Raising support for the Saakshar school for slum children - Promoting education for all

Saakshar School Appeal is a registered charity in England and Wales (No. 1136311) which supports the work of VVF's Saakshar slum school programme in Delhi. The trustees of the Saakshar School Appeal are Revd Ralph Williamson, Mr John Briggs and Mr Edwin Simpson. Our Indian Associate is Mrs Asha Kumar.

All our trustees work at Christ Church, Oxford, a college within the University of Oxford. Christ Church also supports education more broadly through its Home Learning Scheme, Cathedral School and support for the Oval House Community Arts Centre in London. Ralph Williamson's visits to Saakshar have been sponsored by Christ Church, and we are grateful for all their support.

Raising support for the Saakshar school for slum children - Promoting education for all

Download the new 2013 newsletter below!

For many thousands of children growing up in India's slums, just getting a foothold on the bottom rung of the educational ladder is difficult. But with that vital first step into learning and a lot of hard work, slum children can hope to realise their dream of a better life in India's rapidly changing society. In South West Delhi, the Saakshar non-formal education centre for slum children is helping hundreds of children onto the learning ladder.

I first heard about Vigyan Vijay Foundation's 'Saakshar' ('Literate') project in 2003 and since then I and other at Christ Church have supported their work. After my first visit there in 2009 a generous gift enabled us to buy Saakshar's children a minivan which was delivered in December that year. Further donations were used to extend and develop Saakshar's work with slum children and we registered as a charity in the UK in 2010, enabling us to reclaim tax on donations through Gift Aid.

I have been privileged to visit Saakshar several times, most recently in March 2013 and I am always deeply moved by the joy and optimism of these children and their families, and overwhelmed to see the difference which Saakshar is making to their lives.

With the recession affecting many charities, we are now the largest supporter of Saakshar's work and our financial support is of vital importance for the children in the four small communities they serve. For more information please see the other pages here and the newsletter below.

Thank you to all who have supported Saakshar School Appeal in so many ways.

Ralph Williamson

Saakshar 2 children in March 2013. Image RW

Saakshar 2 Children during Ralph's visit in March 2013.

Photo: Ralph Williamson

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Saakshar School Appeal Newsletter 2012.pdf	2.25 MB
NEW Saakshar School Appeal Newsletter 2013.pdf	1.63 MB

Saakshar means 'literate' and their four schoolrooms in SW Delhi prepare children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds for school, with a year of preparatory lessons, daily remedial help, ongoing support, and health vital interventions.

Parents who do not sent their children to school are mostly illiterate and fearful of authority. Saakshar's teachers and supporters persuade them of the benefit of education, prepare their children for mainstream school, deal with forms and applications, and give children the confidence they need to prevent them from dropping out of education. The value of education for girl children is particularly emphasised and supported.

Saakshar is the major programme of the Vigyan Vijay Foundation, a charitable NGO.