EuroSchool, a leading network of K-12 schools with 15,000 students in 6 cities, collaborated with Habitat for Humanity, an international NGO engaged in several social upliftment projects for underprivileged sections of society. This Christmas, the EuroSchool students in alliance with Habitat have decided to bring joy to Covid-19 affected families in across the country. 8 EuroSchools have come together over a period of 45 days to raise a commendable amount of Rs 25 lakh funds as a part of this initiative.

Rahul Deshpande, CEO, EuroSchool Group, said, “This pandemic has caused major emotional and financial distress among large sections of our society. We wanted to sensitise our children towards the plight of less fortunate and at the same time, instil a belief that their small collective actions can lead to bigger impact. The cornerstone of our pedagogy is “Holistic Development” which gives equal importance to the academic and non-academic curriculum to our students and we encourage our students to participate in community development. In this journey of a well-rounded education, children are guided through programmes that focus on ‘mindfulness’ and ‘social-responsibility’. Through the program our children have also received Habitat Young Leaders Build (HYLB) – Asia Pacific Volunteer Certificate & a Letter Of Reference for Global Universities for all top fundraisers. I commend the efforts of our students and faculty who participated in the program and would especially extend my regards to Habitat for Humanity for a wonderfully designed community service program, bringing our vision of ‘community service’ to life.”

Habitat for Humanity India guides and mentors students for crowdfunding through Habitat for Humanity Young Leaders Build (HYLB) Leadership Academic Training and Train the Trainer programs.

Habitat for Humanity India’s Managing Director Rajan Samuel said “We believe that children, if well nurtured, will become the responsible global citizens – who would choose action over excuse each day of their lives. Towards this, we are extremely humbled to have partnered with EuroSchool and their bright students. Through our small yet concerted efforts, we have been able to take forward our collective mission to provide dignity in living to the vulnerable section of the society.  Our partnership also enabled EuroSchoolers to gain hands-on experience in crowdfunding and has allowed children to not just raise funds but ‘project-plan and map’ to get a first hand experience on the projects they supported. We are delighted to collaborate with EuroSchool to offer a tangible way for students to make a positive impact on the community at a local level, helping them build a brighter future for thousands from lesser fortunate households.”

Students under the program are given a chance to choose a project they wanted to promote and raise funds for the same. All top fundraisers will be given Asia Pacific Volunteer Certificate and letter of reference for global universities under Habitat Young Leaders Build program. The project includes supporting communities to build strength, stability, self-reliance and resilience amidst the global outbreak of COVID-19. The partnership aims to help vulnerable communities through crowdfunding with clean water and sanitation, enhanced vocational and educational opportunities. This opportunity will bring leadership qualities in students and transform their life forever. It will also add value to their academic skills.

Habitat for Humanity International is a global, not-for-profit organization, based in Georgia, USA, whose mission is to combat poverty housing and homelessness around the world. Habitat has had a presence in India since 1983, and Habitat for Humanity India is a registered Trust in India, with all financial contributions being exempt under section 80G of the Indian Income Tax Act. India builds is a visionary campaign of Habitat for Humanity India, to provide housing solutions to 5 million low-income Indians over the next five years, and to inspire others to develop innovative housing solutions for the estimated 315 million Indians who lack a safe and decent place to call home.