Help us to transform lives

Aryaloka Computer Education, Nagpur, MS, India

Helping the poorest in India to join the IT revolution

Aryaloka Computer Education (ACE) is a Triratna Buddhist project offering subsidised IT education to some of India’s poorest and most excluded people, so helping them to transform their lives. ACE was established 14 years ago and has been growing steadily ever since.

Our vision is of an India where even children from the poorest and caste-ridden backgrounds are able to earn a decent living, and so enjoy a fully human life within mainstream society.

Children from poor Dalit backgrounds receive no IT tuition in school and so are destined to be excluded from any work involving IT, let alone any involving specialist IT skills. In reality this can mean a life of grinding manual work, with no security beyond that day's wages.

ACE offers computer training courses in MS Office, Tally, DTP Hardware and digital animation. During the last 14 years the ACE has offered training to over 9,000 students from disadvantaged backgrounds, with most gaining the Maharashtra state IT certificate and nearly 70% of students going on to meaningful, well-paid work.

In this way ACE has established itself as a right livelihood situation for people who want to practice Buddhism in daily life. We have also opened a new branch in Raipur, Chhattisgarh state where some young people are getting the opportunity to practice and deepen their going for refuge in a right livelihood situation. We would like to expand this venture in other states of India including Bihar, Rajasthan, Orissa and Kerala.

Why a new building?

We are running all our activities in rented premises for the last 14 years.  We have faced many difficulties including loss of students due to having to vacate the building. Now we have found a building which is very suitable and in an excellent location. Here we could also double the number of beneficiaries and develop new projects. 

The new 2 storey building in Nagpur, Maharashtra, will house the following-

1.      Headquarters for all ACE branches in India.

2.      Computer Institute right livelihood project

3.      Residential community for 10 young men

4.      Buddhist Shrine room for 80 people

5.      Guest room

6.      Buddhist Library for order members and Dhammamitras. 

7.      Career guidance and counselling centre.

8.      Hall for conducting various kinds of workshops.

9.      Open-air Buddhist shrine on the top of the building for 200 to 300 people.

Also the centre will offer study groups, courses, festival etc. 

The total cost of the building, including renovation and furnishing is INR 77,00,000 / £77,000 / $120,000 / €108,000.

So far we have raised just over half of this through loans and donations. However, to go ahead with this project we desperately need to raise a further INR 30,00,000 / £30,000 / $46,500 / €41,700 by the end of January 2016.   

If you are able, please consider donating a gift of around £500 to £1,000, as we require several substantial donations to make this project a reality.

For more info :
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aryaloka-Computer-Education/602858079753958
www.aryalokaeducation.org 

Much metta
Aryaketu

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