IDF plans to open more than 400 Bal Gurukuls in two years

THE HINDU

PANAJI, September 26, 2012

Indian Development Foundation (IDF), formerly Indian Leprosy Foundation, plans to increase its ‘Bal Gurukuls’ under its poor children’s elementary education programme scheme across the country from 93 to 500 in the next two years, said A.R.K. Pillai, president of IDF here on Tuesday. Mr. Pillai was addressing a gathering at an IDF award distribution function 2011-12 under Resource Generation for humanitarian causes at Don Bosco High School in the city.

Students and teachers of different schools such as Don Bosco High School, Red Rosary High School, Miramar, and Sharada Mandir, Miramar, were given awards for excellence in resource generation. Pradeep Korgaonkar, Chief Medical Officer, TB Control Programme, Uday Gaonkar, and Rajiv Phadke were present.

“In elementary education for the children of rag-pickers and similar neglected lot and stray children, we have found a method to remove this barrier by opening up ‘Education Programmes’ or ‘Bal Gurukuls’. From a beginning of five students in a tribal area of Karjat, IDF now covers over 6,000 students from Kanayakumari to Ladakh under this empowerment programme,” said Mr. Pillai.

IDF’s focus continues to be on health with 120 hospitals involved in the programme.

- Courtesy : The Hindu (26-09-2012) - LINK