Project Education India
Project Education India (student sponsorship program) was created in 1996 by a leap of faith. Without any sponsors, LPGM promised to provide financial support in the first year for 217 students from three boarding homes of the Arcot Lutheran Church (ALC) in Tamil Nadu, India. LPGM supports nearly 1,300 students across six different boarding homes, four in the ALC and two in the India Evangelical Lutheran Church (IELC), also in Tamil Nadu, India.
Sponsor a Student
$40 a month provides funds for shelter, food, clothing, medical care and school supplies. Children come from families in India who value education but cannot provide the kind of opportunities they would like for their children.
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in need of sponsors Support Project Education India
without sponsoring a specific student
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I sponsor a student through Project Education India?
LPGM offers a unique opportunity to connect directly with the student you sponsor.
We are a small, nimble organization that is constantly communicating with those who manage the boarding homes and therefore the lives of the students. We host a group trip once or twice a year and if you join us, you will meet the student you support and possibly even his or her family.
Do I need to support a single student, or can I simply support the program?
You don't need to be connected to a particular sponsored student to make a difference!
Any support of Project Education India helps to provide access to a quality education for students at the margins. You can make a one-time gift, or monthly gifts that make your donation go further.
How can such little money do so much?
It’s fortunate that a few dollars go a long way. The boarding homes are a ministry of the Arcot Lutheran Church and the Indian Evangelical Lutheran Church. In addition to support through LPGM, the educational program receives assistance from the Indian government for teachers’ salaries. In addition, there are local contributions from various sources and parents/families contribute as they are able. It is a truly collaborative partnership.
How old are the students?
Children begin school at age 5 or 6 in the first standard (like U.S. first grade). Children study through the 12th standard, usually age 17 or 18.
How long am I committed as a sponsor?
We ask that you commit to at least one year.
It’s our hope that you will want to support the student for many years. Nearly 400 supporters have been loyal sponsors for more than ten years.
Can I communicate with my student?
Yes! While there’s no requirement to write, all sponsors are encouraged to build a relationship with their sponsored student. Writing an occasional letter and praying for the student connects you with the student and gives him/her the knowledge that someone really cares.
Your letter will be translated in India. The students are required to respond to each letter that they receive. The young children will draw you a picture and the older students will write a response in Tamil which will be translated to English for you. They are taught to pray daily for their sponsors.
Can I send a gift to my student?
Gifts to the students are not encouraged.
A greeting card or short letter with a picture of your family is a prized possession among students. They can easily carry it with them to share with family and friends. Communicate with your student here.
If you want to send something else be sure that it is small and flat and will fit in a letter or card envelope like stickers, hair ribbons, bookmarks, and postcards.
Large gifts that are bulky and/or expensive to mail are inappropriate. A student that receives a lavish gift can be excluded by other students. A large package may not even make it to the LPGM India Office and therefore will not be delivered to your sponsored student.
Please, never send cash to your sponsored student.
An extra amount (above the sponsorship rate) contributed to Project Education India will be added with other extra sponsor contributions to provide a small gift for all of the LPGM sponsored students. We provide one or two such gifts each year.
What happens when students graduate?
Many students return to their villages where they will serve as community and church leaders who will influence higher standards for education, health and productivity.
More and more students are continuing on to extended studies in a variety of disciplines at institutions of higher learning. Some go on to vocational or technical training. Increasing numbers are attending higher education for professions as nurses, doctors, pastors and teachers.
Today, some alumni are in Chennai working as teachers, nurses or pharmacists, as computer scientists or physical therapists. Some are in nearby villages teaching, serving as nurses, and raising a family. As the stories unfolded, the tears streamed down their cheeks and ours with gratitude for what has been given and received.
What is the Christian emphasis in these schools?
Most of the children enter the boarding homes as Hindus. Hindu families will allow their children to be exposed to the Christian faith knowing that they will also receive a very good education. Some become believers through Bible teaching in Sunday school, morning and evening devotions.
This is a very important mission of the Arcot Lutheran Church, and the India Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Questions about the 2023 Sponsorship Increase
Why are sponsorship rates increasing?
LPGM is investing in more resources to support students.
It became clear after the COVID-19 pandemic that students and staff need more support to thrive. This includes mental health counseling, additional tutoring for students whose national exams are approaching, and investments in recruiting and retaining quality support staff (such as caretakers and kitchen staff). In addition, fixed costs continue to rise. Food costs have risen double digits since our last increase in 2019.
At just $1.32 per day, your sponsorship provides:
- Healthy, culturally appropriate food: rice and whole grains, fruits and vegetables, chicken, eggs, and regular snacks.
- Health & Hygiene: First aid & medicine, regular health check ups, pychosocial support, water chlorination & reverse osmosis,
- Educational Support: boarding home, tutors, special coaching, sports & yoga, spiritual retreats and activities
- Support Staff: caretakers, cooks, maintenance and administration, security
Your options
- You can support a full sponsorship at $40 per month, $120 per quarter, or $480 per year.
- You can support a partial sponsorship at $30 per month, $90 per quarter, or $360 per year.
- Or you can name your own sponsorship amount above and beyond that will help cover partial and unsponsored students.
Current Sponsors:
Edit My Recurring Payment
You can also choose to give any amount to the broader Project Education India program that supports these students (without being assigned a specific student), or give wherever it’s needed most in LPGM programs around the world (“unrestricted”). You are a gift, not matter what or how you give.
Can I support the program without sponsoring a specific student?
Yes! If you choose to do this, your gift will join with other donors doing the same thing, and will provide support for students in our program who do not have a sponsor.
Will my sponsorship rate increase happen automatically, or do I have to do something?
It depends. No matter how you give, we are requesting your permission to increase your sponsorship amount. Depending on the way you give, we may need your help.
Do you give through an automatic withdrawal from your bank or credit card?
IMPORTANT: If you do nothing, your automated withdrawal will be increased on or after April 1. If you'd like to authorize this increase earlier than that, or if you'd like to opt out of this increase please call us at 612.823.5058 or let us know via our contact form.
Current Sponsors:
Edit My Recurring Payment Contact Us to
Opt Out
Do you give your sponsorship through your bank’s automated bill-pay service?
To increase your sponsorship, please contact your bank with the updated sponsorship rate. Unsure of what your new rate will be? Please call us at 612.823.5058 or let us know via our contact form.
Do you receive a reminder from LPGM when your sponsorship is due?
When you receive your next contribution reminder it will include the new sponsorship rate. You don’t need to do anything before then.
I can't afford the increased sponsorship rate. Now what?
That’s okay! We understand that an increase in sponsorship is not possible for all sponsors. If you are unable or choose not to sponsor at the increased rate, please tell us! We will work with you to best support your sponsored student.
Your options
- You can support a full sponsorship at $40 per month, $120 per quarter, or $480 per year.
- You can support a partial sponsorship at $30 per month, $90 per quarter, or $360 per year.
- Or you can name your own sponsorship amount above and beyond that will help cover partial and unsponsored students.
Current Sponsors:
Edit My Recurring Payment Contact Us to
Opt Out
You can also choose to give any amount to the broader Project Education India program that supports these students (without being assigned a specific student), or give wherever it’s needed most in LPGM programs around the world (“unrestricted”). You are a gift, not matter what or how you give.
If I am ahead with my sponsorship payments and have paid my sponsorship into 2023, when will the sponsorship increase rate begin for me?
Thank you for paying your sponsorship rates in advance, this is greatly appreciated! The increased sponsorship rate in your case will begin when the next payment is due. However, you’re certainly welcome to send in an adjusted gift. If you are wondering when the next payment is due, please reach out to us.
If I am late with my sponsorship payments and wish to catch up, what rate will I be paying?
We hope you will be able to catch up with any outstanding sponsorship payments by the end of 2023. This will ensure our partners can continue to provide quality care and education for your sponsored student.
If a catch up before the end of the year is not possible, whenever you are able, you can pay the old rate for any outstanding amounts. The new sponsorship rate would then be effective as of January 2024 and your future statement will reflect this amount.
English+ Program
LPGM works with our partner the Arcot Lutheran Church (ALC) to improve literacy and exposure to the English language through the ALC School Projects department. What began as the Library Program in 2007 has grown into a spoken English program in many of the ALC’s elementary schools and, in the process, transformed families and communities, many of whom never thought they would have the chance to learn English. English is the unifying language of India which elevates its importance and necessity.
In addition to working with students, the English+ Program also provides spoken English training for teachers and spoken English experiences for families. Some highlights:
- Parents and teachers exclaim, “ENGLISH+ is a gift for us. Our students are improving in English every day.”
- School admissions have increased because of the enhanced English program. Students are asking, “Teacher, when will we have the next ENGLISH+ class?”
- Keeping the libraries refreshed with new books, some bilingual, is helping the program to continue its effectiveness.
- “… the program removes the fear of learning English. Now great interest is created and they learn with pleasure and new vision.”
ALC Community College
The ALC Community College was begun in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami that devastated southeastern India. Today it serves as a glorious witness to God’s long-term vision. The Arcot Lutheran Church founded the institution after local leaders said they wanted their young adults to have more choices for their future occupations than fishing and living off the sea. Several organizations joined LPGM as partners in this ministry.
Owned and operated by the Arcot Lutheran Church, former ALC Bishop Raja Socrates calls it the “City of Hope.” Courses focus on education that leads to jobs in auto mechanics, electrical wiring, nursing assistants and tailoring.
The college campus is surrounded by a diverse community of Christians, Hindus and Muslims, all living together peacefully. We are proud of this campus and the potential for the college and its students.
The Timothy Center for Women & Children Empowerment
The Timothy Center for Women & Children Empowerment is a ministry of the Arcot Lutheran Church with support from LPGM. A Child Rights curriculum exists in each of the church’s 94 schools.
Each day, staff members travel through Tiruvannamalai (Tami Nadu), looking for women and children being forced to work, most for very little money. Some children are referred by those who know about the center. Parents are invited to meetings that introduce rehabilitation programs and try to convince them that the long-term education and training of their children will pay off in far greater ways than the few pennies they earn as child laborers.
Courses include:
- tailoring
- computer education
- carpentry
- advocacy
- and other programs.
Income generation efforts include a business processing office and a ready-made garment unit. Future efforts may include a community kitchen, wood carving skill training, and seeking assistance from the National skill development program.
