We will donate the net profits to Hand in Hand, Organisation for humanitarian Aid, which will use th
e donation for the extention and maintenance of the reditential school, Balashram.
The Balashram is conceived as a shelter for destitute children from Orissa, India who have lost their parents and relatives during the cyclone and flood disaster in 1999. This event was one of the most devastating natural catastrophes which India has ever known. According to UNICEF more than 3, 3 million children were affected and around 48,000 person
s died as a result.
The aim of the Balashram is to give a new home and good schooling to destitute children and providethem with a solid foundation for the future. By offering the opportunity of an English medium school as well as a technicaleducation, these children will acquire an adequate background to get a job or advance further in their studies.
Children are the future of society
Balashram is an English medium school, affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), New Dehli. Four languages are taught including English, Hindi, Oriya and Sanskrit. Practical instruction is also received in diverse fields such as gardening, handicrafts and cooking. Any extra curricularactivities, such as spiritual classes, will be determined by a Governing Body, constituted with regards to the norms established by the CBSE, and duly approved by the Central Board of Secondary Education.
Every year an additional group of 30/40 students will be accepted. In 12 years, the Balashram will accommodate a total of 480 children of mixed gender, from 4 until 18 years of age.
Balashram opened it's doors on the 29th of July 2004
The first nursery class started in August 2004 and is run by a teacher and two assistants. The first 34 children, where chosen from orphanages and isolated villages in the poorest districts of Orissa by a special committee set up by the Prajnana Mission.
The course includes learning of the alphabet, rhymes and songs. Most of the time is allotted to learning thr
ough play. Playground appliances like swings, see-saws and slides are needed. Classrooms are furnished with backboards, desks and chairs.
Teachers and caretakers are selected by a committee, composed of 15 members, according to their academic qualifications. The staff is living in the Balashram with the children and their own families. A Board of Trustees is supervising that the Balashram meets all its educational aims and objectives.
