This project fills the gap of participatory and interactive opportunities for economically disadvantaged kids in rural India by providing free hands-on science and art lessons using low-cost materials. The lessons are delivered through an innovative channel, namely the Science on Wheels and Art on Wheels programs. These moving labs, filled with science experiments and low-cost art supplies, go to village schools and carry out interactive demonstrations and hands-on activities for the children.
Rote-based, didactic and uninspiring education has deprived children of the tools to overcome poverty. Instead, it has produced education apathy, high out-of-school rates and therefore youth that lacks creative-thinking and problem-solving abilities to excel in life. Infrastructure and teaching facilities that foster child and teacher participation in experiential learning are non-existent. Consequently, there is a mismatch between academic and professional success.
This project offers children access to hands-on, dynamic education that fosters creative thinking, problem solving and communication skills. The Science/Art on Wheels program makes effective use of donor funds to deliver lessons at less than $1. Each child gets three such lessons a year for free. This combined with training the school teacher to incorporate the approach on a daily basis significantly increases the probability of the child's academic and professional success.
Majority of the project beneficiaries are first generation learners. Their professional success will guarantee a sustained interest in education and improve their status of life and that of future generations. In turn, professional success depends on creative ability, collaboration and confidence. Opportunities to build these higher order skills are absent in today's schools - vital elements that are provided by our project.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
