Discover. Learn. Thrive.
खोजो। सीखो। आगे बढ़ो।
WHAT IF every child...
...had a teacher who understood them as a whole person?
…could read and do math at grade level?
…could complete the phrase: I see… I think… I wonder?
…could believe they could make their dreams come true?
Vidya Vriksh Gurukul (the Learning Tree Centre) is a community-run learning centre created to provide these opportunities to children in the remote rural farming communities of Uttar Pradesh, India.
VVG offers a rich learning environment designed so that every child in these communities can thrive.
The Challenge
Literacy rates in the rural communities of Uttar Pradesh are some of the lowest in India. Most youth in the area do not have basic skills in reading and math regardless of whether they attend school or not.
24%
Less than a quarter of youth ages 8-17 in Kisun Nagar Village can read at grade level.*
15%
Only a small fraction of youth ages 8-17 in Kisun Nagar Village can do math at grade level.*
31%
Almost a third of youth in Kisun Nagar Village have dropped out of school by 9th grade.*
*Data from 2024 survey of youth in Kisun Nagar Village, Uttar Pradesh where Vidya Vriksh Gurukul is located.
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Our Approach
Vidya Vriksh Gurukul trains local teachers in rural areas to deliver high quality education to children in their own communities.
Our educational support begins with early childhood (preschool) and primary afterschool programs, and continues through each child’s secondary education.
We also believe in engaging parents as partners in their children's education.
Outcomes
SINCE 2023...
~60% of community youth (3 to 11 yrs) regularly attending VVG preschool and primary programs.
Enrollment doubled from 23 to 45 students regularly attending VVG programs with 92% reenrollment rate.
57% of preschool students progressed from "emerging" to age-calibrated "mastery" of skills across 5 critical developmental areas: Socio-Emotional Skills; Motor Skills; Language Development; Preliteracy and Prenumeracy Skills.
6 new skilled community jobs created including 5 local teachers and 1 manager hired and trained.
Parent attendance has increased from 30 to 65% at monthly school meetings.
80 Donors & 11 Volunteer Advisors & Interns have contributed funds and skills to support our work.
Our Partners
We are delighted to be partnering with these education organizations. VVG is also supported by Youth Co:Lab, an initiative co-led by UNDP and Citi Foundation.
