MOTHER EASWARAMMA FOUNDATION

One of the significant programmes of the Mother Easwaramma Foundation Is the Mother Easwaramma Scholarship for the Girl Students. The girl child in India is often the most neglected member of the family. In many families, which are below the poverty line, the girl child is required to drop out of school and become an earning member well before she attains the age of majority. To encourage deserving girl children to pursue their academic ambitions and goals, the Mother Easwaramma Scholarship was instituted in the year 2000.

Distinct parameters are laid down, on the fulfilment of which, the scholarship is awarded, under this programme. For instance, the student must have an aggregate of at least 60% in the examination passed in the earlier academic year. The Convenors of the concerned Samithis should do a follow up on the student's academic performance, throughout the year through the concerned gurus. The annual income of the parents of the student should not exceed Rs. 72,000/- p.a. The child's attendance in Balvikas classes should be at least 80% and should be a regular student of Balvikas, for a minimum period of 3 years. The Guru should observe the behaviour and discipline of the student in the Balvikas classes. The scholarship will be awarded to students from Std. VIII and above. (Higher secondary school and college) The reason being that, it is at this juncture that due to additional expenses, children are made to drop out of schools. Apart from the above qualifications, the students are selected on the basis of an aptitude test, which is held at Dharmakshetra. The test will determine the child's knowledge on Indian Culture and Human Values through simple and easy questions on India, Indian culture and topics covered in Bal Vikas.

It is resolved to award this scholarship to the deserving Girl students of Mumbai and Sholapur.

EDUCATION IN HUMAN VALUES PROGRAMME

Under the aegis of the Institute of Sathya Sai Education (India), the Sri Sathya Sai Schooling for Excellence Curriculum has been introduced in 42 schools in Mumbai. As a part of the 80^th Birthday programme of Bhagawan Baba, the number of such 'adopted' schools is being raised to 80 during 2005. This would necessitate conducting extensive teacher-training courses and appreciably increasing the resource faculty.

The 'adopted schools' participate in an annual human values festival of music, dance and drama. The fifth annual event was recently held on 11^th and 12^th December 2004 in Dharmakshetra in which all the 42 schools had sent over 800 students to participate in a number of events. The annual festival in 2005 will be a mega event for over 1500 students from all the adopted schools. This will be one of the major educational activities conducted during 2005 under the 80^th Birthday programme.

SRI SATHYA SAI AWARENESS PROGRAMME FOR THE YOUTH

The Sri Sathya Sai Awareness Programme for Youth is an activity designed to convey Swami's message on Human Values and National Integration the Youth of the various colleges across Mumbai and Goa; with the knowledge firmly entrenched in the mind that it is the Youth of today who are the leaders of tomorrow. Accordingly essay, elocution, impromptu speaking, poster-making, group singing and drama competitions are conducted n the colleges, on topics pertaining to themes centered on the human values of truth, righteous conduct, love, peace and non violence and patriotism with a view to encourage the students to think and reflect on the same and thereby resolve to transform themselves.

It is proposed to conduct this programme in 80 colleges of Mumbai and Goa in the year 2005.

SRI SATHYA SAI BALVIKAS ARCHAIVE

The Sri Sathya Sai Bal Vikas Movement is an important milestone in the Divine Mission of Bhagwan Baba. Dharmakshetra has had a very important role to play in this movement and as such the first of its kind is being set up at Dharmakshetra to emphasise the histrorical and conceptual development of the Sri Sathya Sai Bal Vikas and its importance in the world.