Questions and Answers

What do you teach the children?

We attempt to use as much of the national curriculum as possible, spanning formally recognised ‘Standards’ 1 to 5 in addition to ‘life’ skills. These include health education e.g. basic nutrition and hygiene, environmental awareness, agricultural techniques and social skills. However, Reach to Teach's objective is to develop curricula tailored to children in rural environments who may have different needs to those children already in the formal state system.

What about girls? Do you focus on them in any way?

We lay equal emphasis on girls and boys. Our attendance levels are up to about 50% girls in each village. We also encourage children to bring their very young pre school siblings, if caring for them would otherwise prevent them from attending.

You currently focus on Gujarat. Where will you fund activities in the future?

Our core aim is to focus on reaching the unreached. Our target area in the medium term is the western tribal belt, but we are also actively seeking to offer services in other parts of India in the longer term. Having completed our initial pilot, we are now in the start-up phase. As with any start-up, we are investing with relatively little return initially.

How have you fundraised to date?

Reach To Teach was initially funded personally by Sanjeev Gandhi and we now have supporters in the UK and the USA. A fundraising programme is run by the directors of Reach to Teach UK.