Funding

• How is Vidya & Child funded? 
Vidya & Child is funded by Charitable Institutions, Corporate & Individuals. Contributions from individuals formed a major source of funding for us in our initial years and as we grew in strength, corporate & charitable institutions showed their belief in us by funding our organization. 

• How are funds utilised?
Each centre of Vidya and Child has a separate annual budget which is approved by its Board and adhered to very religiously. The funds collected form a common pool and are allocated to different centers as per their budget. Detailed budgeting helps us in accounting for every rupee spent and also to use our limited resources most effectively. 

Contributions

• I want to make some contribution. What is the minimum amount that I am required to pay? Can I pay monthly? How do I pay?
It’s up to you completely! There is no minimum amount. You can also pay any amount monthly or quarterly or at any other period as per your convenience. However if you want to know what amount can help a child in a significant way or if you want to donate for something specific and are keen to know about the donation options, please click on the “Donate” Tab of the Main Menu or Contact Us and we shall be pleased to connect with you and share our requirements at that point in time.

Remember, even small contributions do help. A small amount by many like you, adds up to a sizeable amount, so don’t hesitate. Act now! 

• Will I get a tax exemption certificate? 
In India, contributions to Vidya & Child are 50 % tax deductible. Vidya and Child will provide with 80G certificate to individual donors. 

Outside India (US & UK), you can donate through http://www.giveindia.org/, mention that the contribution is for "Vidya & Child" and you could qualify for tax exemption in your country. Check at the Give India site to see if your country of tax filing is listed as a qualifier for tax exemption on donation. For more details on the donation options, click on the Donate Tab.

• How are my funds being utilized? 
If you have contributed for a specific project/programme of Vidya & Child, then your funds will be utilized for that purpose only, but in case you have opted for a general fund (through Give India),  then your money will take care of expenses incurred in the running of Vidya & Child. 

• Will I be able to get the name of the child I have sponsored?
We welcome all our donors to visit our centers anytime and interact with the children and our staff. Funds are pooled and children are not assigned to a specific donor. Donors are free to ask any questions about how their contributions are helping us. However, we do not encourage linking a child to an individual donor for reasons very humane. All children, no matter which socio-economic class they belong to, should be healthy, should enjoy their childhood and should be educated. What we are giving them is what they deserve as their fundamental right. And we feel that the children should not be obliged to anyone for the support they receive. 

• What kind of feedback can we expect? 
We do keep all our donors updated through our Newsletters, Annual Report and other communication which we send from time to time. However, in case any further information is required, please feel free to contact us.

Processes

• What is the process of enrolling children?
The admission process at Vidya & Child is structured  – 
- Admission dates are announced and spread through word of mouth by our children as well as notices displayed at our centres. 
- Informal interaction with the parent and the child is held to see their willingness and seriousness to take on this responsibility and are told about rules & regulations at the school.

- The child takes a test for us to gauge which class the child is suitable for. 
- Based on test results, the child is awarded admission and a suitable class and section is allocated. Overage children are also given admission based on pre-decided criteria and evaluation of their knowledge levels

- Admission forms are filled. 

- An orientation meeting is held with the parents

• Why is an admission test necessary?
Admission tests conducted by Vidya & Child judge a child’s ability rather than a child’s knowledge. They are also required since in many cases though the child may have studied in his village till Class III but may have reading and writing skills of Class I only. In such a scenario it is important for us to conduct this test to understand where the child fits in. 

• How do you involve the parents & what is their responsibility? 
At Vidya and Child the parents play an active part in the educational process of a child. We interact with the parents at various levels – 
- Regular Parent Teacher Meetings to update them of their child’s academic as well as non-academic progress and areas of improvement. 
- Meetings of parents with the Staff who help them to envision a purposeful future for their children. 
- We also hold various Health Camps for the parents and the children. 

In keeping with the organisation’s approach of enablement, the parents contribute towards the cost of uniform, books & stationery, ensure regularity and punctuality of their wards and endeavour to provide a congenial environment at home for the child’s education.

• Till what class do you teach and why do you mainstream after that?
A child’s initial years in school are the most enriching and formative ones. We take extra care while initiating a child into an educational process to enhance his growth and yearning to learn. 
Till 2017, children studied at our centres from Nursery to Class V after which they were mainstreamed into schools from where they completed studying Class XII. From 2017 onwards, we teach them till Class VIII as we have been registered with the U.P. Board. The benefits that arise in mainstreaming children are as follows: 
1) Concept Building at the primary level helps children aspire for strong educational career after Class XII : The academic years that a child spends with us helps in developing the child conceptually. A detailed content exposes the child in various ways to enable him to successfully compete in the mainstream. 
2) Advantage for Overaged Children: Catch up on lost years. We follow a system where Classes Nursery to Class V (Class VIII after registration) is divided between levels. To complete the academic requirements for a particular class, a student does not need a full calendar year. As and when he completes a level he can be moved up to the next level. This system helps many of the overage children as they save on their years, build a strong educational base without compromising on building of their concepts and can be hopefully mainstreamed at the right age. 
3) Establishing Relationships with parents: A child enrolling with us is here till he or she completes school education. During the time a child is with us in the School Programme, it helps in building a strong understanding between the parent and us. We are able to develop an understanding on the environment at home, the present as well as future challenges that the child will face, how strong is the emotional bond between the parents and the child, what will be required from us to ensure that the child completes school education. It also gives time to the parent to save for the child’s education in future. 

• Does the child stop coming to you once he/she is mainstreamed?

Our association with each child continues till Class XII and beyond. When the children are mainstreamed, they come back to us in the evenings for four hours every day. We continue to provide them with further academic reinforcements, financial support as well as mentoring support and holistic development through our Life Skills Programme and Arts & Performing Arts Programme.

 
• Who provides the Financial Support for mainstream education? 
Vidya & Child facilitates admission of children into the formal school system after the child completes Class V (Class VIII from 2017 onwards) at our centres. School costs are borne jointly by the parents and us. Parents contribute towards their child’s school education costs, to whatever extent is possible for them. This is to ensure that the parents further acquire a sense of commitment and are involved in the child’s education. We encourage them to start saving early so that when the child approaches the Mainstreaming Phase, the savings are directed towards admission to schools. 

• What happens when a child completes his studies? 
From Class IX onwards, we put the child on our Career and Mentoring programme which guides him to ascertain his potential and chalk out his career goals and help him work towards the same. 

• Why is there an emphasis on extracurricular activities? 
As all other children, these children also need to enjoy their childhood. They live in extremely challenging conditions and are emotionally very vulnerable. 
Extra-curricular activities lets them live their childhood, they laugh, they share, have fun and they begin to dream. They dream of a normal life, start thinking positively about themselves and develop into confident children. Such activities provide them a platform for creative expression.
Our children have successfully performed tabla, kathak, western dance, plays in Hindi & English for a varied audience, ranging from 200 to 2000 people. They have also staged a painting exhibition. Participation and performances in internal as well as external events gives them an opportunity to showcase their talent as also builds their confidence, outlook and personality, thus bringing about holistic development in its true sense 

• How can a Volunteer help? 
We firmly believe in involving as many individuals as possible to broaden our reach and also sensitize people in the process. Volunteers are an integral part of Vidya & Child. We feel Volunteers are an asset for our children because: 
- they have a big positive influence 
- they impart additional knowledge and help strengthen their concepts. 
- Children hold them in high esteem as they are their real life role models of where education can take them. 
- Volunteers also expose the children to available career options & guide them accordingly 
- A Volunteer can help teach the children with academic subjects like Science, Mathematics, and English etc. and also in non-academic activities like creative writing, tabla, music, theatre, sculpture and art. 
Please contact us to know more about the different Volunteering Options

• What is the minimum qualification you look for in a teacher? 
Though we do not have a fixed criterion with respect to educational qualifications or number of years of experience, however we definitely look for passionate people who believe in the cause and are willing to work hands-on with the community. 
We advertise in local newspapers and also spread a word around about our requirements from time to time. To know more, please click on the “Work with us” option of “Support Us” tab