Rotary Club of Pune University – Ekal Schools RCPU is focused strongly on RI South East Asia’s TEACH Mission. Knowing fully well the enormity of the task involved in making India a 100% literate country by 2017, the Club has embarked upon projects where maximum number of people will benefit from efforts to bring literacy to the illiterate. Ekal Schools, run by the Friends of Tribal Society (Van.Bandhu Parishad) is doing Yeomen’s service in this field throughout the country. Over the years it has established over 57000 tiny schools in the rural, tribal and semi-tribal areas of the country which are run in a most economical way. These schools do not get any assistance from the Government, yet teach village children free of cost. They have 20 to 30 children in each school and are taught by a single teacher, who is normally from the same village. The name EKAL comes from the fact that each school has only ONE teacher, who teaches reading, writing, arithmetic, hygiene, good manners etc. to the tiny tots. The children are taught up to 4th class after which they are ready to go to government schools. These amazingly low cost schools require just Rs.20000 to run one school for a year, which come from voluntary donations. At many places, the schools do not have any structure or a building – children have to sit in the open or under trees to get their basic education. However, a small sum of Rs.30000 can provide shed for these children so that they can study comfortably during hot summers or during rains. The money goes to buy materials like bricks, iron sheets etc. for building the sheds, while the labour come from ‘shrama-daan’ by the villagers. This contribution helps to get committed parents who regularly send their children to study in Ekal schools. Isn’t this an appropriate way for using our money, especially when many, many Rotarians may be earning that much every day!! RCPU members had gone on a Van-Yatra, a tour to see some Ekal school. Members were amazed to see the simplicity and commitment of teachers and parents. Children from poorest of poor families were clean and well mannered. Ekal teachers are regularly given refresher training. Some teachers have to walk 10 km or more to reach the venue of such training programs, but they never miss them. RCPU has taken upon itself to provide sheds to Ekal schools, as nearly 40 schools in Pune district lack any covered space. Club has assigned funds to provide sheds for 7 schools, and will do more in a Joint Project with RC Bloomington. We have also provided help to teachers by providing 200 sets of ‘teaching aid books’. These books are designed to explain arithmetic, geometry and science in a manner that ‘educates the educator’. As a further step, we plan to conduct Teachers’ Training program to enable the teachers make best use of the teaching aids. In this effort, some members of RCPU have made cash donations, while the President & First Lady’s two sons, both resident of US made a contribution of US$500. RCPU’s work with Ekal in this year itself is expected to provide a learning space for over 450 children EVERY YEAR for the next 10 years. Ekal Schools which are situated in far-flung villages and tribal areas, makes great efforts to ensure that their teachers are well trained. Mr. Ashok Nawal, President of Friends of Tribal Society which runs the Ekal schools had informed that there are 180 such schools in Pune district, and their teachers will benefit with improved teaching methods First Lady Shobhana who is the Chairperson of the TEACH committee, had identified that Dr. Pradeep Agashe, and expert trainer, had created some very good booklets that facilitate teaching of subjects like mathematics. After discussion with Dr. Agashe and with Mr. Nawal, it was concluded that the teachers require special emphasis for teaching methods in Mathematics and Science. To cater to the needs of teachers, 200 sets of booklets were procured in December 2014, each consisting of one booklet each about Science, Arithmetic and Geometry. A donation made by her to Ekal on behalf of RCPU was utilised pay for the material to be used for Ekal teachers’ training. An added benefit of this action is that the price paid for the booklets will go to help the orphanage run by Dr. Agashe.