Help us bring the light of education to the darkness of illiteracy

Only the lamp of Darkness can dispel The Darkness of Ignorance

"Forget not that the downtrodden, the illeterate, the poor, the ignorant, have your blood in their veins.
They are your brothers!
Proclaim aloud: illiterate Indians, poor Indians, untouchavble Indians are my brothers! "

- Swami Vivekanand

Background

India's Population: — 1 billion
Number living below poverty line: — 250 million
Tribal impoverished: — 75 million
LITERACY
Indian National Average (male): — 65%
Indian National Average (female): — 39%
Triabl (male): — 12%
Tribal (female): — 5%

Number of rural, tribal villages: — 133,000
90% of tribal villages have no electricity
90% of tribal villages have no schools
Almost 100% of villages have no health care
hospitals are virtually non-existent

The population of India is burgeoning out of control. The rural, tribal peoples are already being dominated, oppressed and defrauded by those hungry for land, crops and cheap labor. Left to their own simple, uneducated ways, they will never be able to survive.

Our impoverished, tribal brothers and sisters are an integral part of our nation. We must re-build our relationship with them; we must reach out a lending hand to our brothers and sisters in need.

Parmarth Shiksha Mandir school

"If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teah him to fish, you feed him for lifetime."

The best way to help the indigent section of society is to educate them. Through the Parmarth Shiksha Mandir school project, we are bringing the light of education as well as invaluable sanskars to our 70 million tribal brothers and sisters.

These children live in lands that time forgot. Their villages are islands of indigence and stagnation amidst an ocean of economic and technologic growth. They have probably never seen an electric light-bulb, nor heard the sound of a telephone, nor traveled in a car or train. They, of course, can also neither read nor write nor compute arithmetic.

What will we do for them?

The Parmarth Shiksha Mandir school is a traditional school – conducted under a tree or in a simple room or hut. It is the ancient Indian form of education – one teacher, many students sitting in rows on the ground, Parmarth Shiksha Mandir school teachers not only academic education, but also morality ethics, spirituality and yoga as well as things like family planning for the women.

In the Parmarth Shiksha Mandir school project, local educated youth are selected and specially trained to teach their younger counterparts. In this way, costs are kept low and the teacher fits easily in the community; he is not seen as an "outsider." Ten schools located close to each other, are grouped together into what is called a "cluster." There is a special supervisor for each cluster, who looks after the local teachers. then, above the supervisor is the "cluster-in-charge" who supervises ten clusters, comprising 100 schools, Additionally, each area has an education committee which meets to develop suitable, regional curricula. Most importantly, all study materials are provided free of charge to the students, and all the staff / faculty either receive minimum honarariums of work on a purely "seva" basis.

Basic Curriculum for Non-formal Education Center

In the Parmarth Shiksha Mandir school program the children learn to read and write; they learn to do arithmetic; they learn the skills necessary to earn a living and make a place for themselves in society. However, they are given not only an academic education, but they are also given the priceless gifts of hope and faith. They are taught the richness of their culture, the wisdom and insights of their rishis and ancestors; they are inculcated with a profound ethical sense which stands them in good stead not only in the present, but also for the future.

A typical day's schedule may include:
• Cleaning of the school area
• Prayers and mantras
• Ank Gyan
• Regional Language (Hindi, Gujarati, Bengali etc.)
• Poetry
• Telling of parables and other stories with morals.
• Quizzes
• Character Building Program
• Field / athletic activity
• Prayer, aarti, puja

Additionally, the school frequently serves as a central gathering point for the village and becomes the location for various celebrations, socio-religious events, etc. Additionally, the schools serves as an ideal location for health-camps, first-aid training camps and other humanitarian services.

Not only a School

Health Care: The school will also serve as the center for numerous health care services, including vaccination clinics and local hygiene / sanitation programs.

Ecological Programs: Additionally, the school will serve as a centre for ecological programs, including regular village clean up and tree plantation.

Vocational Training: Further, in the afternoons, after the school day is over, the centers serve as training center for local girls and women, teaching them sewing and handicrafts.

Adult Education: In the evenings, the center is used for adult education, family planning classes and other cultural events.

A Moral / Ethical Education

In the Parmarth Shiksha program, a great emphasis is placed on both academic education / training and on the development of sanskars in the students. The philosophy behind this program is that lack of education and lack of ethical sense frequently go hand in hand. In order for Mother India to truly flourish in all Hew glory, the people must have both an academic education as well as a deep moral integrity. Additionally, they must be instilled with a deep appreciation for and understanding of their ancient, rich heritage. They must know not only how to recite the alphabet, but also how to recite the prayers and mantras of Indian culture which are dedicated to peace, harmony and universal brotherhood.

The teachers and supervisors are specially trained to embody these ideals as well as to impart them to the students. The teachings include:

• Development of noble thoughts through listening to the stories of the great epics - Ramayana and Mahabharata - and of the Gita, and through the satsang of visiting saints and scholars.
• Development of modesty, humility and respect for elders.
• Abolishing bad habits and learning to replace them with positive habits.
• Awareness of social evils, such as corruption and malpractice, and inoculation against the embrace of such evils.
• Learning basic Indian rituals such as aarti, puja, yagya, etc.
• Emphasis on personal hygiene, cleanliness, and tidiness.
• Basic Yoga - both postures as well as the yamas, niyamas (do's dont's) for a healthy body, mind and spirit,
• Learning and practicing basic moral values, such as truth, non-violence, compassion, etc.

Tamaso Ma Jyotirgamaya

"Oh God, lead me from darkness to light."

"All we have now will some day be given away... Let us open our hands and give with our hearts, so that the joy of giving is ours and not our inheritors'."

Say YES to the Children

Say YES to the Future of India

YES !! I want to light a lamp of education in the darkness of illiteracy.
YES !! I want to help impart essential education and sanskars (values, ethics) to the i billion people living throughout India.
YES !! I want to help Bharat Mata's tribal children become torchbearers of dedication, service, peace and progress.
YES !! I want to bring medical aid, health care and sanitation facilities to villages where these are non-existent.

How You Can Help?

You can adopt as many schools as possible, at the cost of $500 per school per year. for approximately $ 1.50 per day, you can bring light and life to the children of India.

On all special occasions – birthdays, anniversaries, graduations – give your loved ones something more valuable, more lasting and more fulfilling than possessions in a box. sponsor a school in your children's names, in your loved one's name, in your parent's names. Give them the gift of knowing that an entire tribal village is being transformed and uplifted in their name.

All donations are tax deductible

"Ya Vidya sa Vimuktaye"

Knowledge Leads to Liberation

$1.50 a Day to Bring Light to Mother India

Yet, we can not do this alone. I pray that everyone will come forward and light a lamp to help dispel this great darkness. We set our newly built houses ablaze with light, but what about our real “home,” our motherland? Can we bring light to Her as well? By God' s grace and with your support we can.

For only US $500 a year, or $1.50 per day, you can sponsor a school for fifty children. It is so little money each day to bring so much light to so many people.

Help us light the lamp of knowledge, the lamp of education, the lamp of hope in the hearts and minds of our 70 million tribal brothers and sisters.

Dear Divine Souls:

This brochure introduces you to a noble, history making project. IHRF, has recently joined hands with Friends of Tribals Society and Bharat Kalyan Plratisthan with the goal of building 10,000 one-teacher schools in rural, tribal India over the next 5 years.

By the grace of God, and with your generous support this beautiful project will bring the light of education as well as invaluable sanskars to our 70 million tribal brothers and sisters who are suffering in darkness.

Through the selflessness of people like you we can bring education to the illiterate, understanding to the bewildered, strength to the weak, means to the poverty-stricken and hope to the down-trodden, The children are the future of the planet and, if given the chance, they can make that future a bright one. We pray that you will help fulfill that responsibility.

Their young hearts are filled with love, their young eyes are filled with curiosity; their young minds are like ripe seeds, waiting to be watered. With your wonderful help, we can bring the light of knowledge, inspiration, and hope to the children of Bharat Mata. We can nuture those seeds into full grown trees which will stand as the torchbearers of our nation.

I sincerely hope that everyone will help IHRF, Friends of Tribal Society and Bharat Kalyan Pratisthan bring the light of knowledge, inspiration and hope to the children of Bharat Mata. May God bless you all.

In service of God and humanity,

Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswati (Muniji)

For more information about the Parmarth Shiksha Mandir, please contact:

USA Mailing Address
603 Bedfordshire
Louisville, KY 40222, USA
Phone: (502) 426-7127
Fax: (502) 426-8064
E-mail: ihrf@ihrf.com

Sadhvi Bhagwatiji
Parmarth Niketan
P.O. Swargashram,
Rishikesh (Himalayas) 249 304; India.
Phone: (011-91-135) 2440088, 2434308
Fax: (011-91-135) 2434399
E-mail: Bhagwati333@aol.com
www.tribaleducation.com