Tulasi Munda
Tulasi Munda was born into a poor tribal family, the day before India attained Independene in the remote and impoverished Serenda region in Orissa. She learnt to read and write by herself. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, Vinobha Bhave and Jayaprakash Narayan, she decided that the only gift that she could give to her people would be education. 35 years ago she established a school under a tree. She sold puffed rice to raise money. Over the years the school has educated over tens of thousans of people! Her organisation, called Adivasi Vikas Samithi runs the school in Serenda and have 16 outreach centres in the villages of Keonjarh district and helps primary education accessible to the poor.
School at Serenda by Mahesh BhatUnsung
School at Serenda- “If you really want to make a difference in society, you have to be selfless” – Tulasi Munda
School at Serenda by Mahesh BhatUnsung
A classroom in the primary school run by Tulasi Munda’s Adivasi Vikas Samithi in Serenda. Situated in Keonjhar district in the northeastern corner of Orissa, the school at the main campus provides education to the underprivileged children of the region.
School at Serenda by Mahesh BhatUnsung
Cleaning rice outside the kitchen at the main campus at Serenda. The school provides food and lodging at a nominal cost per month per student.
School at Serenda by Mahesh BhatUnsung
Children wash up after school. They get nutritious food and simple but clean accomodation. This is a boon in this impoverished area. They are also taught to be self sufficient and the importance of hygiene.
School at Tonto village by Mahesh BhatUnsung
A government primary school in Tonto village in Keonjhar district shares a compound wall with an open cast iron mine. The boom in iron mining resulted in the loss of farm lands and destruction of the environment.
Outreach centre at Biju Patnaik Hutting by Mahesh BhatUnsung
An outreach centre at Biju Patnaik hutting near Serenda. Hutting is a temporary dwelling. Only poor mine workers live here and the place does not have any basic amenities such as drinking water, reliable power supply and healthcare. Adivasi Vikas Samithi runs 16 such outreach centres in Keonjhar disctrict.
Tulasi Munda by Mahesh BhatUnsung
"The goal of education is to improve life, to make things better around us, to do things better"-Tulasi Munda
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