Seven-year-old Puja loves going to school in Jaipur. She is always among the top students in class. But ever since Puja lost her parents, paying for tuition and books has become a serious problem. Left with few other options, the young girl wrote to Education For All seeking support. She received a scholarship that allowed her to stay in school.
Rajia is the daughter of a driver in Kolkata. She has always been a good student and managed to stay in school despite her family’s meagre monthly income. When she cleared the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examinations (WBJEE), her path was set. But university education comes with cost concerns. To help her continue her education, Rajia was awarded a small one-time grant from the West Bengal Government. She also received support from Education For All and was able to continue her Computer Science and Technology course.
More than 15,000 students have benefitted from Education For All in various forms as of December 2021.
The Education For All project prioritises need above merit, with a belief that any child who wants to continue going to school has the right to do so.
EFA was formally launched by former president of India Pratibha Patil on July 23, 2006, at the Governor House in Rajasthan in the presence of eminent educationalist Late Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan, Director of the United Nations Information Centre (India and Bhutan) Shalini Deewan, Managing Director of Shree Cement H.M. Bangur and writer Taslima Nasreen.
In its early days, the Trust also provided support to schools in the form of funds to enhance the strength of their teaching staff. Now, the Trust concentrates on the sponsorship scheme, which has been found to produce greater results.
The Trust also provides educational materials in the form of books and stationary to underprivileged students in slum areas. During Covid-19-induced lockdowns, Education For All partnered with several local NGOs to impart quality skills to children by organising various workshops, events and interactive sessions which were conducted by experts in their own fields.
The Trust aims to offer skill-building courses and workshops to marginalised students while also helping them with coaching classes, providing them with stationary and other study materials. Distributing nutritious food and offering basic hygiene amenities are a part of this project for children.