Iram (11) and Taskeen (12) are both inseparable, whether in class or with the style of wearing their hair. Which remains intact with a middle parting, followed by two symmetrical plaits, symbolic of the bond both of them share.
The girls are the middle two sisters of the family of seven. They live with their family in Farrukhabad and have 3 other siblings. Their younger sister, Raimi (8), is currently enrolled in Gyan Shala’s Class III. The other two are brothers, Ayaan (2) and Fazil (16). While Fazil has never been to school, Ayaan, the youngest will soon join Raimi in a year or two, to follow the path of all his elder sisters.
Their father, Ateer, and mother, Khairun Nisha are both trained zardozi workers. While Ateer spends most of his days doing embroidery work at the local workshop, Khairun Nisha does Zardozi from the comforts of her open veranda to support the household’s income. Out of her earnings, she contributes a major chunk towards the girl’s education, saving hard-earned pennies for her labour. Their eldest brother, Fazil also accompanies Ateer to the workshop.
Achieving what many only dream!
Iram and Taskeen both joined our program in 2013 in Class I and graduated from Class 5 in 2018. Both, Iram and Taskeen have been associated with Gyan Shala for five years, prior to which they had never been to a formal setting or ‘school’ before.
From Class I, when they were starting to read and write for the first time, Iram and Taskeen have gradually progressed in their education, gaining more knowledge and confidence with each passing year.
“In the last six years, we have seen both of them grow, physically and intellectually. Both are very different from each other, but when it comes to studies, they are competitive and strive to do their best. They always make us proud”, adds Khairun.
In 2018, when Iram and Taskeen graduated from Class 5, the family, along with the girls’ teachers and supervisors, were all brainstorming which all schools to apply to. The girls had set their eyes and hearts on one of the best schools in the neighbourhood. They had decided to strive for the best and aimed to be a part of the Kanodiya Girls School.
After clearing the intensive entrance test, both Iram and Taskeen got shortlisted. Seizing this opportunity, they joined their dream school, which has further enabled free and high-quality education for the next few years.
Reminiscing their humble beginnings
Although, initially, the sisters missed their old life of 3.5 hours of classes and familiar friends and teachers. However, in the last two months, the girls have grown fond of their new surroundings, and look forward to walking to school each morning. They enjoy how the new school has uniforms, and a proper canteen, where they are served food, each afternoon.
Iram and Taskeen have both moved onto bigger things since leaving the community learning centre or Gyan Shala. While Taskeen is extremely shy and reserved, Iram is outspoken and enjoys making new friends.
Converting Challenges into Opportunities
Despite challenges, both girls have been mainstreamed into the system and are continuing their education. On recalling the struggles of mainstreaming the girls, Khairun recalls how they were discouraged by some community members who believed that these girls were not cut out to be part of the league and should rather focus on ‘religious education’ instead of being part of a school. Although this extremely, the family was determined to get the girls the best education available.
Impact on the household
“Although, it’s called just ‘Gyan Shala’, I know that the foundation they received in these classes is non-comparable to any other school I would have sent them to, which I doubt I could afford. We are extremely grateful that these girls got the right education at a young age, which has taken them to a great school like Kanodia in merely five years”, states a proud Khairun.
E&H Foundation is enabling quality education for many such children. By focussing on building strong foundational learning in the first five years of a child's life, we are ensuring continued learning where these children can pave their own path and move ahead in the education system and subsequently, in life.
To support the education of underprivileged children in India and to chalk out more such success stories, donate on Give India Fundraisers for E&H Foundation
One Family, two rays of Sunshine: Following First Generation Learners in Farrukhabad, Uttar Pradesh
Sister duo Shifa (5 years) and Ifa (7 years) live with their mom, dad and grandparents in Farrukhabad, Uttar Pradesh. Their family is a traditional Muslim family, with deep cultural values and a progressive mindset. Shifa is currently enrolled in Std 2 and joined our program a year ago, when she started studying for the first time in her life, making her the first generation learner of her family.
Her favorite subject is English and hopes to be fluent in it one day. Being a first-generation learner in the family, Shifa is still adjusting to her new routine and has even made new friends in school in the past one year, whom she looks forward to meeting every day.
On some days, she is, however a bit reluctant to go to school and often has new tricks up her sleeve every morning to skip school but her grandmother Jameela is very active in making sure her granddaughters get good education even if that means bribing them with candy sometimes.
Shifa is the youngest one in her family and also the most loved one especially by her Badi Ammi (Grandmother). Shifa’s teacher, Nisha claims Shifa to be a shy student who mostly keeps to herself. However, according to Jameela, she is the life of their house and keeps everyone on their toes with constant chatter. Jameela often is the one who drops and picks up Shifa from her class and often is regular with taking her feedback from Nisha, Shifa’s class teacher.
Ifa, the older one on the other hand is calm and soft spoken. Until last year, she was also studying in the 1st standard of Blue Dart supported classes but now has been mainstreamed into one of the private schools close by. Her school is a kilometer away from her house, so her father drops her every morning while going to his Kaarkhaana (workshop). According to Ifa, she did face a few difficulties in the beginning at her new school but enjoys going to the school now, so much so that she wakes up every morning without any alarm.
The family has one goal - Educating the Girls
The girls’ father, Raees, is the eldest of 3 brother and 2 sisters. His father was the sole earner in his family, so due to financial constraints, he couldn’t study much and had to help out the family financially. Currently, him and his brothers are all involved in Zardozi work and earn an average of Rs. 8000 each.
The girls’ mother, Irfaana only studied till class 8 and is a housewife now. However, now she realizes the importance of education in one’s life, that is why she constantly motivates her daughters to study well. Every evening, she helps them with homework and on days they don’t have homework, Irfaana revises with them the topics that were done in class that day.
The Siddiqui’s have high hopes for their daughters in the future. They motivate them to be serious towards their education as well as have fun with their friends. They realize that they lacked receiving a ‘quality education’ in their life and want to make sure their daughters have it all.
In the absence of our ongoing program, there is high probability that both Shifa and Ifa would not have been able to access quality education in their localities in the last two years.
In the long run, more support is needed from like-minded individuals and organizations to advance our efforts of reaching out to more such first-generation learners and households in the state of Uttar Pradesh. We aim to support the education of 1 Lakh students in the next five years.
In the academic year 2019-20, we are supporting the education of about 7500 students in partnership with high impact and proven models. You can also become a part of their journey. To know more about our work, visit https://enhfoundation.in/
Please note that disbursements to this project from GlobalGiving are facing substantial delays. If you wish to contribute towards the cause of quality education of underprivileged children in India, you can visit Our Give India Campaign
Rohit, a 10-year-old boy, lives in Farrukhabad and studies in Std 3. In a narrow lane of a small village, rests Rohit’s house. A quiet, brick-walled structure, painted all white, calm and peaceful, just like the family inhabiting it themselves.
Rohit is a quiet, laborious and a sensitive child. He loves taking care of his younger siblings. His younger brother Mohit is 8 years old and also studies in Std 2 in GyanShala. The youngest brother, Shobhit is 3 years old and according to their mother, Poonam, is the most notorious of the lot.
Rohit and Mohit’s association with Gyanshala has not failed to run off on the youngest brother. Shobhit can easily count till 10, both in Hindi and English, thanks to his brothers.
Poonam (37) has studied till Class 2 herself and can read basic Hindi easily. She takes pride is being able to sign Rohit’s report cards every year. Poonam says that Rohit prefers our classes to the government school he dropped out of only after a year, three years back. Rohit’s ill-health was also a factor in his dropping out of school, along with his lack of interest in education back then. Since he started coming to E&H Foundation run classes, Rohit has become more sincere with his education and his attitude towards studying has dynamically shifted.
According to his class teacher, Miss Deepali, Rohit is sincere and thoroughly enjoys studying Maths and Language, especially English, which is her favorite subject. His attendance for the academic year 2018-2019 was 90% and he scored 317/320 in his final year-end examinations that were held in March 2019. Rohit credits his outstanding performance to his teacher and his family, who are supportive of his needs and allow him to pursue his studies thoroughly.
Poonam says, “Rohit has been given a second chance at life. Being the first born, he fell extremely sick a few years back and we were afraid we were going to lose him. But now, Rohit has proved to be one of the best performers in class. Not only this, he is extremely considerate and helpful even at home”
Poonam feels she missed out on having a daughter but Rohit makes it easier for her. Rohit takes pride in helping his mother do the cooking. He also helps her in taking care of the house. Sometimes, when she does Zari work at home, Rohit fills the water with his dad. He also takes care of his youngest brother, often roaming around the house carrying the little one on his shoulders. Sometimes, even studying and doing his homework through that.
When asked how Poonam feels about Rohit going to GyanShala, she said, “Rohit is extremely intelligent and also gifted. But the biggest change we have seen is his unaverred commitment towards his studies on a daily basis and his enhanced ability to do calculations on the go, whether we send him to buy groceries or just milk.
Rohit's father, Sushil (40) is a zardozi worker and earns somewhere between 4000-6000 on a monthly basis. For them, education is not only important but imperative for the boys to grow up in a world of opportunities unlike themselves. Rohit’s parents are aware of the importance of quality education and have high expectations for him and his future. This increased awareness is also due to the effort of our field officers and supervisors, who tirelessly work with the parent community to encourage them to send children to class and be more involved with their studies, even if it means, simply instructing them to do their homework.
In 2019-2020, E&H Foundation is supporting the education of 7500 children like Rohit in partnership with two uniquely successful models - ESO's Gyanshala classes and Bharti Fouundation schools.
We are grateful for our supporters and our partners at Global Giving for their continued encouragement towards our work. You can also join us in our quest of enabling brighter futures for these kids. Visit Our Project Page and Change a Life !
In the academic year 2018-2019, E&H Foundation supported the education of ~7000 children through the GyanShala and Bharti Foundation models in the state of Uttar Pradesh from Std 1-5.
Of this, approximately 6200 children are covered under the GyanShala model in Farrukhabad and Lucknow districts and 720 students are supported through 3 operational Bharti schools in Farrukhabad from Std 1-5.
From a Participant to a Leader: The Unrivalled Joy of Giving Together
We started this project in September 2018 and have steadfastly moved on from a project leader to a superstar partner, all because of our supporters. We are now one of the top ranked organizations on Global Giving, thanks to the unwavering support from our donors and socially conscious individuals all over the globe.
So far, our project has raised $8581 and has made 64 new friends, all united for a good cause. Their recurring support and collective effort of supporting the education of children has enabled new horizons for E&H Foundation.
Reminiscing the Year That Was: Overview of our Primary Program in U.P.
Under the Primary Education Program in association with Gyanshala, E&H Foundation ran a total of 217 classes covering 5736 students from Class 1-3 in Farrukhabad and Lucknow in the year 2018-2019. 50% of our students under the program are girls. This is extremely good given the average % of girls in private and government schools in UP is much below 50%
Of these 5736 students in Uttar Pradesh, coverage in Farrukhabad is through 138 classes supporting the education of 3676 students and coverage in Lucknow is through 79 classes supporting the education of 2060 students from Std 1-3.
Your Support is Our Strength: This is What You Helped Us Acheive
We Continue Writing Stories of Success: The Way Forward
I am delighted to report that one of our third graders, among many others, became the first in his family to ever read and write. Priyank* (name changed) has exceptional aptitude for logic and reasoning. He is an acknowledged scholar of his class, often finding his own way to solve questions, always challenging the status-quo in class. Priyank’s parents have never been to a school. His mother is a house wife and father is a wage labourer, earning somewhere between 200-250 per day.
Being the only one in his family to read and write efficiently in Hindi, Priyank can often be spotted reading the daily news to his family from the local newspaper. He feels that E&H Foundation classes have given him a lot of confidence and have made his base stronger than most of his friends in the basti. (slum).
At present 60% of students in U.P cannot read words as yet. In such a scenario, this video of him reading the newspaper is a testament to the good work we are doing and results that we are trying to achieve.
In the absence of support from our donors, there is high probability that Priyank would not have achieved these strong foundational standards and would have dropped out of school years before he reached this level of learning. In the academic year 2019-2020, E&H Foundation aims to support the education of 7500 children like Priyank in the most dismal sections of India. I hope that you will continue being a part of our journey and keep engaging with our project in this new academic year.
In the current academic year (April 18- March 19), E&H Foundation is covering education of about 7000 children through the ‘Gyanshala’ and ‘Bharti School’ models.
We are running a total of 217 classes in Farrukhabad and Lucknow districts of Uttar Pradesh (U.P) in collaboration with Gyanshala, covering 5774 children from Class 1 -3 and rest from Class 4-5. Total coverage in Farrukhabad is through 138 classes covering 3645 children under the program from Class 1-3, approximately 50% of the whom are girls.
Our first project report, 'Globally giving for Ishika's dream' gave you an insight into our program on the field and an intimate look into one of our Class 3rd students, Ishika and her family based in Farrukhabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. Post-November, Ishika and her fellow classmates have undergone their Mid-term exams and have demonstrated tremendous learning outcomes.
This month’s report focusses on their results and a general overview of our program, especially of Classes 1-3 and key activities undertaken since December 2018.
Colouring Bright Results for a Brighter Future
Mid-terms were conducted in three subjects i.e. English, Hindi and Mathematics for Class 1 students and for four subjects i.e. English, Hindi, Mathematics and Projects for Class 2 and 3. Maximum marks were 40 for all papers and 30% was passing score.
I am happy to report that out of 3344 students who appeared for the mid-term examinations for Class 1-3 in November, 69% of them have scored marks between 80-100%. Their hard work and good result are due to the constant motivation of teachers and supervisors as well as the efforts of motivated parents supporting their kids in the pursual of attaining a quality education and sending them to class regularly. The first image attached shows an overview of students’ performance in the mid-terms.
As one can infer from the data in the image, only 2% have scored below 40% marks. E&H Foundation and its filed partners are constantly trying to improve processes on the ground to attain 100% performance results. We want to impact every student’s life is in a positive way, where they gain maximum learning and exposure by coming to class and continuing their education. This called for intensive community engagement and facilitating and creating further opportunities for field officers to motivate parents.
Community Engagement for Quality Education
A four-day workshop was organized for field supervisors in Farrukhabad during 20th-24th January. Field supervisors play an intricate role in the operations of our on-going classes. Along with teachers, they ensure the efficient functioning of our model on the ground. Supervisors are at the front lines of our program, serving as the link between the students & teachers and the communities encompassing the parents of the children as well as potential members of the community who are considering (or resisting) sending their kids to classes.
One of the most challenging tasks for these supervisors, apart from maintaining 70% average attendance of students, is engaging the parent’s community in school and extracurricular activities. As 80% of our students are the first members of their families to go to school, sometimes they are left with little to no support with their education at home.
For this purpose and to empower field staff to communicate and motivate the community effectively, E&H foundation and Gyanshala organized a four-day training workshop in January this year, which was attended by field officers from Farrukhabad and Lucknow.
Overall objective of the training was to prepare the field staff to engage with the community, proactively and enable active participation and engagement of parents in their children's education and further strengthen their involvement in running of classes by forming parent committees, leading to increased attendance of children in classes and contributing to enhanced overall learning of students.
The training was an immersive experience with everyone collaborating and working on ideas to engage the community on the ground. All supervisors are currently working on their self-targets and developing communication skills to engage with the community further. Their progress will be communicated in the upcoming reports.
From September until March this year, E&H Foundation has raised $8263 from 64 donors by partnering with GlobalGiving. We are grateful for each one of our donors and especially to our recurrent supporters who are committed to the cause of quality education. With this, we are extremely close to our goal of raising $10,500 that will go towards the education of 175 children covering 7 classes.
E&H aims to raise the balance funds before the beginning of the academic year 2019-2020 in April and seeks your continued engagement with our project Educating 175 Underprivileged Children in India.
Together, we will continue our quest for quality education of underprivileged children in India
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