LONG ISLAND, NY, August 14, 2018. Childrenâ€™s Hope India (CHI) is proud to announce the CHI-Tandon Higher Education Scholarship Program, providing tuition support for higher education to students from under-served communities in India. The program is a merit-cum-means scholarship program (preference given to the poorest of the poor with an excellent academic background), with 50% reserved for girls. The scholarship program was made possible through a generous donation by Chandrika Tandon, Grammy-nominated artist, humanitarian, and business leader, and honoree at CHIâ€™s 2017 gala. Ms. Tandon has a passion for working for a better world and for educating future generations. This scholarship program, set up in her name, is a tribute to her accomplishments, warmth, and boundless generosity of spirit. Sixteen children (12 of whom are girls) are the first awardees of the scholarships.

Thanks to the CHI-Tandon Higher Education Scholarship Program, Childrenâ€™s Hope is now able to extend our educational support to underprivileged, yet highly motivated, children beyond Grade 10. The scholarships will be initially for the first year of pre-university courses and undergraduate studies, and will continue beyond that to the completion of the program based on awardeesâ€™ success in meeting specific benchmarks (namely continuation of education, annual academic performance, regularity in attendance, and good conduct).
Historically it has most often been girls who, due to limited resources and the familyâ€™s desire to have the girl child supplement family income or get married, have been pulled out of school in favor of educating boys. In fact, for every 100 girls in rural India, only a single one reaches class 12 and almost 40% of girls leave school before reaching the 5th standard. Yet we know that the education of the girl child is highly correlated with personal health and longevity and the prosperity of the entire community. Research has shown that life expectancy rises by two years for every 1% increase in literacy. And a one percentage point increase in female education raises the average gross domestic product (GDP) by 0.3 percentage points and raises annual GDP growth rates by 0.2 percentage points.

The CHI-Tandon Scholarships will be available to students from all religions, castes, and creeds. Scholarships are available in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Kolkata, and in Bhopal, where CHI recently opened the Childrenâ€™s Hope India Girls School (CHIGS), which will provide quality education in English Medium to approximately 800 girls from grades 6th to 12th.

Sixteen students (13 from Hyderabad, three from Mumbai) have been selected as initial recipients of the scholarshipsâ€”12 of whom are girls. None of these students would have been able to pursue their dream to attend college without the CHI-Tandon Scholarships. CHI is thrilled to provide these 16 students with the ability to live up to their true potential. Among the awardees are two girls from Hyderabad who scored 9.7 and 9.8 on their state level board exams and will be attending residential engineering college. An additional eight students also plan to pursue engineering degrees; two have their hearts set on medicine. All now have the ability to change their own lives and the lives of their families and communities.

Options for support of the CHI-Tandon Higher Education Scholarship Program include a one-time donation to cover a four-year scholarship ($6,000) or support in perpetuity. A profile of the child awarded the scholarship and yearly updates are sent to supporters. For more information about the CHI-Tandon Higher Education Scholarship Program, or if you wish to set up a scholarship or sponsor college education for a year, please contact Karen Flyer at Karen@childrenshopeindia.org.

About Children's Hope India:
More than two decades ago, Children's Hope India started as a small group of women professionals hoping to make a difference in the lives of disadvantaged children. Now in 2018, Children's Hope India has over 22 projects across several cities in India and the New York Metropolitan Area, and has impacted over 300,000 children by looking after their health, education and vocational training.

The focus of Childrenâ€™s Hope India is the â€˜wholeâ€™ child and providing all the tools a child needs to progress from poverty to prosperity with a cradle to career approach. Since 2015 alone, CHI has allocated over $1.5 million to programs in several cities in India and additional ones in the New York metro area. We are expanding access to education to enrich and empower children for life in the 21st century.

www.childrenshopeindia.org, www.facebook.com/childrenshopeindia, www.twitter.com/childrenshopein

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Childrenâ€™s Hope India Announces Chi-Tandon Higher Education Scholarship Program For Under-Privileged Students