A Glimpse into the Lives of India's Rural Children

Shaloo Nighoon, an Isha volunteer, shares a video and her experience with Isha Vidhya below:

Earlier this year I had the amazing opportunity to travel to India and experience Isha Vidhya’s work first hand. It has left a lasting impression on me. I tried to capture what I saw on video, but there is so much more to what is happening in these schools that I know I won’t even be able to share it all here.

The education these impoverished rural kids are receiving is so beyond average. The children are taught in many innovative ways that take into account the environments they come from, what will keep them engaged and what is needed to help them succeed long-term. It just takes one visit to see that the kids are on board—they are visibly bursting with enthusiasm. When I visited one village, a mother asked her 6-year-old child to get his English book and read for us. He sat down in the middle of the street and started skipping through the book, reading rhyme after rhyme. If it weren’t for the fact that it was getting dark and we had to move on, he would have definitely read the whole thing.

The children I interviewed gave many reasons for loving their school, but mentioned time and again their appreciation for the nurturing approach of their teachers—no harsh words or punishment. I could see that they are provided with a safe and caring environment to grow and learn. I have no doubt that the schools will meet their goal of delivering confident, English-speaking, computer literate students on par with students from good urban schools. I am also sure these children will develop into healthy, well-rounded individuals with all the emphasis given to extracurricular activities, health and hygiene.

While the work of Isha Vidhya has been expanding rapidly, the need is still so much greater. There are currently 8 schools with over 4,000 students. Right now, there is a dire need for many new classrooms to provide space for the existing students to progress to higher grades and new student to join. I hope to help in a very small way with a campaign to support 26 children and build a classroom that will be used by students for years to come.

There is much more needed. Please help by supporting my campaign, and sharing this information with your friends and family. Also, if you can support these efforts in a bigger way—or know of other people or businesses that may be interested in doing the same—please email me at Shaloo.Nighoon@IshaVidhya.org.

Thank you for every bit of support. I assure you that it is making a huge difference in these children’s lives.

With Much Appreciation,

Shaloo 

Click to learn more about Shaloo's campaign, and about Isha Vidhya.