Sri Ramacharan Charitable Trust (SRCT),

Education remains one of India's biggest problems. An estimated 44% of the population aged 15 years and above, is illiterate (source: UNESCO, 2000). In this target population, almost 6 of 10 females are illiterate (57.9%), whereas for males, 3 of 10 are illiterate (31.4%). Sri Ramacharan Charitable Trust (SRCT), which is based in Chennai in South India, has focused on three aspects of education:

providing needy children tuition assistance in the form of micro credit, and, providing children after-school tuition. augmenting the curriculum of schools in English instruction and introducing innovative teaching methods like the Montessori method.

CVI's relationship to SRCT started in 2001. As of May30, 2007, CVI has donated SRCT, a total of $59,060. Some portion of this amount is used for micro credit loans, and thus is a selfreplenishing source for future loans. In February, 2003, Sridhar Subramanian visited SRCT, and reported on his findings. Micro Credit: This got started when lower middle class parents approached them for help to pay the school fees of their children. They find it difficult to pay the school fees all of which are due at the beginning of the school term. Loans are to be repaid in small installments before the end of the school year. After-school programs:

After-school programs are held in schools where the children study. Teachers are hired by SRCT, and help the students go over the day's lectures and complete their homework. Children are either from lower-middle class families or from poor families. Children from poor families study at free schools, known as "corporation schools".

Montessori Programs: Sri Ramacharan Trust has embarked on an ambitious program to use the Montessori method of education to teach Balwadi (day-care) and kindergarten children in the corporation schools, something that is getting a lot of publicity. The Chennai Corporation, in charge of government-funded education has embraced this system of education for all its kindergarten children. For advanced classes, a related methodology known as ABL (Activity-based Learning) is used. The Chennai Corporation is in the process of training its teachers in the Montessori method, a startling vindication of Sri Ramacharan Charitable Trust's vision.