vandemataramfoundation.com

Overview

Vandemataram Foundation is a registered community development organization working for child rights through the schools for a better India. It was on the eve of the centenary year (2005) of the Vandemataram Movement that the foundation was launched. The US chapter of Vandemataram Foundation shares the vision and passion of the parent organization and supports its activities with specific emphasis on education for girls. It also supports educational camps for underpriviliged children. The US chapter has 501 c 3 tax exemption status and currently partners with companies like ORACLE, QUALCOMM, Bank Of America, AETNA etc who match contributions made by the respective company employees.

Vandemataram Foundation has been at the forefront of child rights and school empowerment with grassroots level interaction and right to information campaigns. India Vision 2020 set the goal of achieving cent per cent literacy. However, with literacy rate of 61% national average and being ranked at the bottom of Human Development Index, is it possible to achieve that goal?

"A developed India by 2020 is possible only through people's participation and children are the nucleus of this transformation" said Sri Abdul Kalam, the former President of India.

This is what motivated the foundation to fight for the child rights and contribute its mite to the India 2020 vision of Dr  Abdul Kalam. With 600 volunteers toiling day in and day out selflessly, the mission seems to achievable. However, we know we have a long way to go.

That is why we appeal to all of you to join us …

The foundation inspired by Dr Kalam, the former president of India (July 2002 - July 2007), is working for the betterment of children and their education. A new freedom struggle, this time against the poverty and illiteracy, is making things better in 120 schools in 10 interior mandals of Warangal and Seven mandals of Mahabubnagar district. The dropout rate has fallen steeply and the attendance of teachers is increasing, the performance of school as a unit is improving.

Background

A school is a place where each one of us have learnt to live and graduated into the world to become what we are today and what we would be tomorrow. The simple word ‘my school’ sends most of us, if not all, down the memory lane with loads of nostalgic images and childhood playfulness.

Over 79% of the out-of-school children belong to the rural areas, SC/ST children account for nearly 11.5% of the total out-of-school children. The most common cause for remaining out of school was household work, taking care of siblings and working to improve the family income. The dropout rates in Mahabubnagar, Medak, Warangal, Nizamabad (above 50%) and Nalgonda (above 40%) are very high and need urgent attention. The dropout rate is between 19% to 36% depending upon the class and poverty level of the child’s family. (Source: Andhra Pradesh report on Sarva Siksha Abhiyan)