Introduction:
GMRVF as part of its education initiatives works with government schools to improve the quality of education. The Foundation believes that there is need to complement government efforts to be able to provide quality education to all.

The Foundation through different initiatives and interventions supports various government schools in its working areas. Initiatives include providing additional teachers, improving or supplementing infrastructure, providing teaching-learning material, conducting exposure visits, excursion trips for students etc.

Objectives: To support government schools in quality improvement efforts.

Process: The Foundation identifies schools in its target areas that need support. Based on the needs of the schools, different programmes and interventions are planned and conducted.

In schools where student-teacher ratios are poor, GMRVF posts Vidya Volunteers (VVs). The VVs are from the locality itself and specially trained through Foundation training programmes to effectively work with the students as well as the community. The volunteers teach in the school and also work in the community to reduce dropouts and to make parents active stakeholders in the education of their children. The Foundation trains, supports and monitors the volunteers.

In selected schools, infrastructural support like construction of toilets, playgrounds, provision of furniture etc. is also done by the Foundation.

GMRVF supports innovative and joyful education through provision of Teacher-Learning materials to government schools. GMRVF also facilitates teacher trainings, exposure visits and excursion trips for children etc.

Achievement/ strengths:

• GMRVF works with about 75 schools across its locations.
• Infrastructural support includes providing desks, providing financial support for construction of classrooms, toilets etc.
• At some schools in Mangalore mid-day meal is provided by the Foundation.
• Children in several government schools have also been provided books and stationary.
• Around 950 child labourers have been enrolled back in schools due to the efforts of VVs at different villages at different locations.

Introduction:
There are many bright and poor children in our service area. Identifying them, encouraging them and financially supporting their education would help these children realise their potential.

The programme was conceived in Rajam in 2001-02. Initially there were 20 children in the scheme. In 2002-03, the scheme was started in Mangalore too with 10 children. More children are added to the programmes every year.

Objectives:

To support the education of exceptionally bright students from poor families in good educational institutions, from Std. I to the first job. To give necessary support for their all-round development.

Process: The children are generally selected from the Bala Badis that GMRVF runs. Children are observed through the year, and the most promising are enrolled in this scheme.

Children are from families with annual income less than Rs. 50,000. Preference is given to children from socially disadvantaged families, single parent families etc.

Achievement/ strengths:

• About 80% of the children under the scheme have been scoring more than 80% marks in the exams.
• Children from the programme have had good school attendance history
• The children in the programme have shown improved confidence. They have also been actively participating in various events and extra-curricular activities.
• Parents are keenly involved in their children’s education

Introduction:
Several students from our service area are unable to pursue higher studies for want of financial support. Our intervention is to give loans and scholarships to them, which would change the course of their life and that of their families and communities.

Foundation started providing scholarships from the year 1994. Interest-Free Loan scheme was started in 2003 with providing support to a youth for studying Engineering at BITS, Pilani. Recently, these loans have been extended for skill training also.

Objectives:
To support poor and meritorious students for pursuing higher education and skill training.

Process: Foundation circulates information on its support schemes to its service areas, calling for students from poor families (annual income less than Rs. 50,000), and with consistent first class performance. In cases like sponsorship for Nursing or CA education, an examination is held for all applicants and the best selected

Individual students also approach the Foundation for support to various courses. In such cases, the economic and educational qualifications are ascertained and then interview is held.

Foundation keeps track of each student through his/her education and counsels wherever necessary. The Foundation also keeps in touch with educational institution of the students.

Achievement/ strengths:

• Close to 100 students have been provided scholarships and loans to pursue academic and professional programmes such as Graduation, Post Graduation, CA, engineering and B.Ed. Skill training support has been extended to Heavy Motor Vehicle training and Construction training.
• The students receiving loans and scholarships are doing well in their studies. Many of them have become successful professionals in various fields.

Introduction:
The early childhood years are key to proper mental, physical, emotional and social development of the child. This lays the foundation for the child's future. Thus it is very essential to provide children with quality pre-school education. It is with this thinking that GMRVF initiated BBs in 5 villages in 2004. Today GMRVF is running around 60 Bala Badis at different locations.

These Bala Badis provide joyful learning along with inculcating good habits to 3-5 yr old children. A nutritious snack is provided daily to the children and efforts are made to develop the innate abilities of the children through activities like songs, games etc. The concerted efforts with this age group helps in school-preparedness and also gets parents motivated and involved in their children's learning.

Bala Badis not only take away the fear of school that children often feel, they also get children into the habit of school. Parents become active stakeholders in their children's education, thanks to active PTA interaction in the BBs. Another key role that BBs play is to help keep older siblings in schools. Often older sisters or brothers have to stay at home to look after younger ones when the parents are away at work. By providing care for younger children, BBs help older children attend school.

Objectives:

• To contribute to the healthy physical, mental, emotional and personal development of the children and to make them independent and secure individuals.
• To help children develop into caring, creative, thinking people concerned about others and the world around them.
• To help children develop positive self image, confidence and good personal habits.
• To prepare the children to enter school, ready to succeed.
• To provide medical attention and nutritional supplements to help the proper development of the child.

Process:
Before initiating a Bala Badi the Foundation conducts a baseline survey/analysis of the 3-5 age group children who are out of anganwadis in the area.

Based on the findings of the survey, BBs are started in the area.

Bala Badi instructors and helpers are selected from the village itself and are provided adequate training to be able to fulfill their duties and responsibilities.

Children attending the BBs are provided a health snack daily as well as provided regular health checkups.

The Foundation supervises and monitors the BBs regularly to ensure the proper development and growth of the children.

Achievement/ strengths:
At present Bala Badis are being run at Rajam, Rajahmundary, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai

Some of the highlights of the BBs:

• Use of creative resource materials.
• Good maintenance of records.
• Health Check-ups for children.
• Daily nutritional snacks for children.
• Individual care and attention for children.

Objectives:

• To improve the learning standards of slow learners through bridge courses.
• To identify and nurture hidden talents in children.
• To attract dropouts and child labour towards meaningful education.
• To provide joyful learning environment.
• To help proper physical and mental development of children.
• To create awareness among parents towards the importance of education.

Process:
The Foundation posts Vidya Volunteers at various government schools it works with. These VVs not only teach in schools where the student-teacher ratio is low, but with the help of Foundation supervisors and school authorities identify and implement various after-school activities on a regular basis. These activities include cultural events, debates, quizzes, elocution, bridge courses etc.

Achievement/ strengths:
At present Bala Badis are being run at Rajam, Rajahmundary, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai

Some of the highlights of the BBs:

• Focus is given on encouraging children to participate in cultural events, games and to participate in competitive exams. There is a balanced focus on curricular and co-curricular inputs to ensure the holistic growth of the children.
• Parent - teachers associations have been formed. These PTAs meet regularly - once in a month in normal case - and discuss the progress made by children and any other allied issues.
• Cultural teams have been formed in many schools.
• A variety of games are conducted for children in the schools. Extra curricular activities like planting saplings in the school premises as part of the 'clean and green programme' are also conducted regularly.
• The activities have positively influenced the drop-outs/ potential child labourers, child labourers and other stakeholders in the community like parents, school teachers, employers of child labourers and general public.

Introduction:
Most children in our target communities are studying in government schools, and are often first-generation learners. These children often find it difficult to cope with their formal studies. This leads to their dropping out. Or they reach Std X level and then fail the board exam.

The tuition programme was started in Rajam in 2003. Today several tuition centres are being run at Hyderabad, Delhi, Uttrakhand, Bangalore, Chennai and Rajam

Objectives: To provide after-school support to school going children to ensure meaningful learning.

Process:

• Tuition teachers are selected through written test and interview and posted at various tuition centres being run by the Foundation.
• Tuition centres are usually free or very nominally charged.
• Classes are held usually after the school hours of the children and are generally for students of Std. V and above.
• The Foundation regularly supervises and monitors the performance of the tuition teachers and the students.

Achievement/ strengths:

The majority of students attending tuitions are girls. Parents are not usually ready to pay for tuitions for girls nor willing to send them far away in the evenings, and this contributes to their not doing well. GMRVF tuitions, since they are in their own locality and are nominally charged or free, have found acceptance with the parents and are hence reaching out to the most vulnerable.

The teachers engaged in tuition programmes are well qualified and experienced. A robust system to select the teachers as well as to review the effectiveness of the tuition programme has been designed and implemented.

The results of most of the students attending GMRVF run tuitions has been very encouraging. The pass percentage of these students has been much higher as compared to the school result in general.

Introduction:

This is a programme of the Centre for Environment Education (CEE). The purpose is to initiate and strengthen environmental education in schools using the 'cluster approach'. Recognising the significance of the programme, GMRVF decided to implement EESAP in about 25 schools spread across three blocks at Rajam.

Objectives:

• Strengthen Environmental Education in Schools through socially relevant and scientifically sound action oriented approach
• Involve students in collection of information about natural resources
• Involve schools in community awareness for managing their natural resources

Process:

• EESAP activities are implemented in identified schools by VVs/facilitators posted by the Foundation for this purpose.
• These facilitators are trained by the Foundation to enable them to conduct the activities effectively.
• These activities are going on in 22 schools across three blocks in Rajam.
• Activities like exposure to solar cookers, compost pit, treadle pump and drip irrigation are going on in the programme. It is drawing good response from the children and teachers.

Achievement/ strengths:

• The programme has generated good awareness and curiosity amongst the stakeholders - particularly children. Some of the specific achievements in and around Rajam includes:
• Mandarada High School planted 50 trees in the school.
• In Boddam, the community is implementing drip irrigation in the fields and also using Compost Pit.
• A.V Puram School prepared Compost Pit with community participation
• It is observed that the EESAP activities have also influenced community members. In many locations, members have demonstrated good support and participation in various events primarily aimed at children and youth.

Introduction:
Recognizing the potential of technology for assisting in making teaching-learning more effective, GMRVF has put together a number of such aids, including educational modules. Laptops loaded with these educational modules and films are taken to the government schools that the Foundation works with, and sessions are held with the students.

Objectives:
To enhance the quality and effectiveness of the education process in schools through use of technology.

Process:
GMRVF facilitators are trained to use the computer modules as a teaching aid and they conduct these classes at identified government schools that the Foundation works with. Gradually government school teachers are also being trained to demonstrate these lessons.

Achievement/ strengths:

• A total of 150 classes have been organised till now.
• This medium of teaching is very interesting for the students as the concepts are animated and visualized.
• The modules have also been found to be effective in generating awareness amongst the village communities on issues related to health, hygiene and sanitation and against superstitions.
• The government school teachers realising the power and scope of technology in educational processes through these modules are actively supporting and participating in the programme.

Introduction:
This is a scheme for deserving students of the Foundation supported SGCSR Degree College who cannot afford their education expense. They are awarded scholarships to pursue their studies. These students in turn, provide free tuitions to school students in their villages.

Objectives:
To facilitate repayment of educational scholarships through giving free tuitions.

Process:
The Foundation supports deserving students to take up college education through scholarships to the SGCSR Degree College. They in turn are expected to act as Vidya Jyothi Volunteers and teach free tuitions to school children of their own village.

The performance of the students and the volunteers are reviewed by the Foundation regularly. The scheme not only helps the students who receive tuitions, but also helps the volunteers to utilize their potential to the optimum.

Achievement/ strengths:

• Periodical Personality Development Programs are arranged for Vidya Jyothi Volunteers.
• Most volunteers demonstrate remarkable levels of discipline and attend the teaching sessions regularly.
• The programme has made it tangible that there is a lot of unutilized potential amongst the college students and that the same can be harnessed.

Introduction:
EVAN is a mobile medium of reaching out to school children and communities on various issues concerning Education, Health, Hygiene, Sanitation and Empowerment. The Van is equipped with various communication materials that are theme-based. The van is also equipped with audio-visual aids. Material is carried in the van to conduct activities to demonstrate and reinforce concepts related to the theme.

The EVAN was launched in January 2007 at Rajam.

Objectives: To engage in educational and awareness building activities in the remotest villages.

Process: The Foundation facilitators accompany the EVAN to identified villages - at schools and at community meetings. With the help of theme-based communication material, awareness is created on various issues including health and hygiene, sanitation and empowerment.

EVAN sessions also include engaging children in activities. This helps to make the programme interesting and participative.

Achievement/ strengths:

At present EVAN is reaching out to 50 villages in and around Rajam.The information dissemination through simple and interesting communication material helps retain the interest of the community members, especially children. This also makes it easier for them to understand, relate to and remember the information in the future.

Introduction:

It was observed that while textbooks at Std. IX and X level often recommend experiments, it is difficult to do these in the normal run of things as schools may lack lab facilities. GMRVF felt that if students had more opportunities for hands-on learning, not only would they understand concepts better, but they would also develop more interest in science and a scientific temper. At Rajam since GMRVF has a college with full-fledged labs, it was felt that these facilities could be leveraged during holidays to give government school students an opportunity for hand-on learning.

The first initiative in this direction was made in May 2006 with nine top rankers from each of seven high schools in and around Rajam. The programme was for 12 days in which children were engaged in observing nature, question and answer exercises and laboratory experiments. After the success of this activity, summer programmes were started in government schools in Hyderabad as well. These were not just meant for the Std. IX and X students but also included students from lower standards.

During Summer Programmes students not only receive lessons in Mathematics and Science through innovative teaching methods but also participate in health and hygiene sessions, film screenings, visits to museums, arts and crafts sessions, cultural programmes etc.

Objectives:

• To reach out to students of Government Schools to cultivate in them a scientific thinking and temperament.
• To involve children in interactive and participative activities and go beyond the curriculum.
• To help them understand key science and maths concepts through hands-on laboratory experiments and create interest in the subjects.
• To give them exposure to innovative teaching methods like laptop classes etc.

Process:
Resource persons conduct summer classes for students from some of the identified government schools that the Foundation works with. The government teachers from these schools support the Foundation in taking theoretical subject classes.

Apart from these classes, students participate in a number of activities - hands on activities such as lab sessions, using science and math kits; extra curricular activities such as cultural programmes, painting, debates, visiting museums and zoos etc.

The slow learners are also identified so that VVs can provide them support during the bridge courses run by the Foundation throughout the year.

Achievement/ strengths:

• The focus is on students performing experiments and learning by doing.
• The sessions are interactive and participative and this keeps up the interest of students.
• The students who attend the programme reportedly have been performing better in school than other students.
• Observing the good results that the programme has generated, some of the government school teachers have been voluntarily participating in the programme.

Introduction:
In a small town like Rajam, there is hardly any culture of using a library and absolutely no access to career counselling facilities. Youth are often hampered in their preparations for competitive exams because the books are expensive and they cannot individually buy all of them. There are no avenues for interacting with peers or with mentors so that there is some competition, motivation or guidance.

It was to fill this gap that the Prathiba Library and Counselling Centre was started in 2005 at Rajam town with 360 books and subscription of five periodicals. The objective of the Centre is to provide a learning environment, career and higher education guidance, and helping youth to prepare for the future.

Objectives:

• To create awareness among youth about different career options and opportunities for higher learning.
• To identify and nurture the hidden potentials of youth and motivate them to pursue challenging careers.
• To provide a platform where graduate youth can mutually exchange ideas for their collective benefit.
• To provide books on various topics that would enable youth to prepare for competitive exams and provide inputs like computer training, mock exams, interview, etc.

Process:
The Centre has registered members, which include both girls and boys. The regular activities include reading and interaction by the members, visit of guests and visitors and their interaction with the members, and counselling services to build up the confidence and capacity of the members. The centre also prepares youth for competitive exams through mock tests and interviews. It also guides the members towards suitable employment opportunities.

Achievement/ strengths:

• Many of the members have gained employment with assistance and guidance from the centre.
• Various mock-examinations and programmes are conducted to enable members to effectively participate in competitive examinations.
• The centre has also helped several youth get good ranks in various University entrance exams.
• Access to internet is available now in the library. This helps the members to access job notifications and post resumes online.
• The centre has started providing Computer training on MS-office. Office assistant training is being provided to the potential job aspirants.
• The counselling support provided to the members is very effective in guiding them appropriately

Introduction:
School health check-ups were felt to be important to help ensure proper development, to diagnose any serious ailments at an early stage, and ensure proper inputs at the important development stages of the child.
The school health check-ups were started in July 2002 at Rajam, and are now a standard feature of the programme taken up by GMRVF with government schools. GMRVF also does these in the Bala Badis that it.

Objectives:

• Promotion of positive health and prevention of diseases.
• Early diagnosis, treatment & follow-up of defects.
• Awakening of health consciousness in children.
• Provision of health for environment.
• Counselling for parents with regard to their children's health

Process:
Medical check-ups are organised in government schools and bala badis that the Foundation works with. At present these check-ups are being held at Rajam, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Rajahmundary. Some of the common problems identified during these check-ups have been dental, ear, skin, heart related and eye.
As a follow up of the health problems identified during check-ups, students are sent to health camps and hospitals for treatment. Also, parents are provided counselling to help them take care of the health needs of their children better.

Achievement/ strengths:

• Education and counselling of students and parents is leading to better care.
• These camps have helped the timely detection of health problems of several children in the schools and BBs, which has helped in timely treatment.