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Summary: Education can sustainably alter lives of people for the better. Education has the potential to make people self-sufficient and independent. Hence, it is considered as one of the most powerful tools to uplift the weaker sections. Several NGOs like Vidya Chetana has been working for years to empower children by making education accessible to them.

Body of content: Time and again, national and international governing bodies have been emphasising on the importance of education as a means to address various socio-economic issues. In fact, education is one of the top five Sustainable Development Goals as stated by the United Nations. The UN SDG Goal 4, “Quality Education - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” clearly states how every nation must focus on education for all in order to progress and develop sustainably. Alongside governing and decision-making bodies, several NGOs across the globe have also undertaken education as their core cause. One among them is Vidya Chetana, an Indian NGO working for education of underprivileged children since 2009.

About Vidya Chetana

Vidya Chetana is an initiative of Youth for Seva to support higher education of children belonging to socio-economically weaker sections. Vidya Chetana provides funds to children in the form of scholarship. This fund is received from donors who donate for education and helps students to pay the academic fees required to pursue higher studies such as PUC (10+2), Degree, Engineering and Medical.

Highlights of Vidya Chetana’s work

As an NGO working for education, Vidya Chetana is cognisant of the importance of continuously reaching out to meritorious children belonging to weaker sections.

·       Scholarship Program: The NGO follows a meticulous process to identify children who are deserving and in need of support to pursue higher education. It conducts a thorough survey prior to selecting students for the Scholarship Program.

·       Beneficiaries: Vidya Chetana supports higher education of children hailing from challenging financial backgrounds, specially-abled children, and children who lost their parents during COVID-19 pandemic. So far, the NGO has supported education of 5,775 children across India.

·       Connects students to donors: Vidya Chetana acts as a platform to connect students with benevolent donors who generously donate for education.

·       Beyond Scholarship Program: Vidya Chetana does not stop at providing scholarships to underprivileged children. It takes the extra step to support overall development of the beneficiaries through its various programmes such as career counselling, personality development sessions, 21^st century skills training, and Employment Readiness Program, to name a few.

·       Transparency and commitment: This NGO working for education is well-aware of the significance of donations. So, it maintains utmost transparency with regards to funds required to support each child. It also acknowledges donors for their contributions as well as shares updates and progress reports of the sponsored child.

Current efforts for making education accessible

Education is an inevitable factor in uplifting individual lives and the society as a whole. Hence, several interventions are being made to bridge the education gap that exists mainly due to socio-economic disparity and rural-urban divide.

-        The Government of India has initiated several education schemes for underprivileged children.

-        Many NGOs are working closely with underserved communities to make education available for their children.

-        Schools, colleges, universities, and corporates are sponsoring education scholarships to support underprivileged children.

Transform lives through education

Wouldn’t you like to be a proud contributor in making education for all a reality? Well, there are many ways you can help Vidya Chetana in their endeavour to educate children.

-        Take the responsibility of educating a child by contributing to their Each 1 Educate 1 Campaign.

-        Donate for education of underprivileged children on special days like your birthday, wedding anniversary, festivals, etc.

-        Collaborate with Vidya Chetana as a CSR partner.

-        Conduct a fundraising campaign.

-        Create awareness by sharing about Vidya Chetana’s work in your social network.

To conclude, if each one of us educate one child, then together we will be able to educate an entire generation. Step in today to do something for the greater good of the society!

Author Profile:

Vidya Chetana Scholarship Program is an initiative of Youth for Seva to support higher education of socio-economically underprivileged children. Your support will help children wanting to pursue PUC (10+2), Degree, Engineering, and Medical Courses. Your contribution towards Scholarship Program will help children continue their education as well as qualify you to receive tax exemption on your donated amount (₹500 & above).