The Happiness Foundation is proud to present the start of the first project, in India!

Tucked quietly in the gullies of Banaras, India (Varanasi’s old city) is an amazing and energetic group of students with great potential to succeed.  The problem: local schools can only provided them with limited time per student.  Teachers simply do not have time nor concern to focus on any individual needs a student may have.

Enter Mr. Vinod Sharma (known better as Lala-ji), wife, Mrs. Vibha Sharma, and 2 boys Vineet & Vinayat.  From the happiness of their hearts, they have renovated their upper floor and converted into an after school educational program, for students age 5 to 19.  Students come here after school from the hours of 3pm to 8pm for extra support on their studies, homework, and to participate in group activities with the occasional outing or Bollywood dance party. In the single room space exists an amazing perpetual system where the older students lead and teach the younger ones.   They teach them math, English, Hindi, art, but they also teach them social skills and confidence.  An after school program running on volunteer time with minimal funds.

 

 

The goal: Our goal at The Happiness Foundation for this project is to raise money to support yearly costs so that we can provide educational support to 60 underprivileged kids.  The school needs about $50 a month to operate.  This money goes mostly as a small stipend to the older volunteers which helps pay for their transport to and from school and to the Mr Lalajis classroom.

You can follow the ling below to read more about the school and updates in their progress.

http://happiness-welfare.strikingly.com/

There are as many as 60 children in and out of the center, and 3 teachers. Each teacher gets Rs.1500 (~$23 USD) per month as salary plus Rs.2 ($0.04 USD) per day for travel related costs. Thus, in a given month, they require Rs .1560 × 3 teachers = Rs.4680 ($73 USD) per month for salary costs and about Rs. 1000 ($15 USD) per month for maintenance of the school and school supplies.  Please do not hesitate to ask for more information if you require it.

Kindly donate to the cause: DONATE TO PROJECT 1