Gift a child a chance at education

Saraswati is a young girl from a fishing community in Andhra Pradesh. **Her parents hardly earn any money and struggle to even meet their daily needs.** They get through life on the little they make each day. They wanted Saraswati to have a better life than them and knew that she needed an education for this. With a lot of struggle, they kept aside some money to pay her school fees. **But they soon realized that tuition fees alone was not enough to keep her in school.** Saraswati is an intelligent girl who enjoys learning. But there were various other costs of schooling such as supplies, uniforms, and footwear which her parents could not afford in any way. So with a heavy heart they decided to stop her education. When the NGO Asha Kiran found out about her, they reached out to the family. **They counselled Saraswati's parents and helped them realize how important it was to continue her schooling. They assured her parents that they would look after the extra expenses.** With the help of donations, Asha Kiran gave Saraswati two sets of uniforms, notebooks and footwear. Something so simple took a huge burden off her parents and they could afford to send her to school.

Asha Kiran runs an initiative committed to reducing school dropout rates in the children from economically backward families in coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh. Surveys showed that unavailability of school supplies (uniforms, bags, notebooks, and footwear) was one of the primary reasons for dropouts. The Asha Kiran volunteers collect data on dropouts from school authorities and Anganwadi centers. Children aged between 9-15 in need of support are identified with help from teachers and the education committee. These children are then provided with free supplies. Benefits are given mostly in the beginning and middle of the academic year based on the availability of resources. Over 50 children receive help every year. Donate to this program and help kids continue their education.

Asha Kiran was initiated to help the flood victims in Kolleru lake villages back in 1997 and is now an NGO committed to facilitating the self-reliant and sustainable development of coastal communities in Andhra Pradesh, India. They work to uplift the living status of all the discriminated sections of the society and improves their socioeconomic, health and environmental conditions by mobilization of resources with community participation. Their vision is to create a just society where everyone lives peacefully. The various activities undertaken are children development, women empowerment, vocational training, community health, environmental programs and many more. They provide food, shelter, medical care and education to the marginalized and the deprived sections so that they too can grow to their fullest. 120 orphan and semi-orphan children have been receiving ration supplies every year. ASHA KIRAN works in 40 villages of coastal and Kolleru lake areas of West Godavari and Krishna Districts in Andhra Pradesh, India.