Vidya Gyan

EDUCATE, EMPOWER, and ENABLE CHANGE for DISADVANTAGED GIRLS

When I asked a 4th grader in a rural primary school (during India visit in February) about her education, she hesitantly said, “padhna chahti hun lekin shayad Mata-Pita nahi padhayenge.” ( I would like to study but my parents may not allow). She is not alone. In India, about 24 % of girls discontinue after 5th and ~ 41 % after 8th grade. Yes, all children have the right to education but it is not always exercised or enforced. There is an unintended discrimination by parents against their daughters just because they are “girls.” They still believe that the girl will get married and go away so why educate her. Thus the girls are deprived of education and childhood dignity (a must watch short video We Dream We Rise; all about their dreams). 

India is not alone but one girl under the age of 15 is married every seven seconds worldwide. Reportedly girls as young as 10 are forced to marry with little accountability and deprived of education. Vidya Gyan (Education+ Knowledge), a Minnesota based nonprofit, envisions that the most critical foundation of a happy and healthy childhood and self-respect is education. 

PENCIL TO POWER and LIBRARY FOR LEARNING:  At the most basic level writing/learning begins with a pencil and paper. Yet, millions in rural schools miss out on developing age-appropriate writing skill which is as critical as speaking, reading, and listening for the holistic development of children. Why? Because they don't have simple writing accessories. We distributed 14,000 notebooks and 5000 pencils so children can learn writing alphabets, words, and numbers; practice math problems, and express thoughts through stories and/or sketches. 

We are also opening small libraries with age appropriate story books to promote reading in elementary grades. This is all about changing the culture because most of these children have not had a book other than the curriculum books. Your donation, as little as $20, will enable 4-5 girls to have a writing kit and access to books and be empowered through writing and reading.

SAVINGS TO SECURE: Under this initiative, we developed a partnership with parents with a commitment of modest scholarship to initiate the girls’ savings account for education. The account offers future financial security with features such as, (a) girl owns the account, (b) premium interest (~8%), (c) Vidya Gyan’s scholarship requires that the girls attend school regularly (i.e., lower dropout rate) and (d) the funds can be withdrawn only at age 18 for education or marriage (i.e., more education and fewer child marriages).

With many trials and tribulations in earning parents’ trust and breaking the cultural barrier of girls owning a saving account, we succeeded in the opening over 650 saving accounts in rural schools. Your donation of just $30 will help SAVE and SECURE one girl's future.

Your generosity is critical to positively influence girls, build their self-esteem, and offer hope for a better future. The return on your donation- more educated and socially and economically empowered girls. They need not feel undeserving just because they are born in an impoverished family. It was not their choice in the first place. Educating one girl at a time will transform society because she, as a mother herself, would know better for her daughter (children) than her parents did. That is why please act now.