Sadguru Sri Gnanananda Seva Trust
Organization background

The Sadguru Sri Gnanananda Seva Trust's (SGST) mission is to transform the lives of underprivileged youth by providing access to high quality holistic education. The Trust manages the Swami Vivekananda Rural Community College (SVRCC) which provides community-based programs to youth in the Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu.

Project background

Since 2015, as part of the Government of India's Smile Program, SVRCC has been providing practical, community-based programs to provide a means of livehihood for rural children (grades 8 to 10) who have dropped out of school, or are from otherwise disadvantaged backgrounds. The goal of the program is to connect these children with vocational training opportunities in 14 technical skilled trades. To date, they have assisted over 500 students obtain employment that supports themselves and their families.

The program levies very nominal fees on the students, vastly smaller than the actual cost of the program, and SGST solicits money from donors to make up the difference.

GKF contributions to SGST