Special Education Projects

Special Education Projects

Children of the Pangot Region

The Samiti offers financial donations towards school tuition, uniforms, and books for deserving girls and young women in Northern India. Some attend private schools at considerable distances from their home. Funds have also been provided for the purchase of handiwork supplies to enhance vocational education of women and girls.

The Samiti supports projects which began with the commemoration of Holy Mother's 150th birth anniversary in 2003 and 2004 throughout India and the world.

'Ma Sarada Scholarships' aid meritorious and deserving students who have no financial backing to continue their studies. A donated amount of only $115. toward the Sri Ma Scholarship fund will support the vocational education of one girl student for 3 years.

Through the 'Shihar Temple Project', Sri Sarada Math built a temple and a Coaching School for local villagers about 5 kilometers away from Jayrambati, Mother's birthplace. Until then, there was no facility operated by Sri Sarada Math in that region of Holy Mother's own birthplace.

"Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda keenly felt that both the West and India needed each other for their mutual welfare and for the ultimate good of humanity." (Source: "Swami Vivekananda: India and America" by Swami Nikhilananda.)

The Samiti's financial support benefits the education of girls and women. Through the ripple effect, extended families and village communities are also enhanced. Further, female role models show the way for younger girls and boys.

"Girls who have been educated are likely to marry later, and to have smaller, healthier families. Educated women recognize the importance of health care and access it for their entire family. Education helps girls to know their rights. Literacy programs for women have increased utilization of health services. ...Education and health care together offer individuals and families, especially young people, the chance to make more responsible choices in their lives." (Sources: United Nations Literacy Decade: 2003-2012)

According to Katarina Tomasevshi, former United Nations Special Rapporteur , "There are a large number of human rights problems, which cannot be solved unless the right to education is addressed as the key to unlock other human rights. Education operates as a multiplier, enhancing the enjoyment of all individual rights."

Samiti funds are also provided for coaching and remedial education for village communities, as well as towards nursing education scholarships. About Radhu, the Holy Mother said: "Let her go to school. To be able to read and write and do some handiwork will be so much to her advantage. We have married her into a family living in the village; if she knows these things it will benefit not only herself but others as well." (Source: In the Company of the Holy Mother. page 201)