The Rotary Club of West Springfield utilized The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International's Global Grants Program to conduct the Happy Schools Project. This project supported schools in Shimoga, India and met a key Area of Focus- basic education and literacy.
Shimoga, officially known as Shivamogga, is a city and the district headquarters of Shimoga district in the central part of the state of Karnataka, India. Shimoga has a total population of 322,650 (2011 Indian Census) and has a total area of about 50 square miles.
The Happy Schools Project invested in facility and technology infrastructure to improve hygiene and sanitation, increase learning and understanding, and provide computer literacy. Investments included-
- Computer laboratory with twenty-five computers and furniture
- Digital class rooms with digital boards and multimedia teaching tools
- Physical infrastructure including benches, desks, tables, chairs, etc
- Improvements at National High School including increasing the classroom size, painting walls, and new flooring
Through the power of The Rotary Foundation, the contributions from the West Springfield and Shimoga, India Clubs and Districts were compounded, with the West Springfield Club contributing $5,250 and a total project budget of $39,413.
