Project Shanti Bhavan was launched in August 1997 to provide educational opportunities and support to children from the poorest families and orphans in the Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka areas of Southern India. It is an original project of The George Foundation that targets children from the "untouchable" caste.
"Untouchables," also known as "outcasts even among outcasts," are the lowest level of the caste system in India and are victims of social segregation and discrimination. They are not allowed to worship at temples with people outside of their caste or even drink the same water.
Shanti Bhavan is, in simple terms, a boarding school for these children of deprived backgrounds. Given proper care, support and educational opportunities, these children will have a good chance of being successful in life. It is The George Foundation’s belief that only through this level of commitment to the children that the conditions of poverty and social deprivation can be overcome for the "untouchables" of India.
The primary focus is on children in their formative years, starting with 4 year-olds and seeing them through age 17. The overall goal of the project is to make a positive difference in the lives of children and to encourage rural education in the following ways:
• to break the cycle of poverty and disadvantage, and
• to enable the children to become well-rounded, achieve their full potential, and become fully productive individuals.
In line with ASTEP’s mission, the collaborative project with the George Foundation is grounded in the belief that the deleterious consequences of extreme poverty can be overcome if the problems are tackled in the early stages of a child's development. It is further believed that children of poverty are no different than more fortunate children if they are given a chance to dream and to aspire, and are supported through education and constant encouragement to realize their full potential.
ASTEP and Shanti Bhavan, therefore, have three main objectives:
1. To provide the children a comprehensive program to meet their emotional, social, health, and educational needs, build character and self-esteem, and strengthen their ability, through skills and mental discipline, to succeed in life.
2. To prepare the children to succeed not just in their immediate community but in the global social scene.
3. To provide training, assistance and performances for the parents of the children so that they can play a positive role in the growth and development of their children.
Shanti Bhavan aspires to be a symbol of hope to children from socially and economically deprived backgrounds, and a means to attain their dreams. The programs at Shanti Bhavan address the development of every aspect of a child's personality: his or her emotional development, mental and physical fitness, and cognitive growth with a curriculum that is well-planned and executed, with an emphasis placed on individualized attention.
