Grace Educational Trust

How Can You Help?

There are many ways you can help including general donations, sponsoring a child, contributing to our building fund or meeting specific needs (e.g., computers, desks). Please see the information below for more details and contact us to find out how you can donate.

Sponsor a Child’s Education

This year has brought many rewarding moments. Seeing the joy in the children’s faces as they get excited about learning. Watching their skills increase. And the teachers also embracing this vision and their potential. We have received a lot of help to get started and have now devised a sponsorship program to help the children’s education continue. Currently we have almost 40 children in the school. Next school year, beginning in June, we plan to help over 60 children. You can support these children by sponsoring a child’s education.

You can sponsor a child’s education for a full year for only $300, the equivalent of $25/month or 80cents/day! IMAGINE how little it takes! Your sponsorship helps equip the children with learning materials (notebooks, slates, pencils) and uniforms. It also helps pay salaries for our teachers and in instances where a child needs specific support (e.g., health) your sponsorship will provide the healthcare that is so desperately needed.

School Building Fund

We are very excited about next year with great changes planned. We are negotiating a lease with the option of purchasing a new building with a lot more space. Currently Grace operates out of one small rented room in the community. The room is very basic, the air circulation is poor, there is no proper toilet facility and with more and more children, the space is becoming very tight.

The new building will give us two larger classrooms and some office space. The space needs renovations and painting, but is a good building with room to expand to the second floor for more classrooms, women’s programs (e.g., literacy, computer skills, sewing) and community meetings. On the grounds there is room for a playground and garbage/recycling program. Currently the community has no playground and the children can often be found playing in the garbage dump, in mud, or on the road.

The proposed budget for the purchase, upgrading and renovations, as well as the playground and garbage/recycling programs is $100,000. Every donation will make a difference!

Specific Needs

Computers

It is our goal for next year to have one computer in the school for the staff. This will help with general record keeping, financials, communication and staff training (e.g., computer literacy). Currently the staff use an internet café which is 20 minutes away from the school. It is an inefficient use of time and money, so we’d like to equip the school with a computer. The computer, internet hook-up and usage are $1500.

We also envision bringing more computers into the school to teach the children.

Desks

Right now, the students and teachers learn on mats on the floor. As we move forward, they need proper desks for writing, reading, drawing and studying. We have received a specific donation for some handmade wooden desks for the school. Next year we need as many as 20 more desks for all the children with the expected increase in enrolment. The total cost of these desks is $1400.

The carpenter who is making the children’s desks lives in the house next door to the school. He and his wife are very supportive of our work. He gave us an exceptional price for the desks at less than half of other quotes, in addition to his good quality, old style workmanship. At present they rent us the school space at a good rate and support the school in many other ways. We feel that having them make these desks is a win-win. Quality desks, local employment, and increased support for the children’s learning!

General Donations

We appreciate your generous donations and ongoing support! It is only with your help, that we are able to help these children and more each year. We aim to use your donations wisely and in those areas where we see the greatest need. Our goal is that your sponsorship provides the maximum benefit for the children. There is no administrative charge in Canada – 100% of your donation reaches Grace Educational Trust in India.

DONATE NOW.
Thank you for your generous support!
You are making a difference.