JOURNEY

Guldasta

A small wayside school of five children who played on streets, gathers momentum and there is a phenomenal growth on the cards.

“Guldasta” is the name of one such school/Literacy center started in 1995 in a village called Madanpur Khadar near Sarita Vihar in South Delhi. This was a joint effort of a Retired couple Prof Hari Mohan Kaul & Smt Vimla Kaul who having retired from service, now wished to be of some service to Society.

First Batch of Five students in '95

The very thought of service gave them the courage and the strength to overcome all odds that came their way – and there was no looking back after 1995.

This little literacy centre was initially started at the village chaupal in Madanpur Khadar. The village elders looked at Kauls with an eye of suspicion, as, before them, the village had seen several such offers of service which never took any shape. The village elders were sure that, like many others, the Kauls also must be having some ulterior motive in posing to serve the village. To combat this psyche was an uphill task for Kauls and it took quite some time to convince the village folks of their genuineness. Now with steady, continuous efforts honestly put in, yielded the desired result and after a year or two, the faith in the honesty of their purpose was understood by the villagers and a time came when any suggestion from Kauls would be welcomed without a whimper.

Success in this regard being achieved, namely working in a congenial environment, lead to the second important objective of motivating the village children and their parents towards education. This sure was a long journey, as, initially there was lots of reluctance/resistance to literacy. The villagers would raise questions regarding necessity and utility of education. This attitude has undergone a sea change. Now, no family keeps their children away from school.

With these two milestones achieved, all be it painstakingly, the resultant atmosphere of faith and understanding between the villagers and the Kauls, further progress was easier and faster. Although by now, the school has had to undergo many changes of venues, at the chaupal, in a teacher’s house, in a park in Sarita Vihar, in front of the Community Centre of Pocket C Sarita Vihar, but finally they could settle for an open park in a jhuggi cluster adjoining a Dairy farm near Sarita Vihar. This was the venue of the school till Oct 2011 when luck smiled and the school premises finally became a sheltered accommodation of three rooms.

To reach this point, the school had to witness several ups and downs. Seeing the school progress inspite of innumerable problems like lack of funds, paucity of working hands, several changes in the venue, drew the attention of NGO’s who wished to support it. For a while both Rotary Club of Panchshila Park as well as Freedom Movement did so, after which, it was back to square one. With these setbacks, the school might have faced closure but for the determination and commitment of the Kauls, which kept the project alive to see better days. No working hands, no money and no space - yet the Project continued – and at long last, got the media attention.

Outlook magazine noticed the perseverence and efforts being put in and did a story on this project, in their issue of May 2008. From this point onwards, there has been no looking back. Several T.V channels projected the school in their programs ; DD in their program ‘KIRAN’, Star News in ‘JANBAAZ’, Lok Sabha in 'Housale Ki Udaan’, Pragya in 'EK AUR EKALAVYA’.

Real break through came, when CNN IBN gave the project a major boost by putting it on the national horizon and making it one of the twenty four projects selected from all over India, in their ‘ORDINARY PEOPLE, EXTRA ORDINARY WORK’ on March 10^th 2010, which carried a trophy and cash award of Rs 5 lakhs. Unfortunately by then, Prof. Hari Mohan Kaul had passed away. But inspite of the great loss, the school continued as before, under the stewardship of Mrs. Kaul.

Boys' Section

Finally in Oct 2011, the project got noticed by yet another stalwart in the service sector Madan Mohan Malaviya Mission They offered to shoulder and share the burden of carrying the school with Vimla Kaul. Now with their help, the school is taking the shape of a real school with classrooms, children and the teachers who are mostly the past students with success stories to their credit. Today this little project of 1995 is hopeful of a brighter future, with such a prestigious Organization coming to their help. With the financial help, the long awaited pucca house is now the premises of a school which was run in an open park for sixteen years. The credit for the survival of the school through the thick and thin of all adversity for long years, goes to the determination and conviction of the Kaul couple.

In order to take the project forward, 82 years young Vimla Kaul, has started an NGO/Society by the name of VASUNधHARI – Society For Social Action. The Society has been registered in January 2012.

Now the Malaviya Trust and Vasundhari Society together plan to take the school far ahead.