Bhubaneswar: Education For All (EFA), Kolkata-based NGO making education accessible to every child, reached out to over 100 smiling children from the economically vulnerable sections with books, stationary and educational tool kits at a function organized at the puja pandal of iconic 81-year-old Chaltabagan Durga Puja. Members of NGO Swasamman Welfare Foundation were also present.
The core philosophy of EFA is to provide educational opportunities and holistic support in order to ensure that every child, regardless of their socio-economic background, has access to basic education. EFA often prioritizes need-above-merit and focuses on students who face financial hardships and are at a risk of dropping out of schools by providing scholarships, grants and other educational support so they can continue with their studies.
EFA, which was formally started in 2006, has extended support to over 17,000 students, many of whom were at the risk of quitting schools due to financial constraints. Currently, leading industrialist and managing director of Shree Cement, Mr H M Bangur, and cultural activist, Mr Sundeep Bhutoria, are steering the organization.
“What drives Education for All is the resolve to protect the `right to education’ for vulnerable children. Durga Puja is a time when people spend on new clothes and food, but there are numerous children whose parents cannot afford any of these. EFA feels this is a good time to humbly reach out to these children by providing meaningful support and resources. With the Unesco Intangible Heritage tag, Durga Pujas send out a very strong global message and is a window to add on to our expanding network of like-minded people espousing social causes,” said Sundeep Bhutoria, Trustee, Education for All.
The Education for All is a well-regarded, non-profit, non-political, and secular organization established in Kolkata. Its primary mission is to provide holistic educational support to the underprivileged children and communities who are often excluded from the formal education system due to extreme poverty, social status, or circumstances.
“Beyond its core educational programs, EFA actively involves the local communities in the educational process, making it sustainable and relevant. The organization has set up non-formal education (NFE) centers or community-based learning centres in slums, remote villages, and under-served areas. These centres provide basic literacy, numeracy, and life skills to children who are school dropouts or have never been enrolled in school. The aim is to prepare these children to be integrated into the formal school system,” Mr Bhutoria said.
EFA has worked in the slum areas to impart quality skills to children by organising various kinds of workshops, events and interactive sessions conducted by experts in their own fields. The support includes providing finances, material resources, counselling, nutritional and health programs empowering parents and guidance.
EFA has also participated in relief and rehabilitation work during natural disasters in West Bengal, such as cyclones in the Sundarbans, providing essential supplies and support to affected families.
EFA operates Project Muskaan in collaboration with NGO, Prabha Khaitan Foundation. Muskaan is an initiative aimed at promoting skill development among children and also aims to popularize heritage, literature and Indian culture among young minds across India.
-OdishaAge
