Foundation for the Advancement of Science
The Foundation for the Advancement of Science is a Bahá’í inspired non-governmental organization which supports educational initiatives.[1] It is based in Lucknow, India.[2]
Background[edit]
The Foundation was established in 1996 by Payman Mohajer due to his interest in education.[1]
Initially the Foundation experimented with establishing self-sustaining and self-sufficient educational initiatives for rural areas of India as many rural schools which were externally funded lapsed after a short time.[2] It eventually began supporting the establishment of community schools around Lucknow utilizing educated but unemployed Bahá’í youth native to the rural villages to provide education.[2]
As of 2008 there were eight community schools being supported by the Foundation in the state of Uttar Pradesh near Lucknow. The Foundation supports the schools by providing teacher training, preparing a curriculum, and providing salaries for some teachers when a school is in a period of financial difficulty, although the model of the Foundation is for the schools to become self-reliant.[2]
