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FOUNDATION UNESCO – EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN IN NEED

FOUNDATION UNESCO – EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN IN NEED

The dream of rebuilding a new and safe home for tsunami victims – particularly children – has come true. Koskoda – the UNESCO village – in Sri Lanka is now home to about 300 people.
Nurseries, schools and training centres also offer a further 300 children from the region the chance to become independent.

SEKEM

SEKEM

PROF. DR. IBRAHIM ABOULEISH,

FOUNDER OF THE BIO-PIONEER INITIATIVE SEKEM AND RIGHT LIVELIHOOD AWARD LAUREATE IN 2003.

The SEKEM initiative was founded to realise the vision of sustainable human development. SEKEM aims to contribute to the comprehensive development of the individual, society and environment. A holistic concept encompassing integrated economic, social and cultural development forms the key SEKEM vision. In 1977, Dr. Ibrahim Abouleish founded the SEKEM initiative on an untouched part of the desert (70 hectares) in an area 60 kilometers northwest of Cairo. Over the years, SEKEM became the “umbrella” of a multifaceted agro-industrial group of business companies and several NGO’s encompassing a variety of socio-cultural-human development institutions and cooperative associations. Currently, SEKEM is regarded as an outstanding world-class, socio-business corporation. In fact, in August 2003, Dr. Abouleish was selected as one of the world’s outstanding Social Entrepreneurs by the Schwab Foundation. In December 2003, the Right Livelihood Foundation awarded SEKEM and Dr. Abouleish the prestigious “Alternative Nobel Prize”. According to the statement of the Award, “SEKEM demonstrates how a modern business model combines profitability and success in world markets with a humane and spiritual approach to people while maintaining respect for the environment.”

LAFTI

LAFTI

LAFTI (Land For Tillers’ Freedom) is based on the Gandhian idea of equitable land
distribution as a basis for rural economic development. Located in the village of
Kuthur, LAFTI serves hundreds of village communities throughout the
Nagapattinam and Thiruvarur districts in India’s southeastern state of Tamilnadu.

LAFTI was founded by Krishnammal and her husband Jagannathan in 1981. It has
its roots in Bhoodan (the Land Gift) Movement, created by Acharya Vinoba Bave,
the spiritual heir of Gandhi and “the first Sathyagrahi”, who for almost 20 years,
advocated the concept of Gramdan (the Village Community ownership); it involves
landowners voluntarily surrendering their land for community ownership by
Grama Sabha (Village Community). The significance of this non-violent land
revolution is still to be recognised but Bhoodan and LAFTI movements have been
instrumental in distributing 11,000 acres of land to 11,000 landless poor families,
through non-violent campaigns for the purchase of land for a reasonable price, or
the lease of temple or trust land for cultivation by the village community.

LAFTI is committed to raising the social status and acceptability of the Dalit Caste,
so called “the untouchables”. It has negotiated with the government for land
subsidies, and with the banks for reduced interest loans for the purchase of land.
LAFTI’s housing scheme was created during the drought period of 1986-87, initially
as a means of providing alternative employment. Brick and tile making industry
was set up in 10 centers, and later with government subsidies, single room
tenements were built with the bricks to replace the crumbling straw huts. It has
created Women’s Rights groups and Youth Forums in many villages. Please see
our ACTIVITIES page for more information about some of our projects.

AISHWARYA TRUST SAVES CHILDREN’S LIVES

AISHWARYA TRUST SAVES CHILDREN’S LIVES

Congenital heart defects are the most common cause of death amongst infants. Inspired by friends and in memory of her daughter Aishwarya, who died because of a congenital heart defect, Chitra Viswanathan founded the Aishwarya Trust in Chennai / India in 2008.

The organisation has made it its mission to provide financial assistance to enable affected, disadvantaged children to get vital treatment and operations in private clinics. The Aishwarya Trust makes it possible for affected children to be treated by the most famous heart surgeons in India – as every child should have the right to the best possible treatment in his/her country.

The George Lucas Educational Foundation

The George Lucas Educational Foundation

OUR MISSION

The George Lucas Educational Foundation is dedicated to improving the K-12 learning process by documenting, disseminating, and advocating innovative, replicable, and evidence-based strategies that prepare students to thrive in their future education, careers, and adult lives.

OUR VISION

Our vision is of a new world of learning, a place where students and parents, teachers and administrators, policy makers and the people they serve are all empowered to change education for the better; a place where schools provide rigorous project-based learning, social-emotional learning, and access to new technology; a place where innovation is the rule, not the exception; a place where students become lifelong learners and develop 21st-century skills, especially three fundamental skills:

  • how to find information
  • how to assess the quality of information
  • how to creatively and effectively use information to accomplish a goal

It’s a place of inspiration and aspiration based on the urgent belief that improving education is the key to the survival of the human race. We call this place Edutopia, and we provide not just the vision for this new world of learning but the real-world information and community connections to make it a reality.

WHAT WE DO

We know that K-12 education can be better, but many people don’t know what better looks like. We recognize that for innovations to spread, educators and parents, as well as business and community leaders, must first see and understand the changes and opportunities. We pursue our mission through three primary sets of activities:

  • producing Edutopia.org and related social media to inspire, inform and accelerate positive change in schools and districts by shining a spotlight on evidence-based strategies that improve learning and engagement for students
  • growing a movement of change agents who share best practices and professional development to bring innovation to education and improve student achievement
  • collaborating with researchers, teacher leaders and curriculum experts to provide more evidence to transform learning

To understand more about why we are passionate about our work, read about our Core Strategies (1) and about what our founder and chairman, George Lucas (2), has to say about education.

Please note: The Foundation is a nonpartisan organization, and does not take positions on any legislation or ballot measures, nor does it endorse or oppose any candidates in elections to public office.

OaseWeil – a place of silence and power

OaseWeil – a place of silence and power

The OaseWeil is located in one of the most beautiful nature parks, the Naturepark Schönbuch, the conservation area 30 minutes south of Stuttgart. A place of peace and strength. Because the OaseWeil brings together people of all ages and from all walks of life with lectures, seminars, events and therapy serviceswhich aim to promote body, mind and soul and enrich your life.

A place where older people find new life and quality of life of the young prospectsIt is open to all people promotingfor art,culture, music and sports.