Jyoti – Gyan Ka PrakashThe story of design for change

from JUSCO SCHOOL, SOUTH PARK

JAMSHEDPUR , JHARKHAND

Madhurima , Shania , K.Hari , Rishika , SonaliMentor Teacher: Mili Sinha

Problems are an inevitable part of life and this world . We, at JUSCO SCHOOL , SOUTH PARK feel that quality education can lead not only to solution of many problems but can also change life of many people . But what if “education for all ” doesn’t reach the masses due to resource crunch ?So , the team set out in search of such areas in our own Jamshedpur – one of the best industrial cities in India . What we found was really shocking !!!!

An old primary school which had become non-functional for the last two years due to lack of funds & resources. Children in this slum area were not going to school for the last two years!!!

We managed to meet the school principal . She told us the school has become a “dead school ” due to the lack of resources !!!

We We discusseddiscussed fund raising ideas with our mentor fund raising ideas with our mentor teacher. Many ideas came out such as:teacher. Many ideas came out such as:

We discussed ideas to renovate the school with our mentor teacher & finally zeroed down to a five pronged approach for the same : Convert this dead school into a pre- primary school for the children of the slum area around the school.

Raising funds through donations made by the students of our school for the project “Gyan Ka Prakash”

Contacted the Jusco Authorities to help us paint the school

Designing visuals for a primary school

Painting the old benches and desks of our own school to provide them with furniture .

Raising funds through donations made by the students of our school for the project “Gyan Ka Prakash”

Contacted the Jusco Authorities to

help us paint the school

Designing visuals for a pre-primary school-We involved all our classmates !!!

Painting the old benches and desks of our own school to provide them with

furniture…

Transported the material to our

project school…

Putting up the visuals on the walls

We worked on Sundays too!!

Our school management recognized our Our school management recognized our

efforts and has decided toefforts and has decided to

• Adopt the school permanentlyAdopt the school permanently

• 5 promising students of slum area from 5 promising students of slum area from this pre primary school will be admitted in this pre primary school will be admitted in each of our JUSCO School branches each of our JUSCO School branches where they will be provided with free where they will be provided with free education till Std. V.education till Std. V.

• The Principal & only teacher of the school The Principal & only teacher of the school will be trained by our kindergarten will be trained by our kindergarten teachers for nursery teaching methods.teachers for nursery teaching methods.

We were moved by the smile on the faces of the small students. We We were moved by the smile on the faces of the small students. We realized that realized that “ joy of giving is bigger then the joy of getting “ joy of giving is bigger then the joy of getting

something.”something.” And we learnt that life is not a race of achieving aim , reward And we learnt that life is not a race of achieving aim , reward

& recognition .& recognition . It teaches us to be happy by making the others happy too !!!.

Last but not the least , we agree that nothing is impossible if we are really willing to do it.

The School – Then 25th September , 2010

School – Now10th October, 2010

The Team

Thank you