Education is a basic human right and a powerful tool for positive change. IF focuses on three subsets:
2) “Learning by Doing” ie Active Learning.
3) Turbocharging the Gifted/Talented.
Scientific evidence shows that childhood years are a time of great opportunity and yet also of great risk: the pace of learning will never be repeated. Foundations built during early childhood determine learning, health, and behavior throughout life. .
Our early childhood programs cover a broad array addressing learning, school preparedness, wellness and health. Examples follow:
IF has partnered with QUEST to meaningfully improve school-readiness of almost 3,500 six-year-old kids in 159 preschool ‘Anganwadis’ (close-to-home childcare centers, functioning under the Indian Government’s Integrated Child Development Scheme) throughout Dhanora block in Gadchiroli (Maharashtra state), one of India's poorest districts.
This unique tried-and-tested program involves 1) Localizing the Content in the local Marathi language, 2) Training the Trainers, and 3) Implementing at the ground level.
Outcomes are being measured through a comprehensive child assessment tool. Read about QUEST’s approach at https://quest.org.in/program/palavee.
IF has partnered with Room to Read aiming for a step change in literacy levels amongst 1 st and 2 nd graders. This program targets 100% literacy in 220,000 primary school children in government schools in the entire Jodhpur district of India’s Rajasthan state.
The goal is to develop reading skills using a three-pronged approach: 1) Student-centric: exposure to Oral language, Phonics & Phonological awareness, and Vocabulary-building via exposure to a variety of texts, 2) Building capacity of teachers and 3) Engaging community stakeholders.
Room to Read will use a modified Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) to measure outcomes. Read more about Room to Read’s work in India at https://www.roomtoreadindia.org/
The Awakened Citizen Program’s vision is to ‘light the spark’ in future citizens by helping them discover, kindle, and nurture a value system for themselves. Initiated in 2014, the program runs in 4,800 schools all over India. (It involves scaling a highly successful 2009 experiment, called ‘success formula’, run in Delhi schools based on the philosophy and teachings of Swami Vivekananda). In its current form the program involves a participatory, discussion-based approach for 6th to 8th graders.
IF’s support for this secular, value education program will expand it to at least 300 additional schools over a three-year period. You can find more information on this program at https://theawakenedcitizen.org/
Educate Girls mobilizes communities for girls’ education in India’s rural, and educationally backward, areas where too often girls are pulled out of school prematurely. Since 2007 this organization 1) facilitates retention of girls in school & helps maintain regular attendance by directly engaging the community while also 2) helping improve pedagogy in school.
Indira Foundation has partnered with Educate Girls to support and expand their initiatives in Jhabua
district of Madhya Pradesh. For more information, please visit
https://www.educategirls.ngo/who-we-
are/#about-us Jhabua in MP.
Parivaar sets up and operates day and boarding centers offering a holistic mix of education, life skills and meal programs for needy kids. These centers, called seva kutirs, take care of children aged 3 to 14, each housing 80 to 130 children. The unique yet critical mix recognizes that nutrition is a prerequisite of education, and education &d life skills are prerequisites for decent jobs.
IF supports Parivaar’ s programs in Jhabua district of India’s Madhya Pradesh state via enabling the holistic development of over 1000 kids in a 5-year period. Read more about Parivaar’ s work at https://parivaar.org/institutions-projects/parivaar-mp/