CherYsh Junior Shikshas
CherYsh Shiksha offers an excellent opportunity for children in rural India to develop holistically through its After School Learning Centers. The program focuses on creating village neighborhood learning spaces where children can learn in a comfortable and supportive environment.
To achieve this goal, young women from the community are selected and trained as Learning Facilitators for the Shikshas. Currently, more than a thousand children across 26 villages benefit from this program. The CherYsh Shikshas use an Active Rural Curriculum that incorporates various engaging methodologies.
The CherYsh Shiksha program provides a valuable opportunity for children in rural India to experience holistic development through its After School Learning Centres. Focusing on creating supportive village neighborhood learning spaces, the initiative empowers local young women to serve as trained Learning Facilitators. Currently, over 1,200 children across 31 villages benefit from this program, which employs an Active Rural Curriculum featuring engaging methodologies such as music, art, puppetry, and games. With an emphasis on teaching English and Math through phonics-based learning modules, Learning Facilitators are equipped with digital tools to enhance the educational experience.
In addition to academic support for school homework and exam preparation, the program promotes physical health through dedicated sports days and nurtures creativity through workshops in various artistic activities. Every week, a day is dedicated to sports and physical activities, with all Junior Shiksha’s equipped with sports kits. Children also get an opportunity to enhance their creative skills by participating in arts and creative skills workshops.
These workshops provide hands-on practice in various creative activities such as clay modelling, paper craft, creative writing, plays, songs, and dance, with experienced trainers leading them.Since its inception in 2015, CherYsh is significantly contributing to the academic and personal growth of children in rural communities.
CherYsh English Shikshas
CherYsh Shiksha programs prioritize the training of facilitators who anchor the Shiksha centers. The intensive training calendar includes 40 plus in person sessions and supplementary online sessions for facilitators. The goal is to develop competent and confident educators from the local community. The training is designed to incorporate a carefully crafted pedagogy, technology, and subject coaching sessions once every month. Qualified women are selected and trained as learning facilitators for the Shiksha’s, and the training modules are filled with activities, songs and play elements that make learning an enjoyable experience.
The CherYsh Prepare Vertical has had a transformative effect on the lives of over 500 plus women from the village of Haliyal, who have become confident educators with regular income. The program’s success is attributed to its focus on developing the facilitators competencies and confidence, leading to better learning outcomes for the children they teach.
Collaboration with Deshpande Foundation – Skill in Village program
The CherYsh English Shiksha program, in collaboration with the Deshpande Foundation, is a vital educational initiative aimed at enhancing the language skills of students aged 10 to 14 in Haliyal Taluk, Uttara Kannada. Operating for over three years, this program focuses on equipping students with proficient English language skills, fostering self-confidence, and developing effective communication abilities essential for their academic and personal growth.
With a target of benefiting 30 to 35 students per English Shiksha center, the program emphasizes improving language proficiency, self-expression, and integrating critical life skills such as problem-solving and leadership. Through a variety of interactive activities and targeted training, CherYsh English Shiksha strives to prepare students for higher education and better opportunities, ultimately empowering them for success in their future endeavors.
This recurring intervention spans a 12-month timeline, ensuring sustained support and development for the beneficiaries, with the goal of impacting over 1,000 students during its operational period. This is also a livelihood opportunity for the young women from the community who are selected and trained as Learning Facilitators
Testimonials from students, learning facilitators, and school authorities indicate that the CherYsh English Program has helped students improve their spoken and written English skills, vocabulary, and gained confidence.
Currently, in the 2024-25 academic year, we are collaborating with 18 villages and 20 government schools, impacting nearly 1,000 students. This project is generously supported by Tata Elxsi as part of their CSR initiative.
CherYsh e-Shikshas
CherYsh is committed to fostering entrepreneurial opportunities for rural women in Haliyal by identifying their skills and nurturing their potential in home-based industries. Through its initiatives, CherYsh has successfully created livelihood opportunities, empowering these women to become entrepreneurs and valuable financial contributors to their families.
The livelihood programs in Haliyal, mentored and guided by CherYsh, focus on promoting the economic empowerment of women in the region. By generating these opportunities, CherYsh aims to enhance the standard of living for women and their families while contributing to the growth of the local economy.
CherYsh eShiksha Program: Empowering Rural Students with Technology
The e-Shiksha program aims to bridge the digital divide in the rural villages of Haliyal by providing quality technology education. It focuses on empowering Learning Facilitators as Master Trainers and equipping e-Shiksha centers with digital tools to foster holistic learning and problem-solving skills through coding and digital making. By doing so, the program seeks to create an inclusive and empowering educational environment, helping students thrive in the digital age.
The key objectives of the program include enhancing students’ proficiency in programming, logical thinking, and physical computing, conducting regular assessments to track their progress, and offering comprehensive training for Learning Facilitators to effectively deliver the curriculum. Within one academic year, students from each e-Shiksha center are expected to develop at least one project for coding competitions, promoting innovation and creativity.
The core activities of the program involve revamping existing school or community spaces to create well-equipped computer labs, accessible to students from grades 5 to 9. Workshops and hands-on sessions are organized to build computational skills, while a 50-hour computing curriculum for each grade is developed, progressing from visual coding tools like Scratch to advanced languages like Python and HTML. The curriculum is designed to integrate academic subjects like Math, Science, Geography, and English, demonstrating real-world problem-solving applications. Teacher training is also a critical component, with ongoing support provided to educators throughout the year.
Operating in Haliyal Taluk, Uttara Kannada, Karnataka, the program has been in operation for over three years, benefiting a minimum of 30 to 35 students per center, aged between 10 and 16 years. The intervention is recurring and spans a 12-month timeline, ensuring continuous support for the students and facilitators involved.