About Ekal
Ekal Abhiyan is a movement, driven by many organisations to achieve the common objective of holistic development of Rural & Tribal India and Nepal. At present all its organisations work in synergy under an umbrella called Ekal Abhiyan Trust to make it as one of the largest grass-root movement driven by volunteers.
The main activity undertaken in this movement is to run One Teacher Schools (known as Ekal Vidyalayas) to take the education to the doorstep of rural children. The overriding philosophy of Ekal Vidyalaya Movement is to take a holistic approach of social and economic development. The Ekal movement aims to help eradicate illiteracy from rural and tribal India and Nepal following the philosophy of rural development based on the criteria of equality & inclusiveness across all the sections of the society.
FRIENDS OF TRIBALS SOCIETY – SINCE 1989
EKAL VIDYALAYA FOUNDATION OF INDIA – SINCE 1999
SHRI HARI SATSANG SAMITI- SINCE 1997
BHARAT LOK SHIKSHA PARISHAD- SINCE 2000
AROGYA FOUNDATION- SINCE 2003
EKAL SANSTHAN SINCE- 2008
EKAL GRAMOTHAN FOUNDATION – SINCE 2014
EKAL YUVA SINCE- 2018
Ekal Role
The tribal / rural inhabitants live in remote areas, far from major cities. Those areas are highly deprived of basic amenities, modern facilities and even basic infrastructure, especially on the operational level. These areas are often non-reachable by road and henceneglected by development agencies. In this scenarioEkal Vidyalaya Movement emerged as the most pragmatic solution to this National Need.
During the initial survey in 1986, Ekal had to tackle many issues that came in the way to start One Teacher Schools in the villages. The prime issue of lack of interest for education was tackled by introducing the joyful learning system; a non-formal method of teaching. This gradually created interest for learning. The Ekal schools' schedules were also decided on convenient hours, allowing time for household responsibilities of the children. Schools close to the doorsteps of the villagers solved the problem of commuting.
Despite the introduction of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan & RTE (Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act), there is a continued need for Ekal schools as indicated in several reports of the Ministry of HRD, Govt. of India, on poor learning outcome among rural & tribal children. In terms of economic barriers, Ekal follows a low-cost model, driven by the volunteers, providing free education to all the students.
Gandhi Peace award of 2017 presented to Ekal Abhiyan Trust by the Honorable President of India Shri Ramnath Kovind in the presence of the Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, being received by the senior most volunteer Late Shri Mangilal Ji Jain.
Vision & Mission
Vision
Holistic development of nation through empowerment of Tribal and Rural communities with Education and Skills (Both traditional and digital), Health Awareness, Modern Agriculture and Non-Farm Rural Entrepreneurship.
Mission
- To facilitate the process of empowering rural and tribal communities based on the concept of social, economic & gender equality
- To give non-formal Primary education through One Teacher School
- The idea of Ekal is to connect people in urban areas with their fellow countrymen living in rural & tribal areas.
Our Supporters
Ekal Vidyalaya is primarily supported by individuals which makes it a largest individual donation-based movement in the world.
Apart from the individual donors, Ekal is also supported by Business Houses under CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) and by different Charitable Foundations to carry forward their objective of taking education to the grass-roots. At present Ekal Donors are present in India, USA, Gulf, Canada, Australia, and many more countries across the world. The contributions under the trust ‘Ram Janki Seva Nyas’ is dedicated to support various objectives of Ekal Abhiyan.
Ekal invites individual donors, Charitable Foundations, Companies for CSR to join this movement of empowering the last man in the last row.
Advisory Committee
Padamshree Rameshwarlajii kabra
FTS Patron
Mananiya Shyamji Gupt
Kendriya Sangthan Prabhari
Shri Sajanji Bansal
FTS President
Shri Rameshji Saraogi
FTS Working President
Shri Rameshji Maheshwari
FTS General Secretary
Shri Bajranglalji Bagra
President Ekal Abhiyan Trust
Awards
Parivartan Kumbh award
Gandhi Peace Prize 2017
Pride Of Bengal Award 2019
Goyal Peace Prize
Lions Tersa Award
CMAI CSR leadership
CMAI CSR leadership
CSRBox 6th Impact Award
Goyal Peace Prize
Literacacy Hero Award
Samanvay Samvet Sanmarg Awards
Gandhi Peace Award of 2017
Make A Difference
Makar Sankranti Upahar Yojana
To collect funds to provide Makar Sankranti upahar to all the Acharyas of Ekal Vidyalayas and Sevavrati Karyakartas.
Seva Patra Yojana
Each One Teach One! This is to create awareness in each urban child to understand the social responsibility and find pleasure in supporting the education of at least one rural child in a year. Small Donation Boxes for homes are provided for this purpose. Rs. 1000/- is the support amount for the education of one rural child for a year.
Hand to Hand Sale
Goods that are in abandon and in good condition with the families in the cities, is collected for sale. This sale is organised for the underprivileged. This is an opportunity for the city dwellers to clear the clutter which in turn provides good products at a very affordable price to the people of low-income group.
Ekal Shiksha Uphar Yojana
To collect donations by promoting ‘Gift Coupons’ in the cities.
Exhibitions
Apart from providing a platform to buyers and sellers, this is to reach out to the public to create awareness about the objectives of Ekal Abhiyan.
Anchal Vikas Yojana
To strengthen Anchal Samitis as their role is to help and support the activities of the villages. They are the bridge between the city and the villages.
Sah Samitis
These are formed in small towns by the Mahila Samitis of Nagar Sangthan.
Karyakarta Care
By keeping live contacts and visits.
Van Yatra - A Unique Experience
Seeing is believing … There is no better substitute than undertaking a "Van-Yatra" to experience the Ekal Schools and its programs directly. This is a pilgrimage which helps in giving first-hand information about the activities of Ekal.
- Vanayatra can be arranged in any part of India, where Ekal schools operate.
- The distance and road conditions to reach Ekal School(s) in tribal/rural area can vary depending on the location. The car-ride could take 1 to 5 hours and a part or major portion of the trip could be on un-paved roads.
- Please note that Ekal Schools may be closed on Sundays, holidays and festivals and should be planned with the advice of the local coordinators
Overnight Stay
Generally, Vanayatra is a day’s trip and does not include over night stay. However, if overnight stay is desired, the visitor should discuss with the local coordinator well in advance.
The Cost: Our work being solely dependent on donations, entire incidental expenses incurred in the proposed trip will be borne by the visitors which may range around Rs. 3000-3500 per day.
Testimonials
Shri Ramnath Kovind (President of India)
“The Ekal Abhiyan Trust helps 2.2.million children among them more than 52 percent of girl child participation out of presently rolled out children – with the access to education. Many of its initiatives benefit tribal communities; all of its initiatives are a tribute to the Mahatma Gandhi and his vision.
Shri Narendra Modi (Prime Minister of India)
“Education is strong means to empowerment and Ekal Abhiyan Trust is working in remote areas, so that children from tribal families get the opportunity to study. The role in furthering women empowerment is laudatory. Congratulations to them for the Gandhi Peace Prize, 2017.
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam (Former President of India)
I visited a village in Andhra Pradesh where I was invited to visit a One Teacher School –One Teacher taking class upto Class 5 to 10 students. I went there at 7’ oclock in the evening and it was a full moon night, the teachers got all the students outside with a blackboard started explaining about moon and significance of full moon…..this is Creative Education, Creative Classroom, Creative Teacher and Creative Environment. This is the type of environment we should create.
Smt Nirmala Sitharaman (Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Govt of India)
The little episode with boys and girls from an Ekal School gives you one little message, learning even arithmetic has to blend with lot of joy, dancing and singing and doing other things.
Dr (Smt) Prema Pandurang (Home of Culture and Kshetropasna Charitable Trust))
Since its inception I came to know about good work FTS is doing in tribal area. All of us have to do some daan & the greatest daan is Vidyadaan that is something which makes a life of a person meaningful and purposeful. I am so happy that FTS like a banyan tree is spreading its leaves far wide and lakhs of underprivileged children are having the benefit of education.
Sri Sajjan Bhajanka (Managing Director Century Plyboard India)
I am associated with FTS from its inception. Ekal Vidyalaya is lighting a lamp to curb the curse of illiteracy from thousands of tribal children across India. This is the highest form of service to nation in my opinion.
Sri Siddharth Jain (Director Inox Group)
Such a huge organization serving more than 55,000 villages across India. The work FTS is doing is unique and needs to be supported. It’s about a way of life improving the quality of life for our future generation and clearly education is extremely important. Ekal Vidyalaya is a brilliant institution and they are doing such a great work. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also recognized this institution. We are extremely proud of our association and we are definitely going to make it a long run.
Sri Kishore Biyani (Founder & CEO Future Group)
I have been participating in what work FTS is doing and I wish that everyone should participate in helping them to do what they have sought themselves to achieve.
Sri Sajan Kumar Bansal (Managing Director of Skipper Limited)
I went for Vanyatra in the Gumla Village of Jharkhand initially as a donor. I was so happy to see children studying in FTS schools with such concentration and dedication and was impressed with the work that FTS is doing. My association with FTS became deeper and presently I am working President of FTS.
Sri Ajay Parimal (Chairperson Piramal Group & Shivram Group)
FTS is doing very humane service. First of all, it is dealing with tribals and adivasis who till now have been segregated from the main stream of Country. If India has to progress then we have to bring them into our main stream. If you believe that it is important that India grows then people have to take part in growth stories and education is the only mean for this growth.
