As India is hit with another round of COVID outbreaks, children who normally live on a Back2Back-run campus are still living and learning with their extended families. “There is a lot of uncertainty and with the risks involved, we want to keep the children as safe and healthy as possible against the virus,” shared Julie Mowery, stateside India Director. Children are now slowly returning to campus, but quarantining for a minimum of 14 days before returning to daily schedules. Blended learning plans will allow each child to remain on track.
Byjus is an Indian learning platform where school can be done wherever the students are; it’s similar to online academic curriculums all over the world and was created by the best educators in India with video content for science, math, and social studies. Children watch the lessons at their own pace, with the goal of empowering them to rewatch something if they need better understanding. “What excites us the most about this forum is how evident it will be who is completing the lessons,” shared Julie. “We can easily measure where they are in each topic and fill in educational gaps, if they have them.”
2020 was a year of great uncertainty for everyone, and the children were relatively unsupervised while learning remotely, as their extended families still had jobs to maintain. Staff is hopeful Byjus will make up for lost time and help the children take back control and initiative over their education. Their school teachers will focus exclusively on their language classes, as the rest of their curriculum is supplemented through the new forum. With these new plans in place, caregivers provide daily check-ins with every child, and partner with teachers to assist where needed.
Back2Back’s partnering children’s home is also setting up the online learning platform, and staff there are looking forward to how each girl will flourish individually and succeed at their own pace.
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Recently, a large donation was given for the Strong Families in the city toward COVID relief and protein powder. 250 families, covering 500 children, were impacted positively with a month’s supply of protein powder for each family member.
In response to the generosity the families so often receive from around the world, Hope Education Program students are giving back in their own communities. They passed out protein powder to the families living in the slums and checked the oxygen levels of their neighbors and peers.
This is important – they want to not only receive, but give back what they have been offered. Thanks to prayer, sponsorship, advocacy, and the example of many, they live what they themselves have been shown.