The future of children in the state of Punjab is under threat, held hostage by the lack of quality education due to teacher shortages and unemployment. Therefore, urgent action, taken together, is needed to change course and build a brighter future for Punjab. In response to this critical shortage of educators, 17-year-old Lehnaaz Rana is leading the charge for change through her non-profit organization, The Rattan Foundation.
For Rana, education lays the foundation for change, and as the founder of The Rattan Foundation, she is determined to bridge the educational gap across Punjab. A passionate advocate for change, she believes that economic disparities shouldn't dictate the quality of education children are afforded. Her foundation is on a mission to combat the teacher shortage crisis in local government schools across Punjab, starting with the district of Sultanpur Lodhi, where the foundation is based.
Housed under a rallying cry for equal opportunity to learn, The Rattan Foundation has become a catalyst for change, ensuring children realize the transformational potential of education. Aiming to create sustainable collective futures, the organization is evening out the student-teacher ratios by hiring teachers.
"We recognize the critical role education plays in transforming communities like Sultanpur Lodhi, a flood-prone area lacking basic resources. We aim to uplift the socio-economic status of villagers by providing quality education and combating unemployment," said Rana.
Rana recognizes that solving the issue of teacher shortages is only one side of the coin, which is why The Rattan Foundation is also focused on holistically addressing the challenges facing Punjab's educational landscape. To save time and ensure accessibility, the foundation appoints teachers within their villages. This allows educated individuals within these villages to earn a living, thus alleviating unemployment. The Rattan Foundation also offers lectures and workshops to ensure the teachers, after passing the organization's rigorous interview process, are well versed with new innovative teaching techniques used in the private system.
Already, the foundation has appointed 15 educators to 15 villages on a monthly salary, which has raised their household income from between 31% and 67%. Furthermore, the organization is preparing to dispatch nine new educators in April 2024, marking a significant step towards improving access to quality education.
The Rattan Foundation has become the educational engine for over 1000 underprivileged children and further aspires to not only bridge but also close the gap between qualified individuals and local government schools facing a teacher shortage. In this way, the foundation eliminates two significant issues that plague Punjab.
But this vision is just a starting point; there's still a lot of ground to cover. Experience in running the foundation has taught Rana that addressing these challenges requires collective effort. The Rattan Foundation calls on donors' and supporters' generosity to expand its reach to more villages and continue its vital work. These donations pay teachers' salaries, fund the provision of essential learning resources, and amplify the foundation's positive impact on children's lives and the socio-economic development of Punjab. Join Rana in breaking down educational barriers and paving the way for change.
For more information about The Rattan Foundation, visit https://therattanfoundation.org.
Media Contact
Company Name: The Rattan Foundation
Contact Person: Lehnaaz Rana
Email: Send Email
Country: India
Website: https://therattanfoundation.org
