Mission & Vision
Our Mission
Giving some of the poorest of the poor children opportunities for a better future. By working collaboratively with local communities and governments, we aim to create long-term educational solutions for less fortunate children.
Our Vision
At Sundar Bharat, we firmly believe that every child deserves an equal opportunity for a better future regardless of their background. By partnering with schools, teachers, and volunteers, we seek to enhance quality of education by collaborating with local communities and government programs. With education, we strive to break down barriers for children of underprivileged backgrounds and inspire them to a more equitable future.
Educational Barriers for Underprivileged Children
According to the last census, majority of districts in North Karnataka have a literacy rate below the state average with Koppal ranking as one of the lowest with 68.1%.
Factors like poverty, hunger and desperate parents result in children being forced into labour at an early age.
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The percentage of people living below poverty line in the district is 40.7% which is almost double of the state average.
According to the Koppal Deputy Commissioner, it is a common practice in backward regions for parents to hand over their children to predatory individuals in exchange for money or to repay debts.
The dropout rate of students between standards 6th to 8th is around 11% and goes up to 40% once they reach secondary school.
In 2011, there were at least 4000 children of school going age working in jobs spent in conditions detrimental to their health where they are malnourished and exploited.
All of this points to the fact that most children are living in circumstances where they have less access to education, shelter and food and may be forced to start working at very young ages jeopardizing their potentials and future.
Education is acknowledged as a fundamental human right in the Indian Constitution, giving people an opportunity to make better choices and understand their rights which giving them the skills to increase their income. By giving the younger generation access to better opportunities, we have the potential to transform their lives and improve their communities.
The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act was passed in 2009. Under this act, children between the age group of 6-14 years who are studying in government or aided schools, are not liable to pay any charges, fees or expenses that prevent them from pursuing education. In lieu of this, many schemes have been started by respective state governments providing government schools free of cost. While implementation has been slow, another problem is the lack of awareness of all these schemes by the affected communities. It is our job to ensure that people are aware that they can utilize these opportunities.
Our Origin Story
Started in 2021 in Koppal District of Karnataka, Sundar Bharat Foundation was started by Mr. S.A. Rawoof to give children from underprivileged backgrounds an opportunity for a better education.
Mr. Rawoof had been observing the state of children in his hometown for the past few years. Parents, mostly daily wage workers with no prior education did not see the importance of schooling and instead forced their children into beginning work early to provide additional income for their household. He decided to try changing this by providing tuition fees for school to incentivize parents and children to attend school. He also started meeting with the parents to explain how having a formal education would help them in the future.
Subsequently, he realised that the scope of the issue was much bigger than he realised, something he would not be able to tackle himself, which is how Sundar Bharat Foundation was started in 2021. Initially, tuition classes were held in a rented space with 50 students from 1st-7th standards. After positive response from parents and generous help, a government building was identified and renovated to hold 4 different full-fledged evening classes for classes 1-10. Most recently, all 26 children who wrote the SSLC exams passed with the topper scoring 91%.
Board Members
Mr. S.A. Rawoof
(Managing Trustee)
Mr. Rawoof, a retired employee of Kirloskar Ferrous, initially started his journey to help children after witnessing the desolate conditions of children in his hometown by getting together with friends to help underprivileged children who struggled to secure funds for their education. Over time, he began to realise the limitations of his efforts and made the decision to start Sundar Bharat. He is a social worker who is fond of children. His role at Sundar Bharat is in managing day to day operations and mobilization of funds.
Mujtaba Hussain
(Trustee)
Mr Mujtaba is a social worker with an interest in local issues particularly in education. He primarily works at Sundar Bharat in an administrative capacity, finding teachers, managing resources and making sure everything runs smoothly.
Sayed Saleem
(Trustee)
An employee at SBI Life Insurance, Mr Sayed has a passion for seeing children happy. He spends his spare time working in social causes towards child empowerment and betterment. He provides valuable help and guidance in the regular workings of the foundation.
Deepa C
(Trustee)
Ms. Deepa has a total of 14 years of work experience. With a background in B.A., she started off at Hindustan Unilever as a Team Leader and later as an Employee Trainer. Upon realizing her passion for social work, she transitioned to the non-profit field, where her work consists of networking with companies and colleges on social responsibility initiatives. She has also collaborated with government and educational bodies such as the Department of Education and the Police Department for various purposes. At Sundar Bharat, she provides invaluable help by connecting us with resources and volunteers to organize various functions and visits.
Sandhya Shree A
(Trustee)
Ms. Sandhya is a highly experienced professional with a strong background in psychology and the social sector. With five years of expertise, she brings a deep understanding of healthcare systems and patient care, combined with her dedication to social welfare. As a trustee, she actively contributes to strategic decision-making processes and plays a vital role in shaping our organization’s policies and initiatives.