Grand Master Venerable Hsing Yun has always placed emphasis on primary education. As we all know India has great economic disparities. While many Indians are in Forbes’ Billionaires list, there is also an estimated 250 million Indians below the poverty line. This means they earn less than one dollar a day. For many children, education is merely a dream.  Although the government provides free education, the quality of education is very poor. BLIA Saurashtra Central Gujarat Chapter has opened a school to fill the quality gap for underprivileged children in India.

We had organized the functions in Government Schools where mostly very poor i.e., bellow poverty line students use to take admission. And the Admission in the First standard is very important. When they take admission in the school, they should feel secure and motivated that many people have concerns for them. Our chapter Surendranagar Unit has surveyed such isolated schools and organized programs to celebrate School Entrance Festival.

There were six schools and 200 students of First Standard namely

1.     Kangasia Vasahat Primary School, Wadhawan City

2.     Dangasia Vasahat Primary School, Wadhawan City

3.     Gharshala Primary School, Wadhawan City

4.     Ganpatifatsar Primary School, Wadhawan City

5.     Primary School No. 7, Joravarnagar

6.     Primary School No. 9, Joravarnagar

During the School Entrance Festival Program, we had distributed a complete school kit that includes a School Bag, Slat, Pencil, Sharpener, Eraser, Pen (for slat), Lunch Box, Compass Box and a Chocolate. This festival was celebrated for three days. On 27th June, 29th & 30th June 2009.

All the School children had sung welcome songs as well as did welcome dance to welcome BLIA. We had invited most of the Government officers to witness ourhumanitarian activities. The guests were;

1.     Smt. Varshaben Doshi, Member of Legislative

2.     Mr. Baliya, Deputy Superintending of Police

3.     Mr. Oza, Social Welfare Officer (State)

4.     Mr. Vaghela, Social Welfare Officer (Rural)

5.     Mr. Vyas, Chief officer, Wadhawan Municipality,

6.     Mr. Khokhar, Circle Police Officer,

7.     Mr. Jadeja, Police Sub Inspector,

8.     Mr. Srimali, Deputy Executive Engineer, Gujarat Electricity Board

9.     Mr. Thakor, Revenue administrative officer, Wadhawan City

This function was not only the School Kit distribution but we have sent the message of Humanistic Buddhism to thousands of families whose children had witness the function. BLIA Saurashtra Central Gujarat Chapter would like to continue celebrate this festival every year. And the target for next year is to distribute 2000 School Kits. We will welcome donors to come forward for this Nobel & humanitarian work.

Children are pure and simple. In order to elevate their confidence in learning and to cultivate the beauty of their disposition, BLIA Sri Lanka Chapter, on June 21storganized a children art completion on the theme – The Three Acts of Goodness, at the Sri Sangharatana Dhamma School in the Porawagama Village of Elpitiya, 100km south of Colombo. The competition was participated by 152 students of the Dhamma School and ten novices of the Vidya Sri Wardhana Pirivena.

Ven. P. Somalankara, president of BLIA Sri Lanka Chapter commenced the program introducing BLIA, and Sri Lanka connection with the BLIA and Ven. Chuehmen. He encouraged the children to cherish the good condition for having the opportunity to participate in such a warm function and knowing a big international organization.

Ven. Chuehmen in addressing the function, asked the students to take a clear look at the BLIA banner on the Three Acts of Goodness.  The Three Acts is the cultivation of bodily, verbal and thought action. It is the upholding of the five precepts which the students recited at the start of the function. Ven. Chuehmen also advised the students to practice the Three Acts in daily life, and to be a good student in school, a good child to parents at home and a good Buddhist who respects the Triple Gem.
With their nature of beauty, the students showed in drawings of helping others, environmental protection, filial to parents and so on.  Prizes were awarded to three best drawings in each grade from 1 to 6. The children expressed their gratitude through a song.

In conjunction with the art completion, BLIA Sri Lanka also distributed exercise books and stationery to students of low-income families, lightening the burden of their parents. Under the guidance of Ven. Chuehmen, the chapter treasurer Malini, Rinku Barua and others set off at 04:30 in morning from Colombo to Elpitiya to hold this function.