April 2011 issue - Lodge Prudentia

Kanya GyanEnlightenment through educationThe ‘KANYA GYAN’ project is Lodge Prudentia'sendeavor to provide the security of unbrokeneducation to girl children from underprivilegedcommunities studying in the 6th to 12th grades atselected schools. Forty Nine girls have beenchosen initially for joint sponsorship by LodgePrudentia and its mother Lodge, Lodge C ARamakrishnan in 2011. Of these 2 children areorphans, 20 have no father, and 2 have no mother.The education of these children is assured till theycomplete their schooling.Though the Indian government has expressed astrong commitment towards education for all, Indiastill has one of the lowest female literacy rates inAsia. Many girls still drop out of school after the 6thStd. because of inability of parents to meet thedemands of educating them, however meager thedemands may be. This not only has a negativeimpact on girls' lives but also on that of their familiesand on their country’s economic development as awhole. It leads to high levels of maternal mortality,poor nutritional status, low earning potential, andlittle autonomy within the household. A woman’slack of education also has a negative impact on thehealth and well being of her children.The MCJ Girls Higher Secondary School isfunctioning under the auspices of the Guild ofService for educating girls belonging to lower socioeconomiccommunities living on the banks of theCooum in Chetpet and Egmore, Chennai. Most ofthe parents are unskilled workers who find it difficultto educate their children. The school has around650 children studying in the 6th to 12th Stds. Ofthese, the parents / guardians of about 50 children(working as coolies, auto-rickshaw drivers, housemaids, scavengers, tailors etc.) are unable to meettheir annual educational expenses and the childrenmay be unable to continue their studies unlesssome charitable organization steps in.The brethren of Lodge Prudentia decided to ensurethe education of these children, who may otherwisebe forced to drop out of school for lack of funds, ona sustainable and ongoing basis, under the ‘LodgePrudentia Kanya Gyan’ project. The Project ismanaged by a committee of 5 brethren from LodgePrudentia three of whom will be nominated everyyear, and will be chaired by the WM. The Secretaryis the ex-officio secretary of the committee whichwill report to the PC. Selection and mentoring ofthe beneficiaries under the project is undertaken bya committee comprising ladies from the families of 3brethren of Lodge Prudentia.Editorial Committee: W Bro N Suryanarayana Moorthy, Bro Prof Dr Gautamadas Udipi, Bro Dr K Thirugnanam,Bro Ashok Gopalan.