FOUNDING STORY
Gyanankur School was founded in 2004 by Mr Argemiro Fernandes, an 86-year-old Indian philanthropist with a big heart. Mr Fernandes was moved by the need expressed to him by his employee Mr Datta Dhore from Kesnand village as well as by other members of this village, about the lack of any good English education available for their children – a key barrier to their children’s future opportunities. Mr Fernandes funded the opening of a small pre-primary school consisting at the time of about 60 children and three teachers in a small rented bungalow. For three years the school grew but remained in dire need of proper administration, vision, management, infrastructure and more quality teachers.
In 2007, Mr Fernandes handed over the management of the school to the Resurrection Education Society. Director Melinda Parker, and Assistant Director Suzana Andrade, the founder’s granddaughter, came together with a common passion for educational and social reform to take leadership and shape the vision and development of Gyanankur School, gradually drawing together a team of like-minded individuals to work alongside them.
The school also began an on-going process of transformation in its culture, curriculum and teaching styles, with the aim of eventually developing into a Beacon School which embodies its alternative vision, values and educational philosophy.
In June 2008, Gyanankur set up its first satellite pre-primary school called Eon Gyanankur School at another location in Pune (Kharadi) along a three-way partnership model between the non-profit, government and private sectors.
CHILDREN’S DAY (14th Nov 2008)
On children’s day the Kesnand teachers got together and planned a fun filled day. Children’s day is a day to stop and affirm the value of each precious child. The teachers decided to serve a healthy meal instead of the usual sweets as many of our children don’t get enough nutrition.
It was wonderful to see parents, bus drivers and neighbours pitch in food donations and work in the kitchen and then to see the children coming back for second and third helpings. We would love to have a regular healthy lunch and are researching the cost of it. Teachers even dressed up, did a dance, told funny stories and made the children laugh. We believe Children’s day is a day to really affirm a key value: each child is a precious life created by God to be loved and cared for.
CITY KIDS HEAD TO THE FARM (Nov 2008)
The Kharadi preprimary school which is made up of slum and middle class urban children are learning about farm animals as their theme this month. Our Kesnand bus went to pick them up and they visited some locations in our village area: a farm growing fruit and veggies, a chicken farm, a brick-making works, they watched a buffalo being milked, ate a picnic lunch and topped it off with a ride in a buffalo cart. It was a fantastic day of learning in real life and a lot of fun. Even one of the teachers hadn’t been to farms like this before!
TEACHERS’ PICNIC (Nov 2008)
Our Kesnand teachers and helpers headed out of town one day to an ancient fort. A few of the more adventurous climbed the steep stairs for the view. They ate a picnic lunch, had a lot of fun together and stopped in the afternoon for chai at one of the teachers homes. It is great to see the teachers getting to stop and have some much deserved fun together.
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