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Lakshmi Ashram is a women's community and school in Uttaranchal which is open to volunteers.
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Lakshmi Ashram is a self-sufficient boarding school for girls in the foothills of the Himalayas, which is involved in educational, environmental and economic initiatives with local women.
The Ashram was established by Sarala Behn (Katherine Mary Heilemann) who, inspired by Gandhi, left London in 1931 and worked with him in Sevagram. When her health suffered through living on the plains, Gandhi advised herto go the Kumaon hills.
Sarala Behn became especially interested in the living conditions of the hill women, and local women would meet in her house for spinning. She decided to open a school using Gandhi's philosophy of basic education which combines academic studies with practical work. The school started in 1948 with six local girls, all daughters of freedom fighters.
A CLOSER LOOK
Gandhi's ideals about self-sufficiency and a simple mode of life resembling home life in the villages are integral to the school. Staff and students live and learn in the main building. The ashram owns eleven acres of hillside, six of which are cultivated terraces, and cows are kept for milk. Teachers and students work on the land in the mornings and the afternoon for academic work.
The ability to discuss issues and work on equal terms, whether teacher or student, is an important tool for those who live in the ashram, and visitors are expected to contribute equally.
The school provides a home life
and education for around 60 girls. Many students are from disadvantaged
families or may be disabled in some way. The girls pursue their academic
studies up to class ten, High School level. If they continue in the
ashram they take some responsibility for its activities and continue their
studies to class twelve in their own time. Some may stay on to work as
part of the ashram staff.
The ashram's practical work involves growing its own food, spinning and weaving, knitting and carpet weaving. It manages three shops run by local women selling khadi items in cotton and wool, many of the woollen items being produced in the ashram itself.
The ashram's outreach focuses
on village women by raising consciousness about their situation through
mahila mangal dais (village women's groups). It assists environmental
management through local women workers and is
active in environmental campaigns against uncontrolled mining and big
dams. It supports the prohibition movement because alcohol is associated
with wife beating and wasted family income.
Currently it runs some 40 balwadis (pre-schools) in villages in the East Almora district where the ashram is based.
The ashram aims to be self sufficient with some funds for running costs from Indian and Danish sources. The ashram is willing to host genuine volunteers from AVI - people who wish to experience their Gandhian basic education programme and participate in some of the school's activities. Further information is available from AVI.
AVI has been associated with Lakshmi Ashram since 1995.
