EKAL VIDYALAYA

4. Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation Holds Successful Fundraisers

www.ekal.org

HOUSTON, TEXAS, August 17, 2006: The Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation, Houston Branch, held a number of fundraisers in July and raised over US$270,465 to support their educational programs in India. The Consul General of India and keynote speaker at the Houston event, Hon. S.M. Gavai, recounted how India's literacy rate has gone up from 18% of the population in 1947 to 65% today. He urged the audience to remember the remaining 35% of Indians who could not read or write. Unless that segment is also brought into the main stream through literacy, India's achievement will remain incomplete. "We need innovative solutions. Ekal Vidyalaya has shown an effective way of bringing literacy to the tribal areas. Spread the word and enhance the support to achieve the target by 2011," Gavai said. For a complete rundown on the foundation's work in India, go to their website at source above.