Inda Trip - SKILL Foundation Overview

SKILL Foundation is a school for underprivileged children. The registration process requires only one thing - a photo. Other than that, the entire education is free. I spent 2 days with the SKILL foundation and learned a lot about their program.

They have something really magical happening in that building. They teach English via a yogic-based practice. These children come straight from the heart of the rampant poverty that has inundated India. The parents of these children, or even these children themselves have the most menial jobs - labor worker, servant, gardener, plumber. In fact, being a plumber is considered to be a lucrative job.

What is unique about this program is the yogic practice, which is now being applied in several countries in Europe as well as in Australia. The reason this method is so helpful is because the children are from a completely different world. To them education is not a priority - their livelihood is. Children from this group struggle to focus and pay attention. They have faced so much hardship from their early childhood, learning how to say cat and dog does not make a difference to them. The yoga practice gives them a focused and adept mind that is able to grasp concepts quicker and with more accuracy.

However, not only are the children taught English, but they are taught how to be good citizens. India, in particular Bihar, has a severe pollution problem. There is trash everywhere. In the SKILL foundation, once a week, the children take up 10 streets nearby and clean the entire area. This gives them a sense of ownership and citizenship. This to me is very significant because the SKILL foundation teaches the students how to be adults.

To the SKILL foundation, education is not about learning algebra and learning the water cycle. It is about finding a job. They are looking to teach the kids the "skills" necessary for life. For many children who do get the rare opportunity to go to school, their education is useless in the job market. Although a well rounded education is essential in America, the situation is different for the poor in India. Their dreams and aspirations are limited because of geography. They do not require the education to fulfill their dreams. They require the knowledge of how to be a plumber or carpenter to have a successful life. What the SKILL Foundation teaches is how to communicate within the job market. Speaking English in India is a sign of prestige. No beggar speaks English. If one speaks English, they are given automatic respect. The SKILL Foundation does not only give the kids an education, they give them something more important - respect.