKC9 and providing facilities for village kid's education, a centre for vocational training for girls (e.g. sewing and knitting) and for village youth (e.g. fishery, technical training, etc.). Location: Narayan
Garh Narayan Garh, a small village in the foothills (terai) of Himalaya, tells a typical story of one of the underdeveloped places in India, which is still deprived of basic infrastructure (education, health, electricity, roads, communication, etc.). AADHAAR is taking a lead to develop 0.7 acre land, which is owned by the village for common use, to build AKC9 and providing facilities for village kid's education, a centre for vocational training for girls (e.g. sewing and knitting) and for village youth (e.g. fishery, technical training, etc.). The place will be further developed so that village kids and youths have instant information about their career and markets. Considering the amount of work needed to accomplish the overall objective AADHAAR decided to take up this project in various phases - construction of basic facility for AKC, providing facilities for the library and vocational training centre for sewing and knitting, manning the facility and making it self-sustainable, and providing alternate energy sources like solar power units. AADHAAR is helping in developing the site and the construction of the basic facility will begin in October 2010 and is expected to be complete by May 2011. Further work will be taken up after the completion of first phase.
SHED (Society for Health & Educational Development), was established in 2007. SHED envisages a just and peaceful society where disable and non-disable people enjoy life in its fullness. SHED is now running from a rented building which has a capacity to accommodate around 50 children. The children admitted at present are in the age group of 5 to 17 years. Location: Beltola SHED (Society for Health & Educational Development), was established in 2007. SHED envisages a just and peaceful society where disable and non-disable people enjoy life in its fullness. SHED is now running from a rented building which has a capacity to accommodate around 50 children. The children admitted at present are in the age group of 5 to 17 years. Many children come with academic problem and their needs are appropriately not met by normal instructions given at the school. It has been observed that the children with differently able children did not get expected acceptance either from the normal children or from the parents of the normal children. There is limited facility for providing services to this category of disabled populate. To address some of this issues AADHAAR has taken an initiative to establish its 8th Knowledge Centre at SHED. The financial support of 1.30 lakh INR (2150 euros) is confirmed. The financial support from AADHAAR will be spent on new study materials, books, furniture, computers and other infrastructure. The project will be monitor by Mr. Lanu Aimol (Director of SHED) together with Mr. Wahid Saleh and other well-wishers. At present SHED is going through FCRA clearance process for smooth fund transfer. It is expected that the project will be realized within 3 months once money is received at SHED.
The city of Agra which was once the glorious capital of the Mugal Empire and which hosts the world famous historic monument Taj Mahal, could not keep-up with the development in modern times leading to a lot of poor and underdeveloped areas. The disparity between the rich and the poor has lead to the establishment of a lot of slums in Agra, deprived of proper food, shelter and education especially for children. Mrs. Meera Bansal is a philanthropist, who works voluntarily for the upliftment of poor kids in the slums of Agra. She has been conducting educational classes for them at random locations according to availability. Location: Kacchi
Pura, Agra  The city of Agra which was once the glorious capital of the Mugal Empire and which hosts the world famous historic monument Taj Mahal, could not keep-up with the development in modern times leading to a lot of poor and underdeveloped areas. The disparity between the rich and the poor has lead to the establishment of a lot of slums in Agra, deprived of proper food, shelter and education especially for children. Mrs. Meera Bansal is a philanthropist, who works voluntarily for the upliftment of poor kids in the slums of Agra. She has been conducting educational classes for them at random locations according to availability. AADHAAR supported Mrs.Bansal's noble intentions by helping her construct an AADHAAR Knowledge Center (AKC). The AKC was established in the premises of an already existing school supported by the Rotary Club of Agra (Vivekanand Saraswati Shishu Vidya Mandir, Near Agra Cantt. Railway Station). AADHAAR financially supported this project by a one-time contribution of 2300 € in the year 2009. The project was successfully completed in April 2010. Bettahalli is a village in Karnataka state of Tumkur district which is named because of adjacent hill/mountain with hindu temple. It's a small village populated approximately around 2000 people with its own panchayat. The people here are mainly farmers with partly irrigated lands. They are self sufficient but lack in good education and healthcare. Although the village has government run school with ~100 kids, it lacks the study place for students after school hours. Location: Village,
Amruthur hobli  Bettahalli is a village in Karnataka state of Tumkur district which is named because of adjacent hill/mountain with hindu temple. It's a small village populated approximately around 2000 people with its own panchayat. The people here are mainly farmers with partly irrigated lands. They are self sufficient but lack in good education and healthcare. Although the village has government run school with ~100 kids, it lacks the study place for students after school hours. The kids either wander around killing their valuable time or start helping their family slowly losing interest on education. Hence, we propose to build AADHAAR knowledge center which is basically a library cum study center for kids, news paper & magazine center for adults and counseling center with a dedicated person (graduate) to help provide proper guidance and motivation to the kids (also care-taker of the center). The estimate to realize this knowledge center is around 2500 Euros (Rs 165,000) which would include building cost (the land has been donated free), furniture's, books, and (sustainable) running cost. Self sustainable running cost is expected to be achieved by livestock rearing (two cows). The project has been approved by Aadhaar committee and is expected to start by November 2010. Hiwara Murade is remote village in Amravati Dist. In state of Maharashtra in central part of India (Mumbai province). People from this village has great education awareness, this village has produced many teachers, a doctor and some engineers. However now day’s the village lacks education facilities in the village. Due to this one who can afford to send their kinds to the cities for the better education facilities do so, but the poor and bright student do not get this opportunity. Location: Hiwara
Murade
Hiwara Murade is remote village in Amravati Dist. In state of Maharashtra in central part of India (Mumbai province). People from this village has great education awareness, this village has produced many teachers, a doctor and some engineers. However now day’s the village lacks education facilities in the village. Due to this one who can afford to send their kinds to the cities for the better education facilities do so, but the poor and bright student do not get this opportunity. Group of villages came to know about the AADHAAR activities from Chandra Murade and were impressed by AADHAAR support to Eklavya academy. Villagers asked for the AADHAAR Knowledge Centre in their village. They also promised to look after the AKC with out any additional costs. This centre will be administrated by two teachers from the village itself. Main objectives of this project are to create a library, to provide computer education and to provided a study room with 24 hr electricity facility. Since electricity is the main problem in this region. Also various activities will be carried out under this project such as special classes for the student and agriculture awareness for the farmers. AADHAAR members agreed to financially support this project. Presently AKC is running with the great response from the student and villagers.
The third AADHAAR knowledge center, founded in the premises of Zilha Parishad Secondary & Higher Secondary School Walsawangi. This AKC is opened within the school premises which allows using dedicated room for library, chairs, and tables. Within the school time, school staff looks after the library and after school time one of the senior school students looks after the library. Location: Walsawangi
The third AADHAAR knowledge center, founded in the premises of Zilha Parishad Secondary & Higher Secondary School Walsawangi. This AKC is opened within the school premises which allows using dedicated room for library, chairs, and tables. Within the school time, school staff looks after the library and after school time one of the senior school students looks after the library. To keep the library running and getting more books in, school is charging 30 INR membership fees for only those who can pay. Rest of the expenses like maintenance of the facility, electricity is carried by school. Total amount of 60000 INR is being spent till date for the books. Another 25000 INR was spent for the cultural stage in the school premises. Total 1500 Euro was donated for the successful completion of the cultural stage and books for the library. This project was funded by the money generated from the contribution of the employees of University of Twente, who generously decided to forgo their Christmas gift of 2008 for a noble cause. This knowledge centre has school owned computers through which students below poverty line can be trained and have Internet facility for common man, so that they can be connected to the outside world.
The first AADHAAR knowledge center was inaugurated on 11th of July 2006 in Soundad, an underdeveloped village in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The first AKC has its own mini-library, book bank and computer room for the underprivileged village students, who did not have access to any such facilities earlier. The computer installed in this center has nearly 100 hours of educational software, including online school lessons from renowned teachers across India, as well as a few motivational movies. These facilities aside, the library also subscribes to 5 newspapers in different languages, as well as a few magazines. Location: Village
Soundad – 441806  The first AADHAAR knowledge center was inaugurated on 11th of July 2006 in Soundad, an underdeveloped village in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The first AKC has its own mini-library, book bank and computer room for the underprivileged village students, who did not have access to any such facilities earlier. The computer installed in this center has nearly 100 hours of educational software, including online school lessons from renowned teachers across India, as well as a few motivational movies. These facilities aside, the library also subscribes to 5 newspapers in different languages, as well as a few magazines.  This project was funded by 1100 €, the money generated from the contribution of the employees of the faculty of science and technology (TNW and CTW) of University of Twente, who generously decided to forgo their Christmas gift of 2005. Soon we realize that it take more efforts and financial resources to run the AKC than just establishing it. It was then possible to make this AKC self sustainable by handing over a photocopy and lamination machine. The financial support of 1500 € for self sustainability was received from CTW faculty at UT in 2007. This center has created very good awareness about education and computers in the village and nearby areas. In a nutshell, this knowledge center is a small step towards bridging a gap between the booming Indian economy and backward villages. |
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