When There's a Will There's a Way! English Studies at the Andovar School in Porayar

Students in Tamil Nadu, India Need Sponsorship for 
Secondary School

A Project of Empowering Girls of India: Division of Sakthi Foundation

501(c)3 USA tax-exempt
*Click to Donate $275 =Tuition for Year
*Click to Donate $100 =Teacher Salary for a Month

*Click to Donate Any Amount for Library and Science Lab

When there's a will there's a way. 

Student's without electricity study English via mobile phone:

Here's an update on the progress of our 8th graders at the Andovar School in Porayar, Tamil Nadu, India. As part of their extracurricular activities, the students gather in groups and Mrs.Balambika Mahesh leads then in spoken English class via mobile phone connection.

They participate as a group and also individually as the phone is passed to each student and they have a chance to verify their pronunciation with an English teacher.

As support continues to grow for the school, we are hoping to add electricity and then audio visual equipment so the students have more opportunities to progress.

Thank you for supporting these kids as they work to improve their lives!

Student of the Week Needing Sponsorship: Vaishnavi J.

Students in Tamil Nadu, India Need Sponsorship for 
Secondary School

A Project of Empowering Girls of India: Division of Sakthi Foundation

501(c)3 USA tax-exempt
*Click to Donate $275 =Tuition for Year
*Click to Donate $100 =Teacher Salary for a Month

*Click to Donate Any Amount for Library and Science Lab

Click to Vaishnavi  J.

Vaishnavi is an 8th grade student at Andovar School in Porayar,Tamil Nadu, India. 

She is hoping there will be a secondary school for her to attend next year so she can follow her dream to be a doctor or nurse. Her favorite subject is English. Her native language is Tamil. 

Her father is a manual laborer carrying bricks and heavy materials at construction sites. She has a younger brother.

Student of the Day Needing Sponsorship

Students in Tamil Nadu, India Need Sponsorship for Secondary School

A Project of Empowering Girls of India: Division of Sakthi Foundation

501(c)3 USA tax-exempt
Click to Donate $275 =Tuition for Year
Click to Donate $100 =Teacher Salary for a Month

Click to Donate Any Amount for Library and Science Lab

CLICK TO READ MORE ABOUT OUR CHILD OF THE DAY: BALACHANDAR

Andovar School in Porayar, Tamil Nadu, India is a historic school. One of Mahatma Gandhi's freedom fighters in this area of South India, heeded Gandhi's charge to set up schools to educate the population. And so Andovar School was started about 60 years ago and the original building is in use today.

My goal is to help raise the $10,000 needed to allow the school to offer secondary education for the 37 students that will be graduating this year. There are a total of 150 students in the school. Getting the secondary school option in place will also benefit many more students through the coming years.

$10,000 will cover 3 teachers' salary for the year ($100 per teacher per month) as well as the creation of a science lab, library and extra classrooms for the school. This is a big transition for the school and government funding is not available.

Without a local secondary school, these kids will not be able to continue their education. The household incomes of the families are under $100 a month. A lot of kids these student's age will start working after 8th grade. 

These students are bright and motivated and have dreams that require at least a high school education. The teachers are devoted and the school administrators are committed to providing the education they need to reach university.

It's a grassroots effort and your donation will go a long way to help these students.

All Donations Appreciated

My Visit To Andovar School September 20

www.empoweringgirlsofindia.org / 001-641-919-2105 / empoweringgirlsofindia@gmail.com

 Students in Tamil Nadu, India Need Sponsorship for Secondary School

Click to Donate Now!

501(c)3 USA tax-exempt
$275 =Tuition for Year
$100 =Teacher Salary for a Month

My trip to India this summer was wonderful. The highlight by far was my visit to the Andovar School in Poraiyar, Tamil Nadu. This is the rural school that I am working to expand to the secondary school level in conjunction with the Shakthi Foundation.

About 140 boys and girls attend the school. The majority of the children are from extremely poor backgrounds. Average household income of $100 a month or less. Poraiyar is a coastal town and most fathers work as fisherman or laborers. 

I had seen a few photos of the school and children so I was not completely surprised when we pulled up to the gate.

I was warmly greeted with a traditional welcome ceremony by one of the teachers. Dr. Madeshwaran, the school administrator, accompanied me during my morning at the school. You will see him also in the welcome video.

CLICK HERE TO SEE WELCOME VIDEO

After the welcome, I toured the classrooms and premises. The school has no electricity or lights, no computers, no library.  A simple lunch is cooked over open fire on the school premises. The school has had basically no improvements or expansion since its founding 60 years ago.

One of the classrooms at the school

Lunch in Progress

I was greeted by warm smiles, shy glances and occasional whispering and waving.  The mood turned very exuberant and enthusiastic as it was announced that I would be passing out ice cream treats for everyone!

CLICK HERE TO SEE US ENJOYING ICE CREAM TOGETHER

A little later, the teachers called the students to the open courtyard. This courtyard serves as assembly hall, lunch room and game area. I was formally introduced and had a chance to speak to the students. Dr. Madeshwaran served as my translator. The students study English but their native language is Tamil.

CLICK HERE TO HEAR INTRODUCTION

The school courtyard and assembled students.

In my greeting, I tried to convey to the students that they had something very special and precious at their school. Although they had few educational resources, their enthusiasm, respect for their school and teachers and interest in learning were apparent to me even during my short visit.

I expressed to them that there were people that I knew that were very interested in helping them fulfill their goals to be teachers, doctors, policemen, accountants. 

Without a secondary school next year-these dreams for a better future will not be possible. I told them that we would do everything we could to insure that they could continue on with high school next year.

Child of the Day

Nivash would like to be a computer engineer

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Education is the Best Gift and the Surest Way Out of Poverty!

Thank you for your support!

Please Help Raise Our Donation Thermometer!

15 Girls in Tamil Nadu Need Sponsorship for Secondary School

Click Link to Donate Now!

501(c)3 USA tax-exempt

Hello Friends!

I will be going to India soon to visit our Girl's School in Porayar, Tamil Nadu. The girls are eager to meet with me and they are so excited to hear that

they will be able to continue on to high school studies next year.

Fifteen girls still need sponsorship. We also need funds for the teachers and additional classroom materials. If you can sponsor a girl for the year, the cost is $275. We also appreciate donations of any amount to help with all the related expenses.

100% of your donation goes towards the cause of providing these rural, underprivileged girls a secondary education.  All of the administrative work is covered by volunteers such as myself.

Will you help to make the mercury rise in our fund raising thermometer? I would love to report to the girls that there dream is becoming a reality when I travel in a few weeks!

Our goal is $10,000 and we are currently at $1500. We have an additional $1000 pledged for later in the year. Help us bridge the gap!

Simply Click To Donate and make the mercury rise!

Pooja Chopra : Miss India 2009 :Read Her Story and Please Help the Cause!

15 Girls in Tamil Nadu Need Sponsorship for Secondary School
Click Link to Donate Now!
Empowering Girls of India

Even before I traveled to India, I was very interested in the subject of the cultural view and practical situation of women in India. The first shock that led to my interest was learning that 750,000 girl fetuses are aborted annually. Another undocumented number of girl babies are left in the elements or are killed at birth.

Don't get me wrong -I love India, and the Indian culture but there are some aspects that I find difficult to understand. I feel impelled to help. It is a socially complex issue but action needs to be taken to help the Indian woman out of her present situation-especially in the villages.

In a culture that worships the feminine energy in the form of powerful goddesses such as MahaLakshmi, Kali and Durga it is surprising that the common women herself is not always valued.

I watched a documentary on Netflix the other day. The title is The World Before Her. The documentary treats several different emerging feminine roles in India. I would advise it if you have a further interest in the topic of women in India.

One very interesting fact emerged in the documentary. Pooja Chopra- model, actress and former Miss India  was unwanted by her father. When her father found out that a girl baby was due, he urged his wife for an abortion. When Pooja's mother refused, he hinted at infanticide . Pooja's mother left her husband and raised Pooja on her own. A very brave deed for an Indian woman.

Pooja Chopra- Miss India 2009

Read More About Her

In addition to her fame in entertainment and fashion, Pooja has started her own very successful charity for girls. 

We invite you to join our grassroots effort to help young South Indian women continue their education. We have 15 girls needing sponsorship so that they can continue on to secondary school next year. Donate today at Empowering Girls of India and please pass this blog post on to a friend by sharing on Google Plus , Twitter or Facebook. Click on an icon below to spread the word...

Thank you!

Four Girls Ready for Secondary School in 2015

​Great News! Four of Our 8th Grade Girls Have Obtained Sponsorship for Secondary School in 2015! We have 18 more girls that require sponsorship. Donate today at www.empoweringgirlsofindia.org