Small steps and big strides in Indian villages . . .
Making a Difference One Village at a Time

In the small rural village of Mod in the state of Maharastra in India, the local high school had no toilet or bathroom facilities. The lack of basic bathroom facilities in schools is common in rural India. However in Mod, this seemingly minor problem had become a major hindrance to the education of the young girls of the community. The lack of toilet facilities made it nearly impossible for many of the young female students to remain on campus for a full day of classes. But as a result of Lend-a-Hand India's Introduction to Basic Technology (IBT) program, the students of the Mod School were equipped with the skills and resources to make a change in their school and their community. In February 2007, the students designed and constructed toilet facilities for the school. They identified a suitable location on the campus, prepared the design and budget, purchased the raw materials, chose the safety tank model most suitable for rural environment and as a group project undertook construction of the toilet. Read more >>

**********
One in five graduates of the IBT program offered by Lend-A-Hand India wants to become an entrepreneur, but with no capital or experience there is little chance. Lend-A-Hand India saw a way to extend help by providing bridge loans to qualified candidates to get them started, a mentor to provide guidance in business development and access to capital from the formal banking system. This works. Open the door just a crack, and the ambitious and the hard-working will make their way through. The bridge loan fund program is a natural extension of Lend-A-Hand India’s flagship project PLAN 100. Sundar is one such IBT graduate and the recipient of the first loan from the bridge fund. Read more >>

*********
In the village of Bhivadi, the students are building a water tank for the community as part of their practical learning. Initiatives like these not only enrich students with hands on experience but also instill the importance of community service, and a major aspect of the vocational training program, sustainability.

*********
Gopal Dound from Kem got a job as Forest Ranger because he got timely information about the job vacancy through the Swadheen Library, part of Lend-A-Hand India’s career counseling project.

*********
In the village of Rajuri, 80% of the students selected the courses for further education on the basis of career counseling and aptitude tests organized by Lend-A-Hand India.