THE BACKGROUND:

School-going children in many government schools are greatly disadvantaged when they go to school. They walk long distances barefoot, they do not have a proper school bag, and they sit on the floor. All this leads to poor attendance, health issues, and a lack of interest in studies (as their sitting posture itself is very uncomfortable).

THE SOLUTION:

The Mumbai-based NGO Greensole has developed a unique back-to-school kit that has:-

1. Footwear (No more barefoot walking)

2. Study Mat (Makes it comfortable to sit at school for long hours)

3. School Bag (Ergonomically designed and colorful)

These elements are made from recycled material. For example, the sole from old footwear (which would be burnt or thrown into a landfill) is turned into new footwear. Old clothes are used to make the bags and mats. This is very environmentally friendly. Greensole also provides employment to women at their manufacturing unit.

PIC: The items that will be included in the back-to-school kit.

PIC: The students with the contents of the back-to-school kit.

The back-to-school kit contains a pair of recycled footwear, a soft study mat to sit comfortably on the bare ground and attend classes, and a school bag to carry all their books and stationery. This dramatically changed a student's attitude to school and studies. It improves attendance, focuses at school, and helps them fall in love with education. It also eliminates both foot-related diseases and improves the child's posture, decreases strain on the eyes, and reduces stress on the neck and back.

UPCYCLED ITEMS:

Upcycling refers to using end-of-life materials to make a new product with added value. That is to say, we re-use a product that is no longer used, or that can no longer be used, and turn it into a useful product.

This type of recycling has a positive impact on the environment since it defers and reduces the amount of waste in a landfill. In addition, the material is not processed like in downcycling, instead, it is cut, folded, molded, etc. into a new product. 

EACH BACK-TO-SCHOOL KIT COSTS JUST INR 950.

WHAT GOES INTO THE KIT AND BENEFICIARY INFORMATION:

PIC: The facade of the school and students from the Panchayat Union Primary School, in Thiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu.

BENEFICIARY INFO : SCHOOLS THAT WILL BENEFIT

If more funds are raised, the back-to-school kits will be distributed to more schools in Tamil Nadu.

CASE STUDY:

ABOUT ME:

My name is Antara Vadakkepat. I am 14 years old and a Grade 9 student at the Chennai Public School, Anna Nagar, Chennai.

I would like to support this initiative to help those in need, especially those in pursuit of something as valuable as education. It is in my belief that it is an invaluable asset that is necessary to pivot our lives in the right direction, and I am more than disappointed in the conditions that students in lower income families have to attend school in.

The lack of proper bags, footwear and proper seating is a pressing issue as all of these lead to reduced quality of education. Students have to travel long distances barefoot which leads to numerous problems with their health and general wellness. Sitting down on the floor for extended periods of time while studying leads to back problems from poor posture. When I learned that these problems were avoidable and I could contribute to solving them, I was keen on taking the opportunity to make a difference in the life of these students.

The kit that I am raising money for costs just 950 rupees, and it can create such a big difference in the lives of these young people. This back to school kit is made from recycled clothes, so it aids our society not only by helping students in school, but also by recycling materials that would normally pollute the environment. It consists of a pair of recycled footwear, a recycled study mat to sit comfortably and a recycled schoolbag to carry books. Even a small amount donated will make a huge difference, preventing many troubles that the students may come across and allowing them to focus on their studies.

Please consider supporting this campaign as it will undoubtedly have a major impact on the quality of life for students in less fortunate walks of life. Everyone, regardless of their background, deserves a good quality education and this kit will be a major boost to their motivation. For the sake of the smiles and success of these children, I implore you to donate whatever you can.

PREVIOUS DISTRIBUTION DRIVES:

PIC: The distribution of Back-To-School kits in a school in rural Telangana.

PIC: The students of Govt Primary School, Palwal, Haryana received the back-to-school kits from the students of a school who took part in a crowdfunding campaign like this and raised funds.

OUR PARTNER

Greensole Origins :

As athletes, the founders of Greensole, Shriyans Bhandari, and Ramesh Dhami ran hundreds of kilometers every year. They also ran through at least 3 to 4 pairs of sports shoes every year. The soles were in good condition but the shoe sides tore within months. The duo always wondered if they could find some use for the intact soles of these quality sports shoes. A bit of research led to the idea of refurbishing them into trendy slippers. That brainwave eventually spawned an eco-friendly enterprise that reuses shoe soles and is appropriately named Greensole. Greensole used to previously only recycle shoes but now they also give back-to-school kits to rural students which include upcycled footwear, masks, study mats, and school bags.

MAP SHOWING AREAS WHERE RURAL STUDENTS WILL BENEFIT IN TAMIL NADU:

TAX BENEFITS:

Funding for this campaign is eligible for tax breaks as the NGO, Greensole is a registered trust and you can avail of benefits under section 80G of the IT Act. Foreign funding is NOT accepted.

FEEDBACK THAT YOU GET:

To ensure that there is complete transparency I shall get a report from the NGO (this takes between 1 to 3 months usually after the funds are raised and transferred to them) telling me who benefitted from the funding. The details will then be posted in the UPDATES section of my campaign. As soon as I post an update, the platform will send an EMAIL alert to all the funders - i.e. to you. Click on the link in the email and you can read about who benefitted. That's transparent, right?

The below image is an example of the FEEDBACK FORMAT that will be shared.