A few years ago baby girls in India were killed at birth. Today, in India, efforts are being made to educate and help women establish careers.
The Guru Teg Bahadur Khalsa College is providing education to young girls from backward areas of the Punjab who would have no opportunity or financial means to take further education anywhere else in the country. This training enables many young women to acquire careers, which they would not otherwise attain.
The College is the only women's college in the District of Hoshiarpar, Punjab, India. The district has a population of about 2 million people.
According to Dr. H.S. Sandhar, the college is seeking $100,000 Canadian to build a science block. $45,000 has already been raised, mainly from sources in the Punjab. More funds will be raised from among the Sikh community in Canada.
Another $200,000 will be required to furnish and equip science labs. Edmonton’s Gateway Rotary Club in conjunction with two clubs in the Punjab is seeking matching funds from Rotary’s World Community services.
Last year a library was completed, costing $35,000. Fifty boxes of books have been gathered, but more are needed.
The college started in 1976, as an academy. In 1990 buildings were completed for a high school. The college gained affiliation with the University of Punjab in 1992. 1100 young women attend the college in courses leading toward degree programs (like the Bachelor of Arts, B.A. Honors) with options such as Home Economics (food and nutrition), textiles, bookkeeping, accounting, music and most recently computer technology.
The college will be seeking affiliation with an Alberta university in order to offer a nursing program and degree.
With the addition of a science block, 500-800 more students will be able to attend, working on a bachelor of science degree, nursing or lab technician certificate. Grammar school is ten years in India, followed by two years of pre-university. A BA or BSc is usually three years.
Many of the young woman attending the college are orphans or from poor families. A donation of $300 (Cdn) enables a young woman to attend College for one year.
Anyone wishing to receive more information or to make a donation may contact Dr. Sandhar <http://www.drsandharshomeopathic.com/> who has been named the good will ambassador of this college in North America.