Selection by Integrated Village Development Programme, a local NGO
Education scholarships to the tune of Rs.15 lakh were
distributed this year by the Krishnagiri-based NGO, the Integrated
Village Development Programme (IVDP) to 150 children of widows in Self
Help Groups operating under it.
Speaking after
distributing the scholarship cheques, Director and Magsaysay Awardee
Kulandai Francis said here on Sunday that the scholarship scheme was
started with an aim to help the widows to give good education to their
wards.
The NGO had extended education scholarship to
the tune of Rs. 53-lakh to 530 children of widows in Self Help Groups
operating under its arm for higher education for the last four years, he
added.
Out of the 530 students 135 students are pursuing Engineering courses and rest of them have taken up Arts and Science groups.
The
precondition for offering scholarships to the students for the entire
course is that they should pass in all subjects for continuity. The
family background of the members would be scrutinised by the field staff
of IVDP for selection.
Proper education
Mr.
Francis advised the students to pursue their college education and not
to divert their mind until they complete their course.
Education is the only tool to reform the society and to make people aware of social evils.
He
also expressed his concern that many college students became criminal
due to lack of proper education and counselling. They should be
counselled properly, as it will help to groom good future citizens of
the country, Mr. Francis added.
Participating as
chief guest Pon Kumar, Chief Education Officer (SSA) said that
``perseverance, self confidence and sheer intelligence’’ are the mantras
for success.
R. Natarajan, Principal, District
Institute of Education and Training (DIET) also spoke. Earlier, short
films on topics such as self-confidence and respecting elders were also
screened.
There is no doubt that New Delhi’s new
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s promise immediately after his sworn in
ceremony on Saturday that ``corruption-free and a new style of
governance without exhibition of arrogance of power’’ has created a big
impact among people.
Praise for Kejriwal
His statement brings a big relief and a ray of hope for me, as I had been a victim of the arrogance of power, said. Mr.Fancis.
He said that words of Mr.Kejriwal had more meaning for people like him who were once the victim of arrogance of power.
He
said he was also the victim of arrogance of power while working for the
upliftment of the poor and downtrodden during 1979, the early days of
formation of the NGO.
He had bitter experience with
the bureaucracy while building check dams in backward area near
Natrampalayam near Anchetty in Krishangiri district.
The
funding agencies sanctioned funds for construction of check dams with a
condition that the cement should be bought in the government controlled
price and not in the open market.
Hence, he
approached the authorities for cement permit, but several of his
attempts went in vain, whereas influential people got the permit to buy
cement under the controlled price after greasing the palms of the
machinery.
While announcing the awardees in July
2012, the Philippines based Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation said that
Mr. Kulandei Francis was recognised for “his visionary zeal, his
profound faith in community energies, and his sustained programmes in
pursuing the holistic economic empowerment of thousands of women and
their families in rural India.” The IVDP founded two decades ago has
9000 self-help groups in Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri and Vellore districts.
The NGO’s transactions through the SHGs have crossed Rs. 5000-crore this year, Mr. Francis said.
