Promotion of Education & Integral Development of Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Children

The Karnataka Jesuit Educational Society, over 450 years, has sought to educate ‘the whole person’ intellectually and professionally, psychologically, morally and spiritually.

The villages in and around Manvi in Raichur District (Karnataka State) are least developed areas in the district. Dalits and backward castes form over 20% of the population, and these people earn their livelihood through daily wage work. Socially, they are segregated from the dominant caste. People across 15 villages and more, do not have access to safe drinking water. Clean drinking water is a major issue in the villages. As a result, they become easy prey to water-borne diseases and varied skin related problems. Most of their children graze cattle. The economic situation forces the parents to push their children to child labour so that they can support the family for certain extent. Hence the dropout rate of the children is quite high. Early marriage is another social practice that distresses the girl children. Another phenomenon is of malnutrition rate among the children of the target area. Parents cannot afford the nutritious food and that will have lasting effects on the lives of the children. The seasonal migration of parents affects the primary education of their children.

The society aims with specific the objectives; such as to reach out to the children who are victims of child labour, bonded labour and Devadasi system by way of preferential option to the marginalized, Schedule Castes and Schedule Tribes; to ensure safe and prosperous future to children by enhancing with educational support and providing boarding facilities along with nourishments and supplies; and to provide educational opportunities to children who live in remote and unreachable villages and provide educational materials such as books, stationary and uniforms. Though, the school caters to 600 students, this project seeks support for the needs of 50 students for their admission & tuition fees; books and stationery, uniforms; and providing 3 meals and evening refreshments for one year.

The Karnataka Jesuits Educational Society envisages to provide subsidized education as well as residential facility to all children from underprivileged and backward communities of the target area, but it is unable to meet the cost on its own. Moreover, quality education is also a great challenge, yet it is made possible within given infrastructure facilities. Definitely better facilities would give greater impetus to quality education.

In order to sustain the various forms of programmes, it has become increasingly important for the administration and operations of Jesuits at Manvi rural development centre to run smoothly without disruption from any unforeseen circumstance. The purpose to have started the schools is to provide a quality education to the socially and economically vulnerable children who represent the disadvantaged communities such as Dalits, Devadasis and poor landless labour. The current conditions emerge within the organization has paved ways to envisage through several of its supporters to look for provision elsewhere and to establish strategies to sustain this initiative. Our ability to transform lives is dependent on support in the form of donations and volunteerism. Hence, the Society by running educational institutions aims at contributing to nation building by training students to develop concern, compassion and informed conscience.