Educate a Child / India

Empower a child to break free from the bonds of poverty.

In the city of Allahabad, India, many families struggle to survive on less than $2 a day. Children often receive only one meal a day. Parents know that educating their children is the best way to help them escape the vicious cycle of poverty, but most cannot afford to send their kids to school. Girls especially have little hope of ever receiving an education.

Concerned with the plight of young girls, in 1967, one woman started tutoring two girls on her front porch. She asked their parents for 20 cents tuition so they would have the dignity of providing for their children instead of getting a handout. From this humble beginning, Umrao Singh Memorial School (USMS) has grown into an institution that provides high-quality education to more than 1,000 children each year.

The school provides classes from kindergarten through 12th grade. The main focus is still education for girls, but boys are now included through the 5th grade. Approximately 80% of the students are the first in their families to ever attend school.

Besides education, children receive a healthy snack each day and regular health care. The poorest students are also provided with uniforms, shoes and books.

More than 3,000 students have graduated from USMS and gone on to become productive citizens?including doctors, engineers, teachers and government officers. Education truly changes lives.