ANANDA MARGA NEOHUMANIST ACADEMY

Background: Local members of Ananda Marga and three senior members, who were all life long educators, had a dream to create a small school, and made tangible efforts to materialize it: they arranged a plot of land, had an initial architectural drawing approved, some bags of cement…. In perhaps 2008 they asked Dada Mahaprajinananda to help. When they took responsibility to manage the project the search for funding began. Things began very gradually and 8 years later the school opened – initially 2 large classrooms for nursery & KG.

We now have a three-story structure with enough classrooms to also host Jr. High School. Approx. 170 children are enrolled (there were more than 220 pre-Covid!).

The quality and aesthetics of the building and basic classroom amenities, a simple playground, our new computer lab and most importantly the quality and character of Madam Modesta – our head mistress are notable pluses and achievements. We now search for a school bus. We’ve also bought 8 acres of land located 7 Kms away on a main road to develop boarding and high school facilities in the future.

The school’s operation is self-reliant financially through school and canteen fees. External fundraising has provided the construction, some furniture and equipment and annual bonuses to staff.

An active and engaged PTA is a hallmark of the school who have also contributed materially in their own modest way.

Other than fundraising and providing background support, all has been done and is maintained by local margiis and the school’s staff. There never has been any WT physically present other than periodic visits.

Our main challenge and need is to nicely train the staff in NHE. We’ve had some online trainings as well as infrequent in-house training by Didi Ananda Gunamaya and sister Jayaliila (who stayed at Zonnelict in Holland for one month). Volunteer trainers, especially anyone who can stay at least one month (but for any length of time) are needed.