Plan India and RIVER tie up

Plan India and RIVER have reached an agreement to work with each other in the field of Education. Towards this end a workshop was conducted, by RIVER, for a number of NGO’s, supported by Plan India, from different States. The participants were exposed to the materials and pedagogy of RIVER. These Organizations have now, individually, started asking for long duration induction workshops with us.

A Freedom To Learn

‘A Fredom to Learn’ is a documentary film made of the RIVER persons, by the RIVER persons and for the RIVER persons. Not entirely true, but close! In June 2008, our Director, Mrs Radhika Herzberger, released the first copy of this documentary. The film traces the origins of RIVER’s history and elaborates the various aspects of the MGML Methodology. Shot entirely on locations in our own Satellite Schools, the authenticity of the unfolding story of RIVER is unquestionable. There is an introduction by Radhika akka on the need for developing rural education in this area. The Directors, RIVER, Padmanabha and Rama Rao explain, in some detail, this memorable journey. Our local teams were assisted in the camera work by Miguel Vázquez-Prada Baillet and Cecilia Paredes Aguirre - the former Spanish and the latter Mexican – two youngsters whose hard work contributed to a large extent in the making of this film. The rich deep voice of our own Teacher, Ms B Smitha, narrates the story of RIVER throughout the film. In the background of this 30 minute documentary is the sublime music score created by Rishi Valley’s own Music Director, Mr T.S. Seshadri. Assisted in Direction, by the Resource Persons of RIVER, T Venu and E Ramu, the film is directed by Raju Asirvadam.

Harvard Kennedy Students visit RIVER

Ms.Yasmin Fodil, Simonida Subotic, and Anjali Doshi spearheaded the visit of a 17 member graduate student team to RIVER in January 2009. The Management students were from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. The team was first given a presentation about RIVER and its activities. They were then taken to one of the satellite schools where a 'Metric Mela' - the Community Maths Festival was in progress. They were then taken to another satellite school where the MGML Methodology was explained to them. After lunch, the team had a very intersting discussion with the Directors, Padmanabha and Rama Rao. The team displayed keen interest in wanting to know about all the activities that RIVER was involved in. It was a good trip for them and us.