Highlights:
• Pay fee of around 200 students
• Started a fundraising campaign from corporate household and individuals
• Encourage parents to make partial fee payment
The Shirley Pillai, principal of Powai English High School, a state board school in Mumbai has managed to raise Rs 40 lakhs to pay the school fees of around 200 students whose parents were hit by job losses and pay cuts has cover 95% of the pending fees so far. She started a fundraising campaign from corporate household and individuals soon after the nationwide lockdown was announced in March. Some donors are willing to sponsor deserving students in the future too.
Managed to raise Rs 1 crore with donations
“I was surprised how willingly individuals came forward to help. Some could offer funds for one or two students only, but that mattered a lot to us,” said Pillai. “While a fundraising musical programme early this year did not take off, our alumni, some of them across the globe, also played a pivotal alumni, some of them across the globe, also played a pivotal role in donating generously,” she added. She has managed to raise Rs 1 crore with donations made mostly by individual and NGOs.
Teachers identify needy students
Teachers played an important role in identifying needy students. Pillai said that most of the donors wanted to pay for the bright students. Several hours went in explaining why certain student needed money despite having poor academic result.
Also encourage parents to make partial fee payment
Along with funding, school also encourage parents to make partial fee payment. The annual fee are around Rs 35,000. The fee payment is difficult for the parents but they understood the need to pay fees. The school trustee Prashant Sharma, granted a 25% fee reduction though the state had asked schools for a 15% fee cut. The school fee haven’t increased and will remain same in 2022-23.
