| Founder(s) | Abraham George |
|---|---|
| Type | 501(c)(3) |
| Founded | August 1997 |
| Location | Bangalore, India |
| Key people | Ajit George - Director of U.S. Operations Jude Devdas - Chief Operating Officer |
| Area served | Baliganapalli, Tamil Nadu |
| Focus | Education of Dalit children |
| Motto | The best we can be |
| Website | www.shantibhavanonline.org |
The Shanti Bhavan Children's Project (in Hindi: haven of peace) is a U.S. 501(c)(3) and India 80-G non-profit organization based in Bangalore, India, that operates a K-12 residential school in Baliganapalli, Tamil Nadu.[1] The school is accredited by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) and administers the ICSE and ISC exams.[2]
At present, the school houses 200 students, 180 of which are Dalits.[3]
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Shanti Bhavan was established in August 1997 as a project of The George Foundation to help economically and socially disadvantaged children, mostly Dalit children, in rural India, specifically in the Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka areas.[4]
On September 10, 2008, it became a separate non-profit organization run under the Shanti Bhavan Educational Trust.[5]
The organization aims to provide holistic,quality education to India's most underprivileged children, mostly from the lower caste or the Dalits[6] to make them become successful and productive members of the society.[7]
The school takes in children as young as four years old who are below poverty level[8] and have never been exposed to any form of education and financially supports them throughout college.[9]
The organization has a volunteer program which employs volunteer educators from some educational and non-profit organizations such as ASTEP,[10]IGCC, U.S.-India Business Council, Indian Society of the Church of Jesus Christ - Latter Day Saints,[11] and She's the First[12] to teach academic and non-academic subjects.[13]