Education
Investing in childhood education
Anganwadis: Somaiya Shisuvihar
Early childhood education is an important step in rural development, as this gets young children, who know only the tribal language familiar with the language in which education is taught.
With a mission to provide nutrition value to under- privileged children in the age group of 0-6 years, we have joined hands with the State Governments to support Anganwadi Project. We support 20 Anganwadi Centres called SOMAIYA SHISUVIHAR in different villages in Bagalkot and Belgaum districts of Karnataka for value based education to the kids of 3 to 5 years of age. We provide teaching materials and toys, honorarium to volunteers, training to teachers as well as monitoring to ensure that classes are held regularly.
More than 2000 kids are benefited annually.
Somaiya Shishuvihar (Anganwadi centres)
"I am Arjun, our main source of income is agriculture and agricultural wages. I have 3 kids one is in 2nd standard and two are in pre primary. We stay in a farm house. "
My son studied in Somaiya Shishuniketan and two of my daughters are studying in the same centre. This centre is very useful to me and surrounding families, as we do not have any Govt. pre primary school nearby. The distance of Govt. Anganwadi is almost 3 km from my house. It is very difficult for us to send our kids to Govt. pre primary schools as it would be very difficult for us to drop and pick up every day, as we have to work in the fields. We benefitted by this centre and are grateful to the Sameerwadi factory.
Mr. Arjun M. Daddimani
- Age : 32 years
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- Occupation: Agriculture
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- Village: Handigund village in Belgaum dist of Karnataka.
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- Qualification: 3rd class
I am Ningappa doing agriculture. I have 4 kids, out of which two kids are studying in the Somaiya pre primary school and other two kids are below 3 years.
Somaiya School is useful to us as we do not have any Govt. pre primary school nearby. We are happy that my two kids are now studying, as I am illiterate.
Mr. Ningappa S. Byakod
- Age : 30 years
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- Occupation: Agriculture
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- Village: Kesaragoppa village in Bagalkotdist of Karnataka.
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- Qualification: Nil
Rural Schools - Somaiya Vidyamandir
Believing education is the one tool that can better life of the poor, our founder Padma Bhushan K. J. Somaiya, decided the best Daan (giving back to society) would be Vidyadaan ( Gift of knowledge). He founded Trust in 1959 to create quality education institutions. The motto of Somaiya Vidyavihar is Knowledge alone liberates.
In association with Somaiya Vidyavihar, we set up two Kannada medium schools and one English medium school in Bagalkot; and and two Marathi medium schools and one English medium school in Ahmednagar District. These schools are built over large campuses, well equipped with facilities such as science laboratory, computer room, library, and sports facilities. As part of our Social Responsibility, we have expanded our school facilities to children from the villages nearby.
Vidyadaan
Padma Bhushan Karamshi Jethabhai Somaiya, born poor could study only till the 6th standard. But education provided him the opportunity to move out of poverty. After facing great hardship, in 1939, he founded sugar factories at Sakarwadi and Laxmiwadi in Maharashtra.
Believing education is the one tool that can better life of the poor, he decided the best Daan ( giving back to society ) would be Vidyadaan ( Gift of knowledge). He founded Somaiya Vidyavihar Trust in 1959 to create quality education institutions. The motto of Somaiya Vidyavihar is Knowledge alone liberates.
Somaiya Vidyavihar established Somaiya Vidyamandir Schools at Sakarwadi and Laxmiwadi to educate children of the factory employees, and later included children from the surrounding villages.
The first school in Sakarwadi, Somaiya Vidyamandir, now provides quality education to children from villages of Wari, Kanhegaon, Hanumanwadi, Sade, Bhojade, Dhotre and other villages from Talukas of Shrirampur, Rahata, Kopargaon and Vaijapur.
Somaiya Vidyamandir, Laxmiwadi in Rahata Taluka, has children coming from Talukas of Kopargaon, Shrirampur and Sangamner which are near to Laxmiwadi, and nearby villages including Nighoj, Nimgaon, Shirdi, Rui, Sonewadi, Dorhale, Korhale, Nimshiwadi, and Savalivihir.
Somaiya Vidyamandir School in Sakarwadi, built on a 10 acre campus has spacious classrooms, a library, movie hall, science laboratory, well-equipped computer laboratory, and music hall. These facilities make students always engaged in different co-curricular & extra-curricular activities.
Somaiya Vidyavihar, with the active support of Godavari Biorefineries has been closely involved in developing the schools at Sakharwadi and Laxmiwadi.
- Sociology students and professor from S. K. Somaiya Degree College of Arts, Science and Commerce visited each family in the villages to understand the socio–economic situation of the family, parents and child. Detailed analysis discussed with a school committee that includes Mr. Samir Somaiya, the relevant school Principal, and academic experts from Mumbai. They discuss solutions to address issues and evolve teaching methods that impart holistic education to the children. The development of talented children, or children having special economic or social problems are all addressed individually.
- Engineering Students of K. J. Somaiya College of Engineering and Information Technology conducted a robotics workshop for the students in Sakarwadi.
- Students and faculty from Cornell University, doing research at Mumbai, were invited to these schools. They demonstrated experiments in science, discussed with the teachers, different methods of teaching.
- The schools have a telescope. Each year, an ex-director of Nehru Planetarium, associated with visits the two schools. Besides showing films on the ‘stars and planets’ he conducts stars viewing trip.
- The officials of Godavari Biorefineries Limited supervise the food provided to the children as part of the Midday meal. The company also supports the events such as inter-school competitions at the Taluka, District and state level organised by the school.
Impact
Somaiya Vidya Mandir – Sakarwadi(Tal: Kopargaon, Dist.: Ahmednagar)
97.70 %Pass Result
92.20 %Topper in the School Tanuja C Kale
20% No. of Students passed with Distinction
| 1. | Tanuja C Kale | 92.20 % |
| 2. | Devyani N Gagare | 92.00 % |
| 3. | Pratiksha S More | 91.60 % |
Somaiya Vidya Mandir – Laxmiwadi (Tal: Rahata, Dist.: Ahmednagar)
91.30 %Pass Result
94.00 %Topper in the School Puja K Tribhuvan
16% No. of Students passed with Distinction
| 1. | Puja K Tribhuvan | 94.00 % |
| 2. | Vrushali S Ghane | 92.80 % |
| 3. | Priyanka A Paghire | 91.80 % |
| 4. | Rudra A Jambhulkar | 91.80 % |
Principals Quotes
Principal Vidya Mandir, Sakarwadi
"We involve ourselves in the children’s academic progress, helping them when they need support for the difficulties they are facing. Further, we counsel parents on the importance of education and its positive impact on the child and the community. Keeping them informed about the child progress , we also advice them on how to motivate and encourage the child."
Parents from low-income backgrounds find fulfilling basic needs of the child a challenge. While understanding education is important for their child, they cannot support their child at home for studying etc. For them, earning for their daily living takes all day. The children often help in house work and some even work in fields. We are sensitive to this and make sure that the children stay motivated. Thus making education affordable and accessible is important. When parents see the school is of a good quality it makes the sacrifices that the make for the child to study there, worth the effort.
The factory management and the Somaiya Vidyavihar trust take great interest in the school. This gives the villagers a confidence in sending the children to the school."
Principal Vidyamandir, Laxmiwadi
"The education is in Marathi medium, so parents are comfortable educating their children in it. We encourage our students to grow as good human beings. Children, themselves decorate some walls in the classrooms. The school has separate toilet blocks for girls and boys with flush facilities which a great impact on girls attending school."
The school has a grand Badminton Hall with different sports facilities like Table Tennis, cricket, football, handball and other rural games and sports. We encourage students to take part in the inter-school competitions at the Taluka, District and State level and hold district level championships in our school. This allows our students to meet students from across the state. Music and dance is also encouraged.
Mr. Samir Somaiya makes it a point to meet the students and spend time with the children. Guests coming to the Plant, meet the students and interact with them. All this makes coming to school exciting and a learning experience.
Because of the school’s good facilities, we get good teachers. There is great pride in being part of the Somaiya Vidyavihar family.
