I am volunteering and fundraising for Education Trust India to help provide the children of Goa, the education they deserve and break this cycle of illiteracy and child labour, which keeps these children and their families in poverty.

Educators Trust India runs educational and welfare projects for children in Goa, India. Their work relies on charitable donations and is supported by a dedicated team of global volunteers.

New Light

Educators Trust are appealing to raise funds in order to provide a dynamic educational facility for the underprivileged children that attend our Special Training Centres. set within an appealing garden area. It is proposed that the new “New Light Special Training Centre”will be the place of education for approximately 200 children, including those who now attend Leading Light and New Light centres. We plan for it to accommodate Shining Light music lessons and a resource centre for our Morning Light outreach project. The target is for the proposed development to be operating to its full potential by October 2015.

Currently the children attending New Light are educated in one small classroom, measuring approximately 28 square metres. In addition to the local children, we support many others who are from migrant families that flock to Goa in search of work and opportunities in the high season. They sometimes have 70 children in attendance at one time in this limited space. To put this in perspective at maximum attendance the classroom only allows approximately half a square metre space per child, which creates issues with safety and discipline and therefore the children’s educational development. Due to changes in Indian legislation, and the local Government recognising the important work of Educators Trust, they expect the number of children attending our centres to rise considerably.The storage space for educational materials and toys is limited and there is no space for a teacher’s desk. They frequently have too many children in attendance to be able to use the children’s desks and chairs. Presently there are no toilets or washing facilities and no means of preparing food. Food either has to be transported from the Leading Light Special Training Centre, approximately one kilometre away, or the children have to walk there. Recent efforts to provide the children with footwear have been largely ineffectual as often the footwear is stolen from their insecure slum housingor their families sell them for a minimal amount of money. Therefore, in addition to the logistical difficulties created by not having kitchen facilities on site, the children also burn their feet on the hot ground whilst making the journey to Leading Light. Additionally, as they currently rent the New Light property the future is far from secure.

The initial aim is to secure land on which to build the new, improved “New Light Special Training Centre” by October 2013.The land we intend to procure for this project is ideally located, close to the slum settlements where the children stay, and measures 613 square metres. They are currently in talks with the landowner and have
expressed interest in buying the land once we have the funds. The estimated cost of the land, the vital first step in improving New Light’s situation, is £90, 000.

All charitable donations large or small will have a positive impact on the future of these children. Together we can make a difference.