THE GATEWAY SCHOOL
The Awakening Foundation has partnered with The Gateway School to help provide the resources needed to educate and house some of the children that live in the poorest villages outside of Rahjamundry, India.
Founded in 2009 by local community leader, VSC Prasad and his wife, Sunnee, The Gateway School has educated over 2,000 children from the rural villages near Rahjamundry, India. There are currently 300 students attending school. Approximately 80% of these students are the first in their family to attend school and receive a formal education.
The school was created to help break the poverty and deprivation cycles through education; specifically, providing an education in English and Telugu (the local language), helping students access a higher education and a skilled workforce they normally would not have access to. The Gateway School students consistently score high in all state exams and government inspections. Although the school is approved and regulated by the Indian government, it does not receive government funding.
REFURBISHMENT
In early 2022, the Awakening Foundation enabled the Gateway School in India to undergo a refurbishment-the first in nearly 10 years! Included in the work was a new entrance gate for the school, repainting of the whole school exterior, new desks and seating in every classroom, each classroom repainted, windows and doors upgraded where needed, and fans installed in the dining area and staff room. The pictures give you some idea of the extensive work we were able to facilitate!
BEFORE
AFTER
We received these lovely messages of thanks-
"I wish to thank you for the support and help you provided, for your dedication and for your readiness to help with very prompt response to our needs. I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude for your help to decorate our School more beautiful and more comfortable. It is very encouraging to students and staff. Each and every one in School is conveying their deepest gratitude for your generous support and love. Your commitment is incredibly helpful!"
- Sunnee, the head teacher of Gateway School.
"Thank you for your great support and helping to the Gateway School. Recent your help made school beautiful, class rooms with new benches, nice painting walls and windows & doors. The ground looks great with all renovation. The entrance gate which 12 years old placed with new nice gate. We are very thankful to you all once again for your great encouragement and support. Our staff and family working with great encouragement and happy to see many children to be educated and bright future. They feel the love of God and spiritual encouragement."
- God bless you all, Pastor Prasad from Gateway Ministries.
Children’s Home
In addition to the school, The Gateway School also has a children’s home on site that currently cares for 10 boys and 10 girls that attend the school. These children are cared for by Lolla Prasad and his wife, Prasanna, whom consider these children their own. In order to meet the growing demand for more students to live at the Children’s Home, the school is in the process of building another dorm. When completed, the home will be able to care for 15 girls and 15 boys in separate dorms.
TRANSPORtATION
Many students from the surrounding communities, walk or ride bicycles for up to two hours a day, each way, to attend school. The Gateway School uses two 10-year old school buses to pick-up and drop-off 250 students a day, living up to 8 miles away.
Despite being filled to capacity (standing-room only) on each trip, it still makes multiple trips a day. It’s important that transportation isn’t the reason why children aren’t able to attend school.
“My wife Sunnee and I are humbled by the support and friendship we have received over the years that has helped us fulfill the vision for a school that educates children from the poorest villages around our city. Everyday Sunnee is thankful that we can educate over 300 children and care for 30 of them on site in the Gateway Children’s Home. We pray that the generous support and friendship continues for many years.”
