Photographs by Vipul Sangoi
We invite you to support the Kaliyachak Village Girls’ School in rural Bihar. We can minimize drop-out rates and educate 350+ girls (between 6-14 years of age) in a region where only 53% of women are literate. Let’s address the root causes of poverty and inequality by offering young girls in India a safe space to learn and grow. Support now to help a young girl in Kaliyachak stay in school.
Quick Facts:
- Location: Kaliyachak village, Hilsa Block, Nalanda District, Bihar, North India
- Strength: Current: 75+ girls | Potential: 350+ girls
- Classes: I – VI Grade + Extra-curricular Sessions + Tailoring Classes
- Organised Sport to train children in a sport of their choice (kabbadi is winning right now) and begin participating in inter-school competitions
- Class Timings: 6 days a week from 7:30 – 11:30am & from 1.00 – 6.00pm
- Facilities: School Premises, 1 Toilet, Library, Playground, Kitchen
- Curriculum: State Board curriculum using prescribed textbooks & guest lectures
- Fundraising Focus: Program Support
- SDG Focus: SDG 4 – Quality Education | SDG 5 – Gender Equality | SDG 6 – Clean Water & Sanitation | SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities
The School Right Now
The rural hamlet of Kaliyachak and its surrounding hamlets do not have a government-run school for girls. The nearest one is 7 km away. The students come from Kaliyachak and the 6 neighbouring hamlets of Aganu Bigha, Kapsiwayan, Mal Bigha, Bhat Bigha, Sarista Nagar and Hazari. It is estimated that these villages together have an additional 350+ girls out-of-school. The school is spread over 2 acres of land, with 5 well-furnished class rooms, with an attached toilet. This school has been running since 2017. It runs classes from Classes I – VI plus very popular tailoring classes also open to older girls. It also has a small library, a playground and an upcoming kitchen garden.
The staff largely comprise young graduates living in and around Kaliyachak selected for their commitment and interest in education; those who stay on are encouraged to acquire teaching qualifications. So far the funds have been used to pay the teachers’ salaries, some learning material, story books and educational games.
Why Should You Support?
The primary reason for most children to avoid school is economic; despite free education, parents cannot do without an extra hand at work. There are however other problems, quite widespread but not widely acknowledged, that require different solutions. Here are two of those problems that we at Friends of Tilonia are trying to address:
- Firstly, many parents, fearing for their childrens’ safety are unwilling to risk sending their daughters to the co-educational government school and, unable to afford private education, have entirely deprived their daughters of education.
- Secondly, children belonging to socially marginalized communities feel unwelcome and ill-equipped in the regular government school.
Education is fundamental to women’s economic and political empowerment. Basic literacy and numeracy are essential skills to enable agency. Whether or not a girl goes to school — and stays in school — has a profound effect on her and on her future family. Staying in school longer means she will likely marry later, earn a higher wage, have a healthier family and send her own children to school. Your gift helps to create this positive ripple effect. That is why local schools exclusively serving the needs of young girls from marginalized backgrounds like the one in Kaliyachak are vital to drive greater inclusion of communities that need it the most.
Your Support Matters – Empower a Girl with Education Today!
In our initial leg, we are raising funds to ensure that we can keep a minimum of 75-80 girls in school by offering:
- Curriculum and learning materials covering Mathematics, Hindi, Science, Social Studies, English, General Knowledge | 24 hours a week x 4 weeks
- Mid-day meals for students, most of whom face malnutrition, along with therapeutic nutrition and additional supplements | 6 meals a week x 4 weeks
- Extra-curricular modules on arts & crafts, storytelling and local sports to build awareness around creativity, problem-solving, and exercise.
- Special sessions on climate change, environmental conservation, climate resilient agriculture, and more via workshops, guest lectures and films
- Access to digital literacy including common-use tablets loaded with educational games, interesting learning materials and internet access.
- Access to clean toilets and washing facilities, and regular health check-ups.
- Vocational training to support older students to learn sewing and tailoring
- Teacher training sessions to upskill our teaching staff.
We believe that girls’ education is the very foundation of our common dream of social and environmental justice. We invite you to shift the narrative and support an equitable new world.
Budget proposal for the Girls’ School Kaliyachak
| Particulars | Unit Rate | No. of Units | No. of months | Total |
| Girls’ School, Kaliyachak | ||||
| Stipends | ||||
| Head-teacher | 7,500 | 1 | 12 | 90,000 |
| 7 teachers | 6,500 | 7 | 12 | 5,46,000 |
| Administrative assistant | 4,000 | 1 | 12 | 48,000 |
| Cook | 3,000 | 1 | 12 | 36,000 |
| Total Stipends | 7,20,000 | |||
| Recurring costs | ||||
| Books and learning materials | 50,000 | 1 | 1 | 50,000 |
| Sports equipment | 20,000 | 1 | 1 | 20,000 |
| Twice yearly health check-ups for students with follow-up | 25,000 | 2 | 0 | 50,000 |
| Lunch for the staff and students | 30,000 | 1 | 12 | 3,60,000 |
| Teacher training | 10,000 | 3 | 30,000 | |
| Events and workshops | 10,000 | 6 | 60,000 | |
| Total Recurring costs | 5,70,000 | |||
| Water, sanitation, repairs and maintenance | ||||
| Construction of 2 toilets | 75,000 | |||
| Minor repairs, painting and handwashing facilities including water supply | 1,50,000 | |||
| Total | 2,25,000 | |||
| Administration costs | 1,50,000 | |||
| Total | 16,65,000 |
Indian nationals with Indian bank accounts
Overseas donations
Our US based partner Friends of Tilonia is raising funds for the school on Global Giving.
We are happy to receive cheques written out in favour of “Foundation for Rural Recovery and Development” and mailed to:
Foundation for Rural Recovery and Development (FORRAD)
124-A/6, Second Floor, Katwaria Sarai
New Delhi 110 016
Do not forget to send us your complete contact details and PAN number if you are an Indian National.
If you have any questions or need any more information please call us at +91-11-26852476 or write to us at mail@forrad.org and we will reply to you immediately
If you are a teacher or someone interested in working with children and would like to spend some time in one of these centres, do let us know. We would be very interested in hearing from you.
Your support means everything to us and no gift is small
Photographs by Vipul Sangoi
Indian nationals with Indian bank accounts
Overseas donations
Our US based partner Friends of Tilonia is raising funds for the school on Global Giving.