About the Program
The Euro-a-Day Program provides for the education of children and youth in economically deprived regions. The overwhelming majority of children supported are the first generation in their families to attend school and could not attend school without the support of the Euro-a-Day program. Nearly 7,500 children from economically backward areas benefit from this initiative every year in India alone. But for these schools, these children also would have been in fields, on the road, in factories - everywhere but school.
For young children hitherto unable to attend school, The Art of Living Foundation is providing schools in rural and slum areas. The first rural school was started in 1985 near the international headquarters of the Art of Living in Bangalore to educate children from the surrounding villages. Today, the school annually educates 2,400 first-generation learners from over 45 villages.
The school provides completely free education. Children are provided with free uniforms, books and bags so that they do not leave school for want of these necessities. They are also given nutritious mid-day meals, and a bus service collects them for school from their villages and leaves them back after school hours.
Keeping in mind, the economic status of children and their poor access to water and sanitation, special attention is paid to ensuring their health and hygiene. Alongside human values such as love, compassion, service and care for the environment are also inculcated in them. The children are also taught self-development skills and training in computer skills.
Slum Schools
To provide value-based education to children from urban slums, the Art of Living runs five slum schools with nearly 500 students. In addition to poverty, slum children often are caught in a web of crime and violence.
One such school is located in Dharavi, the largest slum in Asia. Located in Mumbai, India, the slum faces many road-blocks on the path to progress
Challenges in Dharavi (Mumbai):
Abject poverty & disease:
- Uneducated parents who are indifferent to education
- High rate of school drop-outs in the area
- Elder siblings who are addicted to abusive substances
Our Solution:
The aim was to give a new and progressive life to every child in the slum: different from the abject poverty that their parents live in. Thus, began the project of starting the first ever English language school in Dharavi.
- Setting up a free school
- Provision of mid-day meals, free books, stationary & uniforms
- Regular orientation workshops for parents to ensure that they understand their children's learning needs & develop a supportive attitude
- Inculcating a stress-free, relaxed atmosphere in the school, especially since the home atmosphere might not be conducive
- Teaching the Art Excel classes to develop confidence & give a boost to a child’s potential
- Regular health checkups & health awareness programs for students and parents