Fund Dr. Bahadur's School in India
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Emergency funding for Dr. Promila Bahadur’s Computer Science Training School in Lucknow, India.
About a year ago, I read an article in my local newspaper about an Indian computer science professor, Dr. Promila Bahadur, who taught at Maharishi University of Management. Dr. Bahadur, holds a PhD. in computer science, and she founded a computer science training institute 13 years ago for students from poor communities in Lucknow, India, called the Guru Institute Of Information Technology (GIIT). www.gps.gen.in
Two things moved me about the her story. First, was the amazing accounts of students who after only 6 months of training, were able to secure technical jobs and career opportunities that they otherwise would not have been eligible for without training at the GIIT. An example was of a young man who was able to go from being a “tea boy” at a call center, to doing a technical job at a college.
This was a much higher ranking position with a higher salary. To date, the GIIT has trained more than 2,000 students including youth, women, and the elderly, and it continues to enroll new students who are interested in greater economic opportunities within their own community.
The second most inspiring part of her story, was that Dr. Bahadur was self-funding the GIIT from her modest professor’s salary. In fact, she regularly sent around 25% of her salary to support the school.
(Learn more about Dr. Bahadur at her website www.promila.in .)
The reason I am creating this Go Fund Me is twofold.
The first reason, is to support the expansion of the school so that more students can be trained, and secondly, to help relieve the hardship on Dr. Bahadur, who due to changes in her circumstances, is unable to continue sustaining the school entirely on her own.
Furthermore, this funding would also buy more time for friends of Dr. Bahadur to help her work toward creating a more sustainable funding system. ( see more information on this below)
The goals of the GIIT are:
1) To make weaker sections of the society computer literate, and thereby expanding their career and economic opportunities.
2) To provide relevant workforce training.
3) To offer courses ranging from a six month basic training, to 2-year advanced training programs. (Briefly, basic training prepares students to perform front office jobs, while advanced level training prepares students for more technical roles, such as computer programming and managerial jobs. This training would also prepare interested candidates for entrepreneurial pursuits.)
4) To improve lifestyle standards, and eradicate the ongoing cycles of poverty in Lucknow.
The GIIT’s end-of-year goal is to train 800 to 1,000 students.
How the funds will be used:
Funds donated to this Go Fund Me campaign will be utilized in the following manner: to assist with the school’s monthly operating costs for a period of 12 months - 12 x $935 ($11,220). Additionally, 10-percent of funds raised will automatically go toward Go Fund Me fees, credit card fees, and bank transfer fees in the amount of $1122.
The GIIT’s operating costs include rent, instructor salaries, office manager salary, and utilities.
Why it’s critical to support this project now
The school needs funding now, and Dr. Bahadur won’t be able to do this on her own past September. Also, friends of Dr. Bahadur and the school are working on a longterm plan to make the school self-sufficient via a student-driven micro-lending a system, which would help students to pay back their education at the GIIT. This campaign fund will give us one year to put that long-term sustainable funding plan.
I invite you now to read the wonderful article from Fairfield Ledger September 16th, 2017. I hope you will be as inspired as I was a year ago when I read this and decide to the support this campaign by donating and sharing.
Peace and blessings,
Guy Harvey, on behalf of friends of Dr. Promila Bahadur and the Guru Institute Of Information Technology (GIIT).
MUM professor changes lives in India -
By NICOLE HESTER-WILLIAMS Ledger staff writer
Source: submittedPromila Bahadur, right, presents an award to a student at the Guru Institute of Information Technology in India. Standing in the background is institute instructor Uzma Irfaan who joined the Institute 11 years ago as a high school student. Irfaan hails from an orthodox Muslim family, where girls are not typically educated. Irfaan now holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science as well as an MBA.
Promila Bahadur believes in miracles — in fact, she admits to seeing countless wonders since the day she founded a computer training institute in a rural Indian village just 10 miles away from where she grew up.
“This is a miracle for them,” Bahadur said of her students — many of whom would have never been exposed to the opportunity of learning essential skills, which in turn, uplift them from poverty.
“I look at them like a nursery. We get these small plants and they start growing; I love to see their smiles and hear them say, ‘I’m employed,’” she said, later testifying that during the last 13 years, the Guru (teacher) Institute of Technology in Chinhat Block, Lucknow District in Uttar Pradesh, has changed the lives of around 2,000 people since it opened.
“God has gifted us with these gifts,” Bahadur said, and she’s determined to use her gifts for society’s betterment.
A new computer science professor at Maharishi University of Management, Bahadur continues to support her institute while maintaining her busy life in Fairfield.
Bahadur, who holds a doctorate in philosophy in computer science, is a wife and mother of two, Chaitanya, 6, and Paavni, 3.
She rises early each day and juggles the responsibilities of motherhood, teaching graduate students full time and overseeing the program in India. She sends a monolithic portion of her salary back home to support the running of the institute — which she lovingly refers to as one of her babies.
“It’s hard to believe in what I believe,” she said, adding that she doesn’t look for handouts or expect anyone else to support the school in the way that she does, since she has first-hand knowledge of what the institute has done for her students.
One student in particular Bahadur said started out in the program, but she said she recognized something else about him.
“Rather than just be a computer operator, I saw management potential in him,” Bahadur said, adding that Anil later joined the institute as staff member, and he competently manages the entire operation while she is teaching here.
Bahadur shared story after story of those who came to the institute without money, formal training or even basic literacy, but she gave each of them a chance and she’s proud of what they have accomplished.
“Nakul was 7 years old. He wasn’t in school because of poverty,” Bahadur said, adding that he was born into the lowest social station in India.
Bahadur hired Nakul as an office boy 13 years ago.
“But now, he can do anything with computers,” she said, of Nakul, who goes by the nickname Major.
Among other duties Nakul provides technical support to students attending the institute.
Bahadur called out name after name of those who have touched her own life over the years. Many, whom might not have transcended their situations if not for the institute.
She called herself “blessed,” and said she was fortunate to have parents, educators and mentors who taught her about social responsibility and the importance of education.
“Mr. Krissna Mohan Khare was a strict math teacher. When I was 13, I asked him ‘why should I study if I’m going to just get married and have children? I should be studying that.’ He gave me a one line answer, ‘a literate mother gives a literate society,’” she said. “My family didn’t believe in the cast system. My father had the idea of living life ‘king-sized.’”
She said her father taught her that charity begins at home and then spreads abroad.
“It’s not me. I’m not doing anything. It’s God,” she said, adding that she’s happy about the life she leads and that she feels that she’s doing what is in her heart to do.
Her colleagues agree.
“She’s [completed] four higher degrees, gotten married, had two children and she teaches full time at MUM and still maintains that program,” said MUM director of computer science and student recruiting Craig Shaw. “She’s sending 30 to 40 percent of her salary there. One of the things that impresses me the most about Promila, is that she has this immense mother’s heart for the well being of the people of India. I think her deepest passionate desire is to help eliminate poverty and ignorance among the rural population. It’s just deep inside of her, she doesn’t ask for anything back for what she has done. She acts from her heart — a mother’s heart.”
About a year ago, I read an article in my local newspaper about an Indian computer science professor, Dr. Promila Bahadur, who taught at Maharishi University of Management. Dr. Bahadur, holds a PhD. in computer science, and she founded a computer science training institute 13 years ago for students from poor communities in Lucknow, India, called the Guru Institute Of Information Technology (GIIT). www.gps.gen.in
Two things moved me about the her story. First, was the amazing accounts of students who after only 6 months of training, were able to secure technical jobs and career opportunities that they otherwise would not have been eligible for without training at the GIIT. An example was of a young man who was able to go from being a “tea boy” at a call center, to doing a technical job at a college.
This was a much higher ranking position with a higher salary. To date, the GIIT has trained more than 2,000 students including youth, women, and the elderly, and it continues to enroll new students who are interested in greater economic opportunities within their own community.
The second most inspiring part of her story, was that Dr. Bahadur was self-funding the GIIT from her modest professor’s salary. In fact, she regularly sent around 25% of her salary to support the school.
(Learn more about Dr. Bahadur at her website www.promila.in .)
The reason I am creating this Go Fund Me is twofold.
The first reason, is to support the expansion of the school so that more students can be trained, and secondly, to help relieve the hardship on Dr. Bahadur, who due to changes in her circumstances, is unable to continue sustaining the school entirely on her own.
Furthermore, this funding would also buy more time for friends of Dr. Bahadur to help her work toward creating a more sustainable funding system. ( see more information on this below)
The goals of the GIIT are:
1) To make weaker sections of the society computer literate, and thereby expanding their career and economic opportunities.
2) To provide relevant workforce training.
3) To offer courses ranging from a six month basic training, to 2-year advanced training programs. (Briefly, basic training prepares students to perform front office jobs, while advanced level training prepares students for more technical roles, such as computer programming and managerial jobs. This training would also prepare interested candidates for entrepreneurial pursuits.)
4) To improve lifestyle standards, and eradicate the ongoing cycles of poverty in Lucknow.
The GIIT’s end-of-year goal is to train 800 to 1,000 students.
How the funds will be used:
Funds donated to this Go Fund Me campaign will be utilized in the following manner: to assist with the school’s monthly operating costs for a period of 12 months - 12 x $935 ($11,220). Additionally, 10-percent of funds raised will automatically go toward Go Fund Me fees, credit card fees, and bank transfer fees in the amount of $1122.
The GIIT’s operating costs include rent, instructor salaries, office manager salary, and utilities.
Why it’s critical to support this project now
The school needs funding now, and Dr. Bahadur won’t be able to do this on her own past September. Also, friends of Dr. Bahadur and the school are working on a longterm plan to make the school self-sufficient via a student-driven micro-lending a system, which would help students to pay back their education at the GIIT. This campaign fund will give us one year to put that long-term sustainable funding plan.
I invite you now to read the wonderful article from Fairfield Ledger September 16th, 2017. I hope you will be as inspired as I was a year ago when I read this and decide to the support this campaign by donating and sharing.
Peace and blessings,
Guy Harvey, on behalf of friends of Dr. Promila Bahadur and the Guru Institute Of Information Technology (GIIT).
MUM professor changes lives in India -
By NICOLE HESTER-WILLIAMS Ledger staff writer
Source: submittedPromila Bahadur, right, presents an award to a student at the Guru Institute of Information Technology in India. Standing in the background is institute instructor Uzma Irfaan who joined the Institute 11 years ago as a high school student. Irfaan hails from an orthodox Muslim family, where girls are not typically educated. Irfaan now holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science as well as an MBA.
Promila Bahadur believes in miracles — in fact, she admits to seeing countless wonders since the day she founded a computer training institute in a rural Indian village just 10 miles away from where she grew up.
“This is a miracle for them,” Bahadur said of her students — many of whom would have never been exposed to the opportunity of learning essential skills, which in turn, uplift them from poverty.
“I look at them like a nursery. We get these small plants and they start growing; I love to see their smiles and hear them say, ‘I’m employed,’” she said, later testifying that during the last 13 years, the Guru (teacher) Institute of Technology in Chinhat Block, Lucknow District in Uttar Pradesh, has changed the lives of around 2,000 people since it opened.
“God has gifted us with these gifts,” Bahadur said, and she’s determined to use her gifts for society’s betterment.
A new computer science professor at Maharishi University of Management, Bahadur continues to support her institute while maintaining her busy life in Fairfield.
Bahadur, who holds a doctorate in philosophy in computer science, is a wife and mother of two, Chaitanya, 6, and Paavni, 3.
She rises early each day and juggles the responsibilities of motherhood, teaching graduate students full time and overseeing the program in India. She sends a monolithic portion of her salary back home to support the running of the institute — which she lovingly refers to as one of her babies.
“It’s hard to believe in what I believe,” she said, adding that she doesn’t look for handouts or expect anyone else to support the school in the way that she does, since she has first-hand knowledge of what the institute has done for her students.
One student in particular Bahadur said started out in the program, but she said she recognized something else about him.
“Rather than just be a computer operator, I saw management potential in him,” Bahadur said, adding that Anil later joined the institute as staff member, and he competently manages the entire operation while she is teaching here.
Bahadur shared story after story of those who came to the institute without money, formal training or even basic literacy, but she gave each of them a chance and she’s proud of what they have accomplished.
“Nakul was 7 years old. He wasn’t in school because of poverty,” Bahadur said, adding that he was born into the lowest social station in India.
Bahadur hired Nakul as an office boy 13 years ago.
“But now, he can do anything with computers,” she said, of Nakul, who goes by the nickname Major.
Among other duties Nakul provides technical support to students attending the institute.
Bahadur called out name after name of those who have touched her own life over the years. Many, whom might not have transcended their situations if not for the institute.
She called herself “blessed,” and said she was fortunate to have parents, educators and mentors who taught her about social responsibility and the importance of education.
“Mr. Krissna Mohan Khare was a strict math teacher. When I was 13, I asked him ‘why should I study if I’m going to just get married and have children? I should be studying that.’ He gave me a one line answer, ‘a literate mother gives a literate society,’” she said. “My family didn’t believe in the cast system. My father had the idea of living life ‘king-sized.’”
She said her father taught her that charity begins at home and then spreads abroad.
“It’s not me. I’m not doing anything. It’s God,” she said, adding that she’s happy about the life she leads and that she feels that she’s doing what is in her heart to do.
Her colleagues agree.
“She’s [completed] four higher degrees, gotten married, had two children and she teaches full time at MUM and still maintains that program,” said MUM director of computer science and student recruiting Craig Shaw. “She’s sending 30 to 40 percent of her salary there. One of the things that impresses me the most about Promila, is that she has this immense mother’s heart for the well being of the people of India. I think her deepest passionate desire is to help eliminate poverty and ignorance among the rural population. It’s just deep inside of her, she doesn’t ask for anything back for what she has done. She acts from her heart — a mother’s heart.”
Organizer
Guy Harvey
Organizer
Fairfield, IA
