400 Children's Education at Risk
In the remote Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in southern India, 400 children rely on The Grace Charitable Trust for their education.
Due to a critical funding gap, their schooling is at risk. We urgently need your help to raise £18,000 by May 20th 2025 to ensure these children don't lose their chance at a brighter future.
Emergency Appeal
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
Who is the Grace Charitable Trust?
The Grace Charitable Trust is a small grassroots organisation bringing education to 400 children in eight remote tribal villages within India's Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. Before they began their work, these children had no access to schooling. With financial support from Adventure Ashram, the Trust provides uniforms, books, tuition centers, teachers and critical transportation to schools. The Grace Charitable Trust are currently providing 400 children with transportation to and from 10 schools using five buses. Additionally, eight tuition centres equipped with 10 computers each offer dedicated teachers to assist students with their homework.
What is the emergency?
The Grace Charitable Trust faces a critical funding gap. Their license to receive international funds will soon be under review, leaving them unable to receive foreign income for up to nine months from 20th May when their current licence expires. This is because they need to renew their their FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act) registration - a critical licence for all Indian NGOs. Nothing can be done to speed this up. All of their renewal documentation has been submitted but the process may take 9 months or possibly longer from when their current licence expires. (See FAQs for more information about this process.)
Their running costs are £2,000 a month.
We need to raise £18,000 by May 20th to support the Grace Charitable Trust during this funding gap.
The potential consequences of failing to reach our goal are severe.
If we don't raise the funds, these are the stark realities the children will face:
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Education denied: Children will stop going to school, losing their chance for a brighter future. Many may never return.
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Support stripped away: Vital tuition centres will close, leaving children without the educational support they desperately need.
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Teachers left jobless: Dedicated teachers will lose their livelihoods, impacting their families and the wider community.
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Transportation lost: School buses will be sold, leaving children stranded and unable to access any form of education.
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A cycle of poverty continues: The long-term impact will be devastating, perpetuating the cycle of poverty for these children and their families.
Imagine 400 children losing their chance at a better future. Without education, they face a life of limited opportunities.
Your donation can prevent this tragedy.
Please donate today!
£25 funds one child’s education for one month
£70 funds one day of education for all 400 children
£140 secures two days of education for all 400 children
£210 funds three days of education for all 400 children
£490 pays for seven days of education for all 400 children
If you would like further information about this appeal, or would like bank details to make a bank transfer, please contact karina@adventureashram.org
There's another way you can support this campaign!
Help us bring our campaign:
"Wear Your Transport, Fund Their Transport"
to UK primary schools.
Learn how you can get involved to support this day by clicking here
FAQs about this emergency
Q) What it an FCRA certificate?
A)The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) of 2010 is India's law that controls how foreign funds are received and used. The FCRA applies to companies, associations, and individuals.Nonprofits must have a valid FCRA registration to legally receive charitable funds from outside of India.
Q)Why is it going to take up to nine months?
A) We don't know exactly how long it will take. The process of obtaining FCRA registration involves several steps and can take a considerable amount of time. On average, the entire process, from the submission of the application to the issuance of registration, can take anywhere from 6 months to 2 years or more. We hope, seeing as The Grace Charitable Trust have already done this process several times before, it will mean the process won't be longer than nine months due to all of their documentation being in order, but unfortunately there are many other factors at play that make timescales very unclear.
Q) Can anything be done to speed up the process?
A) No. Solomon has prepared all of his documentation ahead of the deadline. There is nothing that he can do to speed it along.
For further information about the FCRA process - click here.