All India Movement for Seva
Swami Dayananda Saraswati, the founder
Regarded as one of the most profound thinkers of our time, Swami Dayananda Saraswati is a world-renowned spiritual leader and an authority on Vedanta. AIM for Seva was born out of his vision to bring value-based education and health care to the least privileged sections of society. He is also the founder-chairman of the Swami Dayananda Educational Trust (SDET), which aims to bring high quality education to rural India, starting with his birthplace, Manjakkudi, in Tamil Nadu.Know more about Swamiji, his teachings and programs from www.swamidayananda.org
The Organization: AIM for Seva was established in the year 2000 as a charity to enable children in rural India to access education through an innovative concept called Free Student Home (FSH). Spread across 100 locations in 14 states of India, these Free Student Homes provide children with free education in a neighborhood school along with boarding, lodging, after-school coaching and extra-curricular activities.
Through a unique blend of value education and innovative teaching, AIM for Seva transforms these children into confident young men and women, who are better equipped to contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic development of their communities and nation. They are academically bright and nearly half of them move to higher education or vocational training. AIM for Seva plans to establish 200 more homes by the year 2020, to reach education to some of the most remote regions of the country.
The Innovation: The main problem in rural education in India is access to schools, followed by high dropout rates.
Located near a local school, the FSH provides a home away from home; a place to stay, uniforms, extra tuttion, healthcare, educational materials and above all, an enabling environment for a student to flourish.
When the FSH is built in proximity to an existing school:
- No new investment is needed in schools
- The child’s environment is focused on education.
- Attendance in school improves, leading to better performance.
The Reach: AIM for Seva is present in 14 states with 100 projects serving rural children in some of the remotest regions of the country. A major milestone is the 100th FSH in Lucknow.
The Impact: Sample these facts:
- pass rate in exams: >90%
- Vision 2020: 200 new homes.
- Low overhead costs: less than 10% of budget.
- 14,000 children directly benefited, and growing.
- Environmentally friendly practices: Solar energy and heating.
- Teaching Innovations: Employability skill, Digital learning.
Where Your Dollar Goes:
AIM for Seva’s administrative costs are remarkably low, less than 10% of the operating costs.AIM for Seva owns and manages projects using a direct delivery model, which ensures that donor funding is more effectively used for programmes and running student homes.
Please Donate: Providing value-based education to thousands of rural and tribal children may seem like an uphill task, but it can be accomplished with your help! Every donation takes us further in building an educated and more confident India!
Our number of donation levels and options also makes it easier for you to empower a rural child. You can contribute on line or by check.
Danam – Giving is twice blessed, it blesses the one who gives and the one who receives -Swami Dayananda Saraswati