Units of Sahyog - Education Wing

• Pre-primary and primary schools in Waghapur/Yavatmal District
  
  Sane Guruji Balak Mandir and Mahavir Primary School
  
  The children of our schools are mostly from the slums closeby. After finishing the pre-primary step they continue to study in the Mahavir Primary School. We have adopted innovative ways of teaching so as not to make education a burden for the children. We encourage them to participate in various activities thus inculcating in them values that eventually help them to become good human beings.
  
  We conduct teacher-parent meetings where we not only talk of the progress of the children but we also try to organize sessions which will enlighten them on the values and principles of the school.
  
  Further we are organizing interactions between students and eminent personalities working on various issues like health, environment, snake protection, Khadi (hand-spun clothing), de-addiction, pollution free festivals, no-Crackers movement, gram swarajya, citizens rights and duties, swadeshi, etc.
  
  The pupils of the school run by Sahyog were once known as dropouts and failures. But shaping their minds and inculcating a sense of self-respect and confidence in the so-called dropouts was the challenge taken up by Sahyog. Today many students who passed out from our schools are confidently leading their lives. They are respected in the society as good human beings.

• Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil Dattak Palak Yojana
  
  This is an initative to ensure the education of children from very low income backgrounds. In this scheme, which we established in the year 2000, we appeal to people to take one child in adoption by paying funds as fixed deposit to maintain the education of the children from poor families. Through this scheme we support the students from 1st standard to 10th standard. At present, the school fees, books, texts, uniform and medical aid of approximately 230 students per year is taken care of.
  
  While selecting students, we take into consideration their family background (the social and economic conditions, the family income and the number of dependents in the family), the desire of the student to pursue education, his/her performance, etc. At present, there are 6 people who have supported the students of our school through this scheme. The money is hereby deposited in a bank and the student's welfare is taken care of from the interest.
  [How to support]


• Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil Shikshan Samitee
  
  This is an initiative to help children of farmers who committed suicide. Yavatmal district has the highest number of suicides in Maharashtra. Ultimately along with the adults the children also suffer. Without care and education the future for them is bleak. If there is no one to give a helping hand then there is a very high possibility of them getting caught in the vicious circle of borrowing money and poverty. The initative has been set up to raise money for the education of those innocent children who had to drop out from schools due to their family's financial misery. As part of this initiative, Sahyog is further trying to keep a long term follow-up on how the child is faring, not only in the school but his or her overall development. This process is conducted with different local volunteers and organizations. To overcome the trauma of their parents' death Sahyog is organizing camps for the children who are supported through this scheme. The camps are to counsel the students who are currently suffering from their relative’s loss, to have people interacting with them on various subjects so as to motivate them, boost their courage and build up their confidence. Also surprise visits are given to the village in which these children are staying and studying. Our efforts will be to energize them to move forward in life.
  [How to support]


• Kasturba Yoga and Naturopathy College
  
  This college is affiliated to the Kasturba Gandhi Yoga and Nisargaupachar University in Delhi. Since 2005, we have been conducting classes in Yoga and Naturopathy. The idea of this college is a medicine-free society. Therefore, we believe in Naturopathy and inexpensive self-healing methods to be the way to a healthy life for everyone. At our college, we have visiting lecturers and we conduct weekend classes. The students come from all around Maharashtra, appearing for courses conducted by this university. Due to our urgent need of funding, we conduct only a small part-time course in Naturopathy for seven to ten students at the moment. Our further plans need to be set on hold due to current monetary shortcomings of our organizations. However, we are in the planning process of establishing a cadre of socio-medicos, who will travel to remote areas to educate the local people about inexpensive and natural ways of healing. The infrastructure of health services is widely insufficient and hospitals and doctors are often hours away from the rural villages. With an advanced financial support, we would also be able to buy an ambulance vehicle which could go to the poor areas and provide direct medical help. The funds would also be used to sensitize people living in remote areas on how they can take care of their health without spending a lot of money.
  
  We also organize camps in schools, where there are subject experts who interact with our students