Training Rural Women to Impart Educational Programs in villages in Maharashtra
Vanasthali Rural Development Center (VRDC) Pune, Maharashtra
Contact: Ms. Sushama Sathaye
Dates: January 2024 – December 2024
Total Budget: Rs. 5,31,250 ($6,300.68)
Vanasthali Rural Development Center (VRDC), founded in 1981, trains local, rural women to conduct various educational programs in villages, such as teaching in balwadis (pre-primary schools), conducting enrichment programs in government-run schools, holding hands on-science classes, and providing mobile libraries. VRDC works in 150 villages in 10 rural districts of Maharashtra.
There are no formal educational requirements for VRDC’s trainees other than being able to read and write and being interested in teaching. In VRDC’s 6 month-long training course, women attend classes, do homework, attend practical training, and take an exam for completion.
In the first 6 months of 2024, VRDC trained 76 teachers using PPI’s grant. Additionally, they provided short refresher training to the supervisors and lead teachers. Of the newly trained teachers, 13 have found employment in other educational institutions and 15 will work for VRDC. The learning enhancement activity program (LEAP) provided by VRDC at government-run schools is in high demand and VRDC has added a special LEAP module to their basic teacher training curriculum.
With PPI’s grant, VRDC hopes to train 120-150 non-formal teachers, whose work will benefit more than 4000 children.