Projects Supported through Prajnopaya Foundation, India:
YNK College, Vaishali (Bihar), India
We are so pleased to announce that the enrollment of first cohort of students has begun at the YNK College. Prajnopaya continues to provide support for this new liberal arts college which has received government accreditation. The college bridges a need for women in rural India to continue with their education beyond tertiary levels. Phase I of buildings with classrooms, labs, administrative offices and library has been completed. Phase II will comprise of a vocational school and workshop spaces.
Number of Students: 2500 (when fully built out)
Area of Operation: Bihar, India
Ahan TB Program
The objective of the Aahan program is to develop and implement a model Tuberculosis control program that is community specific. Official statistics rarely give an accurate picture of the situation on the ground, and are a poor guide for program design. For this reason, it is essential to spend considerable effort in collecting data, building relationships and training staff to make sure the program is a success.
Project Supported: TB Treatment and Prevention
Area of Operation: Bihar, India
Serves a catchment area of 300,000.
Upaya Care: Shravan Sudhar Ek Prayas
Distribution of hearing aids for underprivileged elderly and children so they may continue to attend school and not succumb to social stigma.
Project Supported: Diagnosis camps in underprivileged areas; Cost of Hearing
Numbers of Hearing Aids Distributed: 575
Area(s) of Operation: Delhi NCR and Bihar, India
Jamyang School
The Jamyang School is a secular boarding school with the aim of offering free education as well as guiding children in ethically and environmentally friendly behavior. The construction work at the totally undeveloped property began in June 2007 with a donation from the Dalai Lama Trust. Within a year, the infrastructure for water and electricity has been laid and a hostel has been completed, which also served as the school building in the first year.
Projects Supported: Computer Literacy, Solar Power, and Community Leadership and Ethics Programs
Number of Students: 312 (from Nomadic Communities)
Area of Operation: Leh (Laddakh), India
Shaheed Baikunth Shukul Balika Vidyalaya
Shaheed Baikunth Shukul Balika Vidyalaya is primary and secondary schools providing much needed education to girls in poor villages.
Projects Supported: Vocational Training and Stationary Supplies
Number of Students: 600
Area of Operation: Vaishali District, Bihar, India
Digital Literacy Initiative
Basic literacy skills and education still remains a challenge for majority of population in India. Prajnopaya has launched an innovative program that aims to deliver literacy skills through digital tablets and programs right into the community. In Fall of 2014, 2 pilots were launched in impoverished communities of India targeting young kids.
Projects Supported: Cost of Teachers, Tablets and other infrastructure
Number of Students: 260
Area(s) of Operation: Mavaiya (Slum) and Bhadot (village) near Varanasi, UP and Dalsighsarai, Bihar.
Transformative Teachers India
Ethics and values based learning program for teachers to facilitate implementing of ethics programs in middle and high schools in India.
Projects Supported: Cost of Teachers and other infrastructure
Number of Teachers: 455+
Area(s) of Operation: Kashmir and Delhi, India.
Science, Monks, & Technology Leadership
A program specifically designed for young Tibetans living in diaspora communities. This program bring together a group of exceptional young individuals to train them in leadership and technology skills to design and implement a number of interventions that would help improve the life of diaspora communities. Some of these projects have been scaled up:
- Production of Bio-degradable pesticides to be used by farmers and nurseries
- Tibetan-English Math Dictionary for TCV Schools (authored and published by participants)
- Tree Planting Campaign
- Bicycle powered electricity program from small scale houses
- Subtitling of STEM Videos into Tibetan
Projects Supported: Cost of program and seed funding for peer approved projects
Number of Students: 140+
Area(s) of Operation: Tibetan Diaspora Communities, India and Nepal.
Solar Panel Project
Challenges in power infrastructure and the rising cost of electricity prevent many regions of India from meeting basic needs, impacting education, healthcare and community living facilities. In an effort to address these issues in Tibetan refugee communities and the Himalayan region, Prajnopaya supported the installation of solar panels at Jamyang School and Likir Monastery in Laddakh. We also provided a knowledge base for alternate energy sources in Tibetan communities across India.
Projects Supported: Cost of solar panels, installment, and maintenance
System Type: 46 thin-film PV panels
System Capacity: 5.75 kWh
Batteries: 8 units (12V, 150Ah each)
Areas of Operation: Ladakh and Varanasi, India
Upaya Care: Blanket, Clothing, Medicine, and Food Drive
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we distributed food and medical supplies in several areas. Every year thousands of people suffer during cold winter weathers in India. Impoverished communities and children are the most vulnerable. Pandemic and flooding caused by climate change has exacerbated the situation. Prajnopaya will continue with its winter clothing and food drives in slums.
Projects Supported: Cost of blankets, winter clothes, food, and transport.
Number of people: 3000+
Areas of Operation: Sarnath, Varanasi; Rajgir and Nalanda, India