ASHA ASHRAM, LALPUR, DIST. HARDOI, U.P. Asha has set up a full-fledged centre called Asha Ashram for carrying out an experiment in primary education in Lalpur village in Hardoi District, 60 km from Lucknow. The centre is completing its first year of existence and has already established a role for itself at the local level as well as for others programmes assocaited with Asha. It provides free education and health facilities to the villagers. Children not going to any formal school as well as the ones attending government schools come to this centre to receive help in their education. Asha is developing its model of education based on a philosophy which essentially focuses on cultivation of values for a just human order and promotes skills which will help a person become self-reliant. To strengthen the right kind of values for happy and satisfying human relationships Asha is developing its own curriculum. The first text book ‘Muskaan’ is being tried out at various centres associated with Asha in North India. The education programme of Asha gives enough opportunity to its students to develop their creative talents. Art and craft activities form an essential part of the education process. Local craft and artisans find a place of pride in Asha’s education programme. An artist from Shanti Niketan, West Bengal, Shyamli Khastagir recently organized an art and craft workshop at the Ashram for teachers of several Asha programmes. Asha provides health service to the villagers based on a combination of homeopathy, naturopathy, ayurveda and allopathy. A key Asha volunteer Mahesh has already been preparing some ayurvedic medicines for several years now. Presently, a Hyderabad based company has sponsored homeopathic medicines for this village for a year. A village fund has been created so that villagers can borrow from it in time of need and avoid falling prey to monylenders. Families have started contributing Rs. 10/- per month to this fund presently. In future when this fund grows it would also serve as the development fund for the village. The village remains untouched by the electricity grid and Asha is developing alternative energy solutions. A peddle operated battery charging and water lifting device has been developed by innovator Ashok Jain, who first got associated with the Ashram in putting together a ferro-cement structure for it. He has also developed a cement roof tile making machine which too uses the peddle operated mechanical vibrator. Presently this machine is providing livelihood to a villager. Beekeeping and farming have also been taken up for the sustenance of the Ashram. A beekeeping training programme was recently organized for the benefit of the villagers. Ashram is going to serve as a centre for promoting the idea of a meaningful education programme which will form the basis of a just human order as well as provide an environment where volunteers can come and learn. Various training programmes and camps will be organized from time to time to develop ideas as well as promote skills.