BHUMI (organisation)

Bhumi is one of India's largest independent youth volunteer non-profit organisations.[1] Bhumi as a platform enables over 30,000 volunteers in more than 12 cities across India for causes like education, environment, animals, community welfare etc.[2]. Bhumi helps educate over 25,000 children across India [3] as of 2020.

Bhumi kamakhya guri dakhi nararthli
Founded2006
FounderAyyanar E, Hari Sankar, Dr.Prahalathan KK
Typevolunteering
FocusEducation, Civic engagement, environment, social entrepreneurship
Location
Area served
Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Coimbatore, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune, Thanjavur, Tiruchirappalli, India
Websitewww.bhumi.ngo

Bhumi capitalises on the volunteering force of Indian youth, playing a catalyst directing India and the youth towards a better tomorrow.[1] Bhumi has established itself as a front-ranking charity organisation that helps poor children to realise their potential, raise their aspirations and recognise their achievements in various fields.[4]

Bhumi is also the winner of the ‘Leader in Volunteer Engagement Award 2013’ at the iVolunteer Awards.[5]

History

Bhumi was started in 2006 by a few students and young professionals in the Indian city of Chennai. With a passion to do something for the nation, a bunch of young people got together to volunteer to teach children at an orphanage in Chennai. The experience was an eye-opener about the status of the education system in the country. This motivated the co-founders to start Bhumi on August 15, 2006.[6]

Approach

BHUMI Volunteers are primarily college students and young professional working voluntarily to provide education support in children's homes and community centres.[7][8] The methodology of teaching is mostly informal which incorporates the idea of "learn while you play".

Programmes

Bhumi has two core areas of work - Education and Civic Projects

Ignite: Transformational Education

Ignite is Bhumi's supplementary education programme for under-privileged children. The programme is delivered during the weekends by trained volunteers of Bhumi. Over 25,000 children are benefiting from the programme as of 2020[9]. The programme consists of English, Mathematics, Science, computers, mentoring, arts, sports and life skills support.[1]

Kanini

Kanini meaning computer in some Indian languages including Tamil, is Bhumi's computer literacy programme for children. Kanini has a well-structured syllabus with courses that cater to children’s varying requirements, interests and aptitudes. The basic course package consists of introduction to the Computer, basic software and hardware, Microsoft Office tools and the Internet.

Speak Out

The Speak Out programme provides quality English and soft-skills education to underprivileged children. The programme builds the communication ability and confidence of children so that they can stand at par with the rest of the world.

Lakshya

Lakshya is a mentorship programme which pairs underprivileged children with volunteers who act as their mentors and role models. Mentors meet mentees every week and assist them with school work, listen to their problems and support them in challenges they encounter. In the process, mentors instill self-confidence and the ability to solve one’s own problem in the children.

e-Lakshya

e-Lakshya is a mentorship programme which pairs underprivileged children in rural India with Bhumi volunteers across the world who act as their mentors and role models. Mentors interact with mentees through the internet at Bhumi facilitated sessions.

Little Einsteins - Mathematics

Little Einsteins - Mathematics is an activity based learning programme that focuses on the conceptual understanding and learning. The programme taps the curiosity of children and eliminates the fear of the subject by widening the spectrum of their knowledge.

Little Einsteins - Science

Little Einsteins -Science is an experiment based programme that teaches the fundamental concepts of science through experimentation, observation and conceptual understanding. The programme helps students understand concepts by doing experiments and helps eliminate the fear of Science.

Yantra

Yantra is an exciting hands-on programme that helps children learn scientific concepts by building their own robots. The programme helps children develop interest in the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics)[10][11]

Nakshatra

Nakshatra, is Bhumi's talent development programme. Nakshatra consists of an Annual inter-orphanage art, sports and science talent Fest to bring out the children’s creative talents held across India[12][13] and a year long talent development programme in arts, sports at shelter homes. The event has been held annually since 2009[14] [15] .[16] Over 6,000 children participate in Nakshatra every year[17]

Nakshatra, is a two-day talent fest held every year has an array of competitive activities to ensure that children of all age groups from orphanages participate and gain immensely by competing against their peers. The 50 different arts and cultural competitions- including flower arrangement, pot painting, clay modelling, elocution, solo / group dance and song etc. and athletic and sporting competitions like sprint, high jump, shot put, volleyball, chess etc. are structured for various age groups to facilitate maximum participation. The event is peppered with entertainment, games and a science exhibition to keep the children busy even while they were not competing.

Catalyse: Transforming Citizenry

Catalyse consists of Bhumi’s civic projects that engage volunteers in causes like animal welfare, community welfare, disability,[18] environment,[19] health etc. The programmes consisting of one-off and regular volunteering activities engage over 5,000 volunteers each year in over 15 cities across India.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Bhumi Supports the Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives of companies like Cognizant Technological Solutions, Dassault Systemes[20] etc.

Awards
  • Bhumi is the recipient of the ‘Leader in Volunteer Engagement Award 2013’ at the iVolunteer Awards.[5]
  • Bhumi is the recipient of the 'Excellence in Literacy' Award 2009 from the Rotary Club
  • Bhumi is the recipient of the 'InDiya Shine Award' 2009 from Great Non Profits International
  • Bhumi is the recipient of the ‘Service Excellence’ Award 2010 from the Rotary Club
  • Vaishnavi Srinivasan, a Bhumi Volunteer has won the Youth Volunteer of the Year Award at the Apeejay India Volunteer Awards 2011
  • Bhumi is the recipient of the ‘award for excellence in the field of education’ 2013 from the Rotary Club[7]

References
  1. "Benefiting Over 10,000 Children Every Year, This Team Shows Us The Power Of Volunteering". The Better India. 28 March 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  2. "Bhumi". India Cares Foundation. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  3. https://www.news18.com/news/india/no-country-for-them-orphans-child-labourers-invisible-uncounted-collateral-victims-of-covid-19-crisis-2618229.html
  4. NXG (2010). "Give them wings". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 2010-12-20.
  5. "Abhishek Bachchan Lauds Bhumi". The New Indian Express. 27 March 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  6. "To establish an institution that makes meaningful impact on society requires years of hard work and dedication – Dr. Prahalathan/ Bhumi". Stagephod. Archived from the original on 25 April 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  7. "The league of extraordinary humans". The New Indian Express. 30 March 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  8. Education Plus (23 August 2010). "Serve to Succeed". Chennai, India: The Hindu.
  9. https://www.news18.com/news/india/no-country-for-them-orphans-child-labourers-invisible-uncounted-collateral-victims-of-covid-19-crisis-2618229.html
  10. "Robotics is no rocket science". The Hindu. 1 February 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  11. "Children from Chennai orphanages make robots at robotics workshop". The Times of India. 31 January 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  12. "Children showcase creative side". The Hindu. 20 August 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  13. "Earnest show of talent". The Hindu. 13 August 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  14. "When talent takes wing". The Hindu. 27 July 2010. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  15. "Bhumi's Siragugal '10". Chennai Online. 27 July 2010. Archived from the original on 15 July 2010. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  16. "Celebrating the creative spirit". The Hindu. 14 July 2011. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  17. "Children bring house down at Nakshatra". The Hindu. 20 July 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  18. "Giving is Growing". The New Indian Express. 18 January 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  19. "The joy of cleaning Chennai beaches". The New Indian Express. 7 October 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  20. "NASSCOM Foundation guides Dassault Systemes towards volunteerism". India CSR. 2010.
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