IDRF partner since: 2002
- Focus Area: Education
- Location: Tamil Nadu
- Project Title: Udavi School.
- Details: Udavi School started in 1971 as a Creche (Balwadi). Slowly it grew and in 1995, it was recognized as a Matriculation School and since then it has been functioning as such to cater to the rural population in Tamil Nadu. It has about 290+ students from Pre-k to 10th grade. It aims to give a high quality education to the children from disadvantaged families that come to school from Edayanchavadi and nearby villages. It ensures all round development of personality of the children and infuses them with high ethical values.Sri Aurobindo Ashram supports the running expenses of this school that imparts quality education with modern facilities for an all-round development of personality of the children and infuse them with high ethical values. Since 2002, IDRF has been supporting ‘Udavi School’ that aims at imparting the vision of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. Children’s formal education is supplemented by an array of activities: clay work, dance, drama, music, carpentry, tailoring and art work.Over the years, IDRF grants have met varied needs such as construction of compound wall (2002), relocation of library building (2006), staff residences (2005), dorm-room furnishings, and upgradation of computer rooms (2008) and construction of math laboratory (2009).One of the principal challenges faced by the school was to find good teachers. One of the incentives which help teachers and volunteers to come and work in Udavi School is to provide them with residential accommodation. In 2005, with IDRF’s support two additional rooms on top of an existing building were constructed. This has helped in recruiting qualified teachers and staff to work at this school. In 2015, IDRF funded the construction of a sports store room and caretaker’s residence on the campus. In 2017, a water tank to provide water for the upper level of the school became an urgent need and IDRF helped in the construction of a 20,000 liters water tank to meet the growing water needs.With the spread of the school’s reputation and an increase in the population, in 2018, IDRF supported the expansion of school facilities by providing additional classrooms, refurbishing existing rooms with ceiling fans and light fixtures, activity tables, and a playground and sand pit for the playschool. In 2019, some expansions and repair needs came up at the school that needed immediate attention. IDRF helped with repairs to the waste treatment plant on the school campus, cement floors where children play table tennis and seating area of open air theater, fixed support structure for the asbestos-sheet roof over rooms, construction of a STEM lab, additional toilet and septic tank near playground and lights in the parking shed.Today with the help of the infrastructure and facilities provided with IDRF’s support, Udavi School is able to expand the horizons of the poor rural children, who are able to aspire for things, for which they would have only dreamt of before!The sky’s the limit for this Udavi School Alumnus…. Aravindh comes from a poor family in the village and was the first member to get education! After the completion of his schooling and graduation, he got an air pilot’s license and is leading a successful life today.
Kindergarten students in the newly added wing
Students in the classroom
Students outside the newly constructed STEM lab
Please click on the link below to watch a video on Udavi School and the enthusiastic students from disadvantaged families discussing their future professional plans!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGxDD4SwCkA&t=3s
