Be the change you wish to see in the world - Gandhi Fellowship

Kaivalya Education Foundation (KEF), a non-profit organization that aims to develop school leaders who improve the learning quality of their schools is now accepting applications for sixth round of Gandhi Fellowship programme.

Though India has made a significant increase in primary school enrollments but still these schools are facing problems with attendance, drop-outs and mid-day meals. Also, the attendance of teachers is also not regular. Many development plans mainly due to lack of financing issues. Most of the students from elite institutes are busy running after fancy pay packages or move abroad. India is in a major crisis of leaders and change makers. The result is that youths lack the potential or big ideas to emerge from his or her base to play a larger role in national development.

The Fellowship was started in 2008 with the prime objective to engage students of top premier institutes into solving multitude problems in education sector of the country. During the fellowship, fellows will get an opportunity to deeply analyze problems at grass root levels and acknowledge their own ability to bring a change. From 10 fellows in 2008 the number of fellows joining the program has increased to 123 fellows in 2012. It is inspired from Mahatma Gandhi and works on two core principles:

- Be the change you wish to see in the world: The fellowship motivates fellow to bring positive changes in society by bringing inter-personal changes in themselves first.

- Creating Opportunities for Reflection in Action: The fellowship works on the philosophy that its only way to know yourself better is to put yourself in those circumstances and see how you react to it. The process of action and reflection provides the fellows with a better insight of their inner self and find their own strength.

The Fellowship is an intensive residential programme of two years in which these fellows are allotted with 5 schools each. Each year is divided into two semesters. With each semester the fellows get deeper into the challenges, develop their problem-solving techniques & leadership skills and work with school principals to resolve them. The fellowship is sponsored by Piramal foundation, UNICEF and Michael and Susan Dell Foundation and in partnership with MERCER, COCOON, BODH SHIKSHA SAMITI, JODO GYAN and INDICORPS.

Applications deadline is due on November 30. Applicants are to fill a form about their interest in fellowship, motivations and past experiences. The selection process will be in three stages: Application by email, telephonic interview and final personal interview. Applications can leave the fellowship prematurely though two year completion is preferred. The selected fellows will get a monthly stipend of Rs 14,000 plus mobile and travel allowances.

For more information, you can vist the website.