Your Purchase Changes Lives
Education Scholarships
In 2006, Tabitha’s Heart wanted to provide assistance for children living in a well-populated slum area in Calcutta. They started by having children living in poverty begin with informal literacy and math classes to prepare them for school. After consistent attendance for at least 4 months, students are then eligible to enter our sponsorship program. They receive daily tutoring, lunch, school books and supplies and all their school fees. Since they began, a total of 735 students have been enrolled in Tabitha’s Heart sponsorship program and we have expanded to have educational centers in 3 areas of the city: Park Street, Topsia and Tangra. So far, 11 students have graduated from class 12 and all have either finished college or are studying now in college. According to UNICEF, a mere 8% of Indians complete class 12. Students are required to come Monday through Friday for tutoring and they are all enrolled in English medium schools. Each child has a sponsor that provides a monthly or yearly sum to support them. In return, the sponsors receive letters from their student along with an annual report of their progress.
Karisma Academy
In addition to the educational sponsorship program, Tabitha’s heart also runs their own school. 220 of our students attend Karisma Academy which currently provides classes for grades Nursery to 6 with class sizes averaging 22 children. The school focuses on the development of spoken English, maths following an Oxford international curriculum, social projects to develop character and a library, a rare commodity in India, with books in English and Hindi available in a wide variety of subjects.
Women's Business Training Program
Many single mothers are not able to provide for their families. They may be single due to abandonment or death of their husband or they may have a husband who does not financially support the family due to addiction issues and/or mental illness or physical handicaps. Since 2017, Tabitha’s Heart has been enrolling these single mothers in a Small Business Training Program. The program runs for 6 months and involves training in basic literacy, basic business skills (competition, marketing, business plan formation, etc), accounting and communication skills. The women are given a financial gift to start their business and continue to come to the center each week after graduation for weekly business meetings. Successful women are involved in assisting new women in the program. Women with small children are provided preschool education for their children at our center. After one year with Tabitha’s heart, the children enter our sponsorship program to receive tutoring, lunch and their school fees. All of the women who have completed the program have been able to double their normal monthly income, with some making 4-6 times their original income. But more importantly they have gained a support system of women in similar positions. These ladies are ready and able to assist each other, no matter the need.
