This is an article about a project in India which aims to improve the lives of the underprivileged by imparting good spoken and written English skills to them. I have been working in this project as a volunteer teacher for three years.

The Ranjan Project, with nine centers in the country, is a unique educational endeavor which aims to empower youth from underprivileged backgrounds. The Bengaluru centre of the project is located at Rupena Agrahara in Bommenahalli. Founded in 2009 by Paul Peres, the project offers classes in spoken and written English, computer literacy and soft skills to about 700 students of all ages. What makes the project special is its interactive manner of teaching with power point presentations, lots of speaking and writing activities designed to make learning fun. There is also a great emphasis on Personality Development – traits like character building, efficient time management, politeness and etiquette, respect for others, cleanliness – aspects which are not usually covered in English teaching methodologies. When asked what motivated him to start the project Peres says, ”When I saw children deprived of good English education, deportment and public speaking skills, I wanted to help them acquire good English speaking and writing skills. Since English is an international and global language, this exposes them to new ideas and creates a greater awareness of the world. Also today most of the information available in the media like the internet, books, and television is in English. A good knowledge of English also boosts self-confidence and self-esteem. In addition, being able to use a computer and having adequate skills in communication, presentation and personal deportment make a huge difference in the employability of any candidate.” The centers are usually located in the backward areas of cities as it is mainly targeted at the socially and economically underprivileged. While emphasizing English learning, it does not downplay the importance of the local language. It encourages its students to be bilingual – to use both English and the local language. Currently primary and secondary education has become more accessible to low income families. However, most children belonging to this section of society generally receive a poor quality education with very little emphasis placed on life-skills. These skills which help prepare them for higher education and employment are not easily available to them thus putting them at a disadvantage in comparison to their peers from middle class and higher income backgrounds. Says Peres,”We use a very interactive method of teaching with audio-visual media and activities to give an opportunity to the lowest-income groups to learn in an interesting manner. Even if they are already studying English in school, their English is very poor. After attending a few classes they show a marked improvement in their speaking and writing abilities. In addition, they have also broadened their horizons and expanded their awareness in many areas. Many of the students who have graduated go on to give English classes themselves. Their lives have improved tremendously – intellectually, socially and economically. The lessons are in the form of modules which teach the essentials of spoken and written English through power point presentations, audios and videos. The audios and videos also help the students to be proficient in pronunciation. There are also oral and group activities which give them a chance to speak and interact with each other. Also integrated into the modules are lessons like having a good vision for our lives, politeness and etiquette, gratitude, time management, perseverance and others. The modules also have tests to assess the students’ progress. The feedback from many students who have completed the course has been very positive. Says Sowmya (14),”I enjoyed doing the Ranjan Junior course. It was very helpful. I liked the stories and the morals are very good. Another student Besalick Prince says, ”I enjoyed the songs and activities in the course. I also learnt about good manners. I now talk more in English with my friends, family and teachers.” As the Ranjan Project continues to impact many young people’s lives, there are plans to expand further and also work with other like-minded organizations and individuals. As recent reports have confirmed, the quality of spoken and written English skills of Indian youth is very low. A well-rounded English education coupled with instruction in good values can radically alter the lives of young people. It is also a good tool for social empowerment, especially for women and backward classes. It can give them a fresh new vision, both of the world and for themselves, and put them on the road to a much better life and future. Therefore the importance of such an educational endeavor cannot be overemphasized.