Saankhya Educational Society (SES) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) that works to promote education, health, and livelihood opportunities for the underprivileged and marginalized communities in India. SES was founded in 2010 with a moto “Skilling Nation, Creating Future” by a group of passionate and committed individuals who wanted to make a difference in the lives of the people who are often neglected and discriminated by the society and the government.
The thought process behind SES is that quality education is the only medium that can improve the living standards of the poor people. It is the most powerful tool, which can equip them to make informed and intelligent choices about their lives and future. SES believes that education is the only weapon to fight poverty and truly empower the children who tomorrow will be the face of Bharat. SES seeks to achieve a better tomorrow through the medium of education and unleash the power of knowledge that is inaccessible to millions.
SES operates on the community and national levels, and implements various projects and programs that focus on the following areas:
- Education: SES provides formal and informal education to children, youth, and adults who are out of school or illiterate. SES also supports the development of teachers, schools, and curricula that are relevant and responsive to the local needs and contexts.
- Health: SES provides preventive and curative health services to the people who lack access to basic health facilities and awareness. SES also advocates for the rights and entitlements of the people to health care and social protection.
- Livelihood: SES provides vocational training, entrepreneurship development, and microfinance to the people who are unemployed or underemployed. SES also facilitates the formation and strengthening of self-help groups, cooperatives, and networks that can enhance the income and empowerment of the people.
SES has a decentralized and participatory organizational structure, where the decision-making power and responsibility are shared among the board of directors, the executive committee, the staff, and the volunteers. SES also has a network of partners and collaborators, including local NGOs, institutions, and projects, as well as national donors and agencies, that provide technical, financial, and moral support to SES’s work.
SES has achieved significant impacts and outcomes in the past years, such as:
- Enrolling over 10,000 children and youth in formal and informal education programs, and improving their learning outcomes and retention rates.
- Providing health care and awareness to over 40,000 people, and reducing the incidence and prevalence of communicable and non-communicable diseases.
- Creating over 3,000 livelihood opportunities and enterprises for the people, and increasing their income and savings levels.
SES monitors and evaluates its work regularly, using both quantitative and qualitative methods, such as surveys, interviews, focus group discussions, case studies, and stories of change. SES also conducts periodic reviews and audits, and publishes annual reports and newsletters, to ensure accountability and transparency to its stakeholders and the public.
SES faces many challenges and opportunities in its work, such as:
- The lack of adequate and reliable funding and resources, and the need to diversify and sustain its sources of income and support.
- The changing and complex needs and expectations of the beneficiaries and stakeholders, and the need to adapt and innovate its approaches and strategies.
- The increasing competition and collaboration among the NGOs and other actors in the development sector, and the need to build and maintain effective and mutually beneficial partnerships and alliances.
SES plans to overcome these challenges and seize these opportunities by:
- Developing and implementing a strategic plan and a resource mobilization plan, and seeking new and alternative ways of generating and managing funds and resources.
- Conducting regular needs assessment and stakeholder analysis, and designing and delivering relevant and responsive programs and services.
- Engaging in networking and advocacy activities, and establishing and strengthening its presence and reputation in the development sector and the society.
SES invites and welcomes anyone who shares its vision and mission, and who wants to contribute to its work, to join and support SES as a member, a volunteer, a donor, or a partner.