1. What is RDF?
2. What has RDF done so far?
3. What does RDF do now?
4. What is the girl/boy ratio in RDF schools?
5. How do RDF schools differ from government schools?
6. What % of RDF income is used to run the schools?
7. Do you get any assistance from the government?
8. How can I help the cause?
9. Who are the current volunteers and educational partners?
1. What is RDF?
RDF stands for Rural Development Foundation. It was started by members of the Errabelli family who wanted to give back to the society that had brought them wealth. Recognizing access to quality education as the key to their success, they decided to start a school. Today, RDF educates over 1900 students approximately in four schools and one junior college in the state of Telangana. On 10th April 1996, it was registered as a non-profit society under the Indian Public Societies Registration Act 1860.
2. What has RDF done so far?
More than 2073 rural children have graduated from RDF’s schools in the last 25 years. These are the first generation of rural boys and girls in the state of Telangana who have received a full-time education from Nursery to Class 12.
One of RDF’s major achievements is its success at enrolling large numbers of girls who traditionally have been denied an education. This has been achieved largely as a result of constant effort to bring awareness among parents about the importance of girl education as a step to total family education.
Some of our students go on to take up successful academic or professional employment. Others remain in the village and continue to carry on with their family trade or occupation and participate in their community activities. As a result of their RDF experience, they are less susceptible to fraud, are fully aware of their rights as well as their duties, have better sense of hygiene and nutrition, lack chauvinism and will do everything to educate their own children. Moreover, they exhibit refined civic sense and social responsibility.
RDF’s significant achievement is the quality of education that empowers the students to make positive and progressive decisions in order to conduct their life towards their goals and achieve them. The significance of this achievement is better reflected in the present status of the older generation.
Outside the classroom, RDF has played a significant role in trying to improve the villages where its schools are located. RDF believes that education is the best way to transform village life and lead families out of poverty. Children are encouraged to help their parents in the fields and at home, after school. Students are involved in the organic gardens attached to the schools which provide produce for the school mid-day meals.
Parents are an important part of in the RDF ecosystem. Each school has put in significant effort to build trust based relationships within the parent and larger community. RDF plays an important role in educating the parents through children on how to make their life more comfortable and meaningful. We recognise that parents are key stakeholders in the sustainability of their local RDF school. Rather than merely informing parents about student’s progress, the formation of a parent committee brings in value and experience in key decisions, which shows the trust and faith the school management has in the local community.
3. What does RDF do now?
RDF’s focus has always been on imparting quality education and this continues to remain our top priority. Currently, RDF is focusing on its core strength: providing quality education and more particularly improving students’ written and spoken English language skills. Another area of importance is teacher empowerment. RDF constantly tries to conduct teacher orientation programs for their professional growth and development. Scientific and technological equipment is provided for enhancement of teacher performance and students’ learning.
To supplement our efforts in providing high quality education, we are using the software called Digital Teacher, Rathna Sagar and accessing their free online tutorials for better understanding in Math and Science. Give India has also linked us with volunteers from Bhoomi Foundation who provide online support for extracurricular activities.
Some of RDF’s graduates, both girls and boys, have joined the Indian Army and the Indian Police. Many others are teachers, railway employees, call centre staff, tractor operators, electricians and barbers. Some have gone onto further education but find time to visit the schools to help students in a variety of ways including supervising students on the Social Awareness Programs.
Among many other programs, RDF is particularly proud of its Sports achievements. RDF believes in giving exposure to children in various forms of sporting talent, to provide coaching facility wherever possible and support the participation of students at higher levels of competitions. RDF VAPV Junior College student, Lavanya, has been winning medals in Archery at the National and International level, while several students have been selected to government sports schools under sports quota. Meritorious students also get into government model schools or residential schools after passing highly competitive exams.
4. What is the girl/boy ratio in RDF schools?
It has been our constant effort to maintain a 50:50 ratio between girls and boys in all our institutions. This helps drive a healthy competitive spirit among boys and girls.
5. How do RDF schools differ from other schools in the area?
Children at our schools get a very high degree of personal attention. Our class size is limited to 25 students at the primary level. We lay a great emphasis on early childhood development. Consequently we start new schools only with kindergarten and classes 1, 2 & 3 and gradually adding classes annually, one after the other.
The key focus area of RDF includes ongoing teacher training, review and assessment. Teachers regularly receive training in subject specific skills, classroom methodologies, interactive teaching methods, assessment techniques and language skills, in order to build their confidence and their capacity for greater student impact. Teachers are observed regularly in order to ensure that all training inputs are being implemented and hand holding them through challenge areas.
A very unique approach adopted by RDF is peer assessment and assessment of teachers by students. Education committee students go twice a year to other schools for classroom observations and share their feedback with the Head Masters. This creates a transparent and empowered environment in the schools.
RDF also focuses on Sports and other co curricular activities which are an integral part of its holistic approach to education. Each school also has an active staff committee, student committees and Village Committee. All major decisions are taken with the involvement of all committees in order to build trust based relationships and engage the local community.
Since its inception in 1996, RDF has slowly been instilling the idea of saving costs and the extreme importance of recycling among students and staff. In this process, the RDF family is proudly joining hands with other like-minded citizens of our country in lessening the burden of the harsh impact of global warming for future generations.
Our alumni members, in their effort to give back to school, visit us frequently and teach the present batch of students, share their experiences both in and out of the school and motivate them positively in sports and other areas so that they do their best at all times.
6. What % of RDF income is used to run the schools?
A full 97.4% of the budget goes to run the schools. Only 2.6% is spent on administration and the rest is utilized by the schools directly.
7. Do you get any assistance from the government?
No.
8. How can I help RDF?
If you want to make a contribution to transforming the lives of rural under-privileged children, you can donate money, time, or services. You can join RDF as a member, volunteer and donate. Anything that you give will be thankfully accepted . If you want to know more about us and our work, please Contact Us
9. Who are the current volunteers and educational partners?
RDF is supported by a host of dedicated volunteers with varied expertise who always extend a helping hand in specific areas of our operations.
Volunteers:
- Ms. Prerna Gutgutia & Mr. Madhav Umesh- Both are Basic English Trainers
- Mr. Harsha Vardhan – Commerce Trainer in the RDF VAPV Junior College
- Mrs. Radha- Helps with content editing and in-kind donation.
- Mr. Ajaz Ahmed- Helps in career guidance and improvement of hand writing skills
- Rtd. Prof.Laxmi Reddy- Supports ‘Annadanam’.
- Mrs. Geetha Bhaskar- Helps in academics and in-kind donation.
- Mrs. Sujatha N – Helps in identifying volunteers for English language improvement. She also assists in random correction of student’s answer papers. She also supports the team by collecting in-kind donations
- Mrs. Kamala – Trains staff and students in Yoga
- Mrs. Mamatha Thalluri- Trains staff and students in Yoga
