The URMUL Trust represents a family of organizations working towards social and economic change in the lives of the people in the harsh, inhospitable and interior regions of western Rajasthan. Their mission is "to lead the poor towards self-reliance by making available to them a package of development services that they themselves decide on, design, implement, and eventually finance."

We visited a school for girls in Lunkaransar, Bikaner District. The school was established because people in the area were worried that girls were not attending school. Older girls could not attend school because they had work to do: caring for younger sibling, tending to sheep and goats, and performing household duties. Furthermore, the teachers in existing schools were men. After much discussion, a residential camps for girls was established to give them special attention. The girls attend the camp for a period of six months, reaching the fifth standard by the end of their stay. Between January 1998 and January 1999, six camps were established, with a total attendance of 650 girls.

Source: Booklets provided by URMUL during our visit

Click on the links below for an expanded view of each photograph.
Top photo: A beautiful day brings the class out doors.
Middle photo: Shoes are lined up even when class is outside.
Bottom photo: Happy faces can't wait to be photographed.

See next page for More on the URMUL Trust

Related Web Sites

• The Hindu Folio article "A Way of Life" -about the URMUL Trust
• Article about URMUL "Emerging from drought with dignity"
• District Profile, Bikaner District "The drought in Lunkaransar Block of Bikaner District": An update, May 20, 2000

No official web site found. Address for URMUL Trust:
URMUL Trust
P.O. Box 55
Bikaner 334001, India
Tele-fax: 91-151-523093