Supporting Ekal-Vidyalayas in Rajasthan
Traditionally referred to as adivasis, tribes, or tribals, scheduled tribes (STs) constitute about 9% of India’s population. Being on the edges of the society, the tribal communities persist to face economic deprivation and lack of access to basic services. Lack of access to formal education and opportunities further marginalizes them and disallows them to realize their full potential. Wide diversity in language, living conditions, cultural practices and livelihood patterns followed by tribals in different states disallows them from accessing mainstream education which is standardized in nature. Hence non-formal education customized to suit the needs of the tribal communities is the only option.
Over the years the organizations has managed to spread across the country by setting up Ekal Vidyalayas for the spread of education. FTS has evolved a cost effective non-formal primary education system, that is, Ekal Vidyalayas where the One-teacher school operates in a village under a tree (without incurring cost for school building). The teacher is recruited from the same village or surrounding village, and he has to have a minimum qualification of Class-Xth. He is then given extensive training and provided with necessary teaching aids to run the school for 3 hours a day at a time convenient to him and the children of the village. Foundation has provided support for setting up 30 Ekal units in and around Chirawa, Rajasthan
The partnership between Friends of Tribal Society and Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation has led to setting up of 30 Ekal Vidyalayas in Rajasthan.
With their headquarters situated in Kolkata, Friends of Tribal Society (FTS) is a voluntary organisation engaged in spreading literacy to tribal people living in remote areas of India.
Mission of FTS is ‘Prosperity through Literacy’. Education of the first generation learners, drop-outs and young boys and girls is the objective of the programmes of FTS. Spreading literacy to the tribal and other deprived people living in remote areas of India is the core work of FTS.