Gift tuition and medical expenses of a poor child by Christel House India

Shiva Kumar is one of the many students who has been able to continue his studies, even during these trying times when all schools are closed due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. This is mainly due to the Academic Continuity Plan initiated and implemented by Christel House India, wherein Christel House India with the help of a few donor were able to procure  a few tablets for students and distribute  in phases. This has been done to ensure that the students continue to receive good quality education in spite of the schools being closed. Shiva Kumar is one of the few students who has received a tablet for attending online classes from his home. He is in grade 7 and his teacher says that he is a very responsible child and carries out all work diligently. He completes all his work on time, and it  is always well done. He is a sensitive student. His interpersonal skills are very impressive and  displays good leadership qualities. Shiva Kumar and the other students at Christel House India have been able to continue with their studies in spite of all the challenges, due to the generous support received from all the kind donors. We are very thankful to Give Foundation and all the donors who have been contributing towards the Gift tuition and medical expenses of a poor child  program.

Bell Ringers

1. Republic day Celebration: Republic day Celebration helped in infusing a spirit of patriotism among the students . During this celebration, they learnt about the Constitution of India and the importance of respecting and abiding by the same.

2. Golden Star students awards- 5 students who received the ‘Golden Star students’ award’ for maximum number of times in the academic year 2019-20 were given bicycles on 10th February 2020.

3. Graduation day ceremony for Batch of 2019-20 - The graduation ceremony for the batch of 2020 was held on 5th February 2020. The students thanked Christel House which enabled them to get quality education and the power to dream big.

4. Educational trip to Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium- Students of grade 2 and 3 were taken on an educational trip to the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium, on 26th February, 2020. students were shown the arrangement of planets, position of stars and other interesting facts about the galaxy along with the mythological story related to astrology. They were informed about the latest developments in the field of astrophysics and India’s recent contribution to the same. The trip proved to be an enjoyable learning experience for the students.

5. Vermicomposting Project by students- As part of Eco club activity, the Science stream students of Grade 11 and 12, initiated the vermicomposting project in October 2019. The project was completed in February 2020 and the compost was transferred to the pots in the campus.

Program Update

January-2019 Grade 7 students visited the Bangalore BSF (STS) campus on the 17th January 2019 to research about the officials’ experiences and the necessary skills required to join the Border Security Forces. The aim was to recognize the people who serve our nation and help the youth of our nation become responsible citizens in society. Our students were shown the different communication systems and various weapons used by the officials at the border. All-in-all it was a great hands on experience for our students and teachers. The 70th Republic Day was celebrated in Christel House India, Bangalore campus on January 26, 2019. The students and staff members assembled for the flag hoisting. The students decorated the floor with flowers. The Indian tri-colour was hoisted and Mr. Muthu Kumar addressed the students and emphasized the importance of the Republic day. Sweets were distributed to the students on the occasion. February-2019 The annual day for the year 2019 was celebrated on the 26th February, 2019. The students performed various folk dances and songs from the western state of Rajasthan. Siddique Pasha of KG and Jayalakshmi of Grade 10 spoke about their journey in Christel House. The choir performed melodious numbers on the occasion. President & CEO of Christel House International, Mr Bart Peterson addressed and motivated the students to make the best of the opportunity given to them. Over 55 guests from the donor companies of Christel House India were present on this occasion and interacted with students, alumni/ graduates, board members and Indy team. Mr Joe Schneider, Ms. Caitlin Teague from the Christel House International team also attended the event. A video message from Christel ma’am to the students and the guests was played during the program. The alumni students took the donors on a campus tour. March-2019 The Students of Grade 5A and 5B visited the Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum and Cubbon Park on March 14th 2019 as part of an Educational Trip. This museum is a constituent unit of National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), Ministry of Culture, Government of India, which was established in memory of Bharat Ratna Sir M Visvesvaraya. Students spent a lot of time experimenting and learning how different things work. All the students got an opportunity to understand, use and work on the working models exhibited. Students were enriched with the vast amount of knowledge they gained about Science and technology.

The students of Grade 9 and 11 visited the ‘Open Day’ conducted by Indian Institute of Science on March 23, 2019. The students understood various Physics concepts through simple experiments. Various specimens were displayed in the Biology section and students could perform experiments in Chemistry. They were briefed about the application of modern technology in life.

Along with rigorous academics, students receive complete health services such as medical check –ups, vaccinations, follow-up treatments and mental health services as needed as a part of the Medical health and wellness program. Nutritious breakfast, lunch and evening snack with milk is provided every day.

Story from the field

Our first medical doctor! Dr. Shaik Reshma is a 2012 Christel House India graduate. “Becoming a doctor was my dream since childhood,” Dr. Reshma says. She will work as an intern at a local hospital then do a year of rural service. Her father worked as a driver and her mother looked after the home and her four siblings. Her father struggled to make ends meet. When she joined Christel House, she was shy, reserved and lacked confidence. Christel House helped her to come out of her shell and believe that she could achieve and succeed. With the help of the College & career program, she perused the education needed to become a doctor. The school provided her with a scholarship throughout her undergraduate education.

Program Update

Christel House India Learning centers offers impoverished children completely free of cost rigorous academic education, which stresses competency in English, computers and basic skills, while instilling the universal values of Respect, Responsibility, Independence and Integrity. Regular meals, physical and psychological health and wellness programs, life skills training, enrichment activities and service learning opportunities complement the educational program. Christel House provides each student with a thorough physical examination and records data such as height, weight and chest circumference measurements. In addition, all children are checked and treated for skin infections or other conditions. Christel House ensures that each student receives proper immunizations and has a complete, up-to-date medical record. To ensure that all students have access to proper preventative health care, Christel House India partners with local hospitals, doctors and dentists to keep costs low. Currently, we are working with Ramaiah Hospital and St. John's Hospital.

Story from the field

Sindhu Kumari comes from an impoverished family where her father an auto driver was the sole breadwinner. She has three older brothers, one of her brothers also studied at Christel House India. She joined Christel House India in the year 2003 as a fourth grader before which she studied at a school near her home. While at Christel House she was an extremely hardworking and focused student who was also a perfectionist and strived hard to achieve her dreams and has excelled. Sindhu completed her Undergraduate Studies (B.Com) in 2015 from Kristu Jayanthi College and her Postgraduate Diploma in HR Management from the same college. Today Sindhu works at KPMG as an Audit Associate and has been working at KPMG for past three years.