Learn for Life Society
Good for: volunteering, to be an active volunteer, be a volunteer, long term volunteering, short specific projects
Not good for: been criticize, trust in Badi Asha Organizatio
- Address
- Chowk
- Website
- Phone
- 0542 2403566
- Price
- dm/s Rs50/100, d Rs150-200
Lonely Planet review for Learn for Life Society
Learn for Life Society, which can be contacted through the nearby Brown Bread Bakery has established a small school for disadvantaged children, and travellers are welcome to turn up and help out. The charity also recently started a women’s empowerment group, offering fair-paid work to local women, some of whom are mothers of the school’s students. The women make produce such as jams and pickles which travellers can buy from Brown Bread Bakery. See the website for more details.
Traveller reviews for Learn for Life Society (25)
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please read
hannahallcock recommends this,
HI my name is Hannah, I was evolved with the learn for life society in Varanasi for a period of time last year.
AM I THE ONLY PERSON THAT PERSONALLY WENT TO BOTH BAKERIES HERE?
If you would personally like to contact me I'm more than happy to respond to your questions. hannahallcock(at)hotmail.com or Skype me, hannah.allcock - QLD australia. Or see some pics from the school in my albums add me on facebook Hannah Allcock, I’m Australian
Firstly the brown bread bakery run by Michele is the one i was involved with, working alongside Michele, Nikkitta, Sir Annand and Michaelia. If these people do not exist in the school to my opinion (I was their) you have unfortunately found yourself conned.
The best thing I can recommend is to go and see for yourself. Its really obvious, who’s right. Unless you’re an idiot.
When I went to the first Brown bread bakery (not Michael's) i found myself caught in a fast onslaught of nasty accusations, all referring to michele as a drug dealer and a extremely dangerous man + many many more bull shit stories designed to frighten (?) me, i don't really know why i was being told all this when i just wanted to volunteer??
Something fishy was going on here! This man could not of made it more obvious, everything down to his mannerisms stunk of nerves and a lack of confidence, yes here comes a bias opinion, I felt he was trying to cheat me like a dodgy tourist guide or something, trying to smell out the money in your pockets. Who in their right mind would start by talking to a volunteer with the sentence:
GUY: "the other guys are cheaters"…"drug addicts"…
ME: "huh? who? other guys?"
Well something was fishy so i went up the road and sore another brown bread bakery "aaaa hhaa" ….. Walked in, sat down, put to the man on the first floor what had just happened, was explained in full the other story.Now having two stories to compare with, an understanding of the personalities running the places, i could make an educated decision on where to go and what to do.
I hope that you are also smart enough to do the same thing.
Don't fall for the STUPID "call the number in the lonely planet book" trick, its the wrong number guys, was added before the 2 groups split, and with the business already set up in the first building of course the lonely planet is advertising that number.
As every traveler knows the lonely planet hardly ever gets it right!
Personally i feel its stupid and childish that i have to write this, but i just want your time and dedication to go to the right place, i want to see that the children i was working with get every opportunity to advance through life with equal opportunities and a smile on their faces. The NGO that Michele and Nikkita run is the real deal its hard work ( shockingly hard work),with a strong stiner influence on education but not taking any culture away at the same time, they do it with their hearts in the right places, not with their eyes on your wallets. Please DO contact me to talk I’m only more happy to explain my experiences. -
learn for life-volunteering opportunities
marco86 recommends this,
I am an italian guy, and I'm in Varanasi at the moment to do some volunteer job with a friend of mine.
We found on the "lonley planet" the Learn for life organization, this is a small NGO open since 2005 ruled by an indian family, Lalu and Arti are the owner and with their hard work they try to make the organization work.
At the moment in the school there are around 30 children and 3 teachers, the age of the kids go from 5 to 13 years, and in the school they learn basic subjects such as hindi,english,maths, general knowledge and arts.
Learn for life society is helped from rudra guest house and uma guest house and the brown bread bakery, the 20 percent of the revenue is given to the school for their expense during the whole year. They try to give food and all the basic materials that are necessary to the children in the school, like pens,books and also uniforms.
I paste here below the website of the guest house in which you can also find informations about the school and the project.www.rudraguesthouse.com
marco
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A wonderful society
KateCorroonS recommends this,
After spending so much time at the Brown Bread Bakery I decided to look into their school, Badi Asha. As a ‘short term volunteer’ you’re invited to take part in lunch time and games class. You’re able to serve all of the kids their lunch, which is really tasty, and then after play games with them. The teachers are all fluent in English and really happy to see you. The kids are playful, smart, well behaved and thankful to have you around. It seems like a really great organization, and it provides medical care for all of the children and staff. They don’t charge for tuition so most of the kids are coming from poor backgrounds. I'm impressed with the hard work that everyone involved with the society puts forth. I was really happy that I visited the school, and I would recommend it to anyone going to Varanasi.
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place of hope
DanielaG recommends this,
I am Danni and i am now my second time in Varanasi for working in Badi Asha School of learn-for-life society.
I questioned myself many times before going to India if it is right to come as a foreigner to India for teaching little children lessons including western standards. But now by the time I am here for four months again I think that children should not be the responsible ones for political or structural problems of the state Uttar Pradesh.
And there is also nothing wrong about to help Indian teachers to teach a second languages subject in a better way. Why should the children miss the chance of learning English in the right way just because some of us say we are misusing governmental taxes? especially we even don't ! learn-for-life uses mainly donations and money from the restaurant which belongs to the society too to keep the school running.
To the restaurant again: everybody who is able to reed can have a look into the folders about the school and the society which are given to interested people in the brown bread bakery with the YELLO sign, so the second one! and everybody who is really interested can also find out very quickly which one the "real one" is by having a look on the owners story Michael Schmidt who is a German guy and started with the red\first one and runs now the other one with the roof top. Who does not want to believe can go and ask for information about the complete story in the restaurant itself from 7 to 8 in the time where also the every days life concert takes place.
Anyway I am glad to get the chance to work with wonderful people, smart kids and engaged adults for giving sixty children the chance to have a better start in the hierarchical Indian society, to have one warm meal every day and medical care whenever they and there families need it. -
Badi Asha school is wonderful
teogalbu recommends this,
I was visiting the school few weeks ago and the project is really interesting. The teachers are all indians and they try to follow innovative teaching methods. The children are so smart and curious and interested in learning...it's amazing. The art class on saturdays is super stimulating and is giving the children the possibility to explore materials and tecniques they never saw. And especially is giving them the possibility to express themselves when i think at home they have to work. I was reading the prevoius reviews and i can say only one thing: people just need to criticize things for some sense of crusade or just to put some air in their mouths. The Badi Asha School is great, check yourself. If you want to volunteer this is the address: volunteers@learn-for-life.net Nicole, the school supervisor, will answer you in short time.
Good for: long term volunteering, short specific projects
Not good for: been criticize
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Amazing Experience, Amazing Family making a difference
stephaniedevriesaus recommends this,
I have spent 3 weeks volunteering for the Learn for Life Society through the Brown Bread Bakery. The school, run by Lalu Jha and his wife Arti (next to Uma Guest House) takes in children from Varanasi's poorest families and provides them with a basic education. I taught English and Mathematics to the children and found them to be so happy and eager to learn despite the little that they had. The teachers are also from quite poor families, but put their heart and soul into the work that they do. Arti runs a women's empowerment group and I spent a day with the women making jam, which is then sold at the bakery with all profits going back to the women's group.
I wanted to clear up some confusion as there are two Brown Bread Bakeries (directly opposite each other) and two Learn for Life Schools. The Learn for Life School next to Uma Guest House is the one referred to in the guide book. You can find information at their facebook page "Learn For Life NGO, Varanasi, India" or through www.rudraguesthouse.com. Rudra Guest House is the sister guest house of Uma Guest House and is run by the same family with 20% of their profits also being donated to the Learn for Life School. (Uma Guest House and the Brown Bread Bakery also donate 20% of their profits)
The Badi Asha School (Big Hope Learn for Life) is run by the other Brown Bread Bakery (the red bakery with a rooftop and the green organic signs). I do not want to pass judgement on the running of this bakery and their school, but was disappointed that when I went to this newer bakery they told me that the Learn for Life Society School run by (the original) Brown Bread Bakery was no longer open. I also met a number of other people that were interested in volunteering were also told this by the red bakery. I think that this is terrible tactics directly aimed at discouraging tourists from volunteering with the Brown Bread Bakery referred to in the guide book (and in turn increasing their own profits and donations to their school etc)
I would strongly encourage anyone wanting to volunteer to do so as it is a wonderful experience and Lalu and Arti make you feel right at home and give you guidance with teaching of the lessons. Whether you can help out for one day or one week, the children and teachers really appreciate it and it brings many smiles to the children being able to meet new people.
If you go to the ORIGINAL Brown Bread Bakery (17 Tripura Bhairavi - the indoor one), meet with Lalu and Arti and attend the school next to Uma you will see immediately that this family is really passionate about changing the lives of the poorest children in Varanasi and they put their everything into the work that they do. The children and the teachers will make you feel part of the family and welcome you with open arms.
Peace + Love
Good for: Family Run, to be an active volunteer, teaching english
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Plenty of money in India itself!
chrisbradner does not recommend this,
What is it all about these schools for he poor in India with money from other countries? If one goes through life and India with open eyes one knows that the waste of official money by Indian politicians is usual. One state politician of Uttar Pradesh (the state Varanasi is located in) celebrated i.e. her birthday (47 years) in spending millions of $$ of the money of the state. There is enough money in India itself to run schools for the children of their poor! It is just necessary that the officials of India see themselves that necessity and do not use the official money for the glorification of their ego, their obviously sick minds.
What does the money from Western countries in India, when actually in those countries poverty is increasing in an alarming situation?
Why are in India not introduced schooling projects where children of rich and poor families join the same school, diminishing that way slowly the crazy caste system which is the cause of this out-dated and sick system of society. Rich can pay for the school and poor go in for free.
I wouldn't give a cent for such wrong social concept of the poor - what supports this system of social injustice in India. -
Answer to the previous posts
nikitita recommends this,
I’m the school supervisor from the Badi Asha School, the one of “the German” (mentioned in the previous post). The original German Bakery and the Learn for Life School run by Indians have existed since 6 years because they were set up by “the German” who was teaching them how to make real German bread and opened the Brown Bread Bakery, the Uma Guest House and the Learn for Life School with his own money, before getting cheated from the Indians and being forced to leave the restaurant. I request to people who are not involved in the situation, not to write false reports on public websites, especially if those people say “I have lived and seen in this world that much…” they should know that it is necessary to hear both parts and even than it's difficult (or even harmful, and in that case should be called defamation) to judge a situation. Thank you.
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A completely strange situation
isamolina does not recommend this,
I want to give my thoughts here a voice:
A German opens a 2nd German Brown Bread Bakery (BBB) just in a few steps distance from the first German BBB, which is the restaurant with small compartments and only mattresses.
Does the German want that the original BBB has to close? A German has for sure many more resources available to create a surrounding which is for Westerners comfortable and liked by them.
Varanasi has big regions full of tourists and travellers. There is easily to find another place, where a prosperous busines of a German BBB will definitivly flourish.
Aside, the German also opened a school for poor Children, calling it in the website the same way like the original "Learn For Life School", the first existing BBB runs already since more than 6 years. Suddenly there shows also another name up for the new school, which gets obviously donations from Europe, while the original "Learn for Life School" run by the Indian family struggles its way along.
I wouldn't be surprised, if with this new "Learn for Life School - big hope" something similar is going on like in so many other parts of the world, where socalled helper organisations for poor people get more and more detected as lucrative personal busineses, well covered up.
One cannot trust the label "help" anymore. When i.e. coming through a region in Ecuador I was shocked that poor families were finally tremendously afraid of a "helper organisation" from the USA who was out there to "help poor children", but did nothing then destroy families and making a hell of a lot of money in the USA.
Another point appears here strange also: Resulting from having often been in India for over long periods of times I still always come to wonder when seeing in this country products to buy which are labelled as "organic". Nobody in India knows what "organic" means and everyone who knows this country is aware that lies and corruption form a big part of the survival system of many Indians. Germans are generally all over known as honest people. These generalisations can be used as well. A foreigner who wants to live in another country has always to adapt in a certain way to the country of his choice - and it depends of his or her personality and ethics in which way he or she adapts.
In the circle of knowledgeable India travellers we often spoke and speak about the fact, that the German bakeries throughout India are never owned by a German. Now first time a German set up a German bakery here in Varanasi - and this new BBB is just right next to the original BBB.....???
Germans do not seem to be plainly stupid - so: what is the reason for that?
I have lived and seen in this world that much that I became aware that the image "helper", one has given to oneself needs to be prooved thoroughly.
Whether one puts false labels on the food-products one sells or an image on oneself what brings recognition, there is at the final end no big difference. The goal is money, power and greed.
With money one can very well attract young Indian men who, of course, want to start their life better. With the option to do something meaningful (to help other people in much worse situations) one can attract young goodhearted women from Europe to get them to India as volunteers. Well-off goodhearted Europeans wish to help in this human world and donate money.
These three points to use is absolutely ok, welcome. The question is only, whether there is real help given - and whatfor the biggest share of the donated money is used. -
Don't get confused by TWO Brown Bread Bakeries! One is true.
monikamueller does not recommend this,
When you look in Varanasi for the Brown Bread Bakery, do not get confused by the fact that there are existing 2 places called that way, which are on the very same street only a few houses apart. The first and therefore original one is the Brown Bread Bakery with the red sign hanging over the road. It is connected to the Uma Guesthouse and to the new Rudra Guesthouse.
One needs to know that foreigners get from the Indian Government endless tax advances, when doing some little project, specially schools for poor children - and they have also the advantage to get in their country of origin easily much more financial help through donation moneys than Indians themselves ever can raise. The schooling project of Indians for Indians needs really support and it needs consideration for this what they are doing on very low financial support.
Since these Indians work hard to maintain the school they have only a small website www.learnfourlifenow.wordpress.com (4 in letters is right: they needed a way to not get confused)
You are - of course - free to choose where you give your attention to.LATER ADDED PART: This review made the organizer Michael Schmid of the Badi Asha School and owner of the not favored bakery in my review writing me in an e-mail that I should - after our talk together - be so fair and write another review. However our talk together hadn't yet convinced me to do so without doing more research. I put a lot of time in doing a research, and also a series of e-mails went back and forth between Michael and me. I even took the time to write him extensively when he had let me know that some help from me as a healer would be appreciated by him. To my surprise I got as well 3 mails from an Austrian who introduced herself as the Austrian chairwoman of the organization of Badi Asha - Learn for Life School. During a long period of time I have put in Varanasi the owner of the bakery, which I have pointed out in this review as the “true one”, through heavy questions, which had their background in all the accusations against him, Michael Schmid had told and written to me.
It would be too long to write even in short about the communication in mails going back and forth between Michael Schmid and the chairwoman and me. By now I do not believe anymore anything.The kind of behavior of absolute righteousness, of the attempt to get the other person to one’s own side without giving the other person the right to question anything and of a missing possibility to reflect the own behavior (whether in the past or presence) I have not found on the side of “the declared enemy”, the person who runs the old Learn for Life School and Bakery of the original place.
Certainly I have no confidence in the organizers of Badi Asha School. It appears that it is just another place in our human world, where money seems to replace the possibility to trust and blinds people.
Power centralized in one person is dangerous like history and politics show. In this helper-organisation in seems to be concentrated on the person of Michael Schmid. This seems even more dangerous when past and present abuse of drugs lead to the tendency to cover up.Good for: questioning Badi Asha School
Not good for: trust in Badi Asha Organizatio
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Good project !
elodieletor recommends this,
My name is Elodie (29 years old). I arrived one week ago in Varanasi and I spend morning time in this school. As I am here only for one week I am helping for lunch time and gaming classes. Children are very friendly. I try to introduce new games with Michaela.
This school is very helpful for the children because it gives education and food for children. They have several classes : maths, English, social history, Hindi, arts, computer, dance, music, yoga.
Good for: be a volunteer
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good place for your Bright future.
sunilraj recommends this,
hi i am sunil .i am happy to be in school with little kids.The Learn For life"badi asha school "provide free of cost education,food dress,computer knowledge,stiching,urdu,dance etc. Learn for life "Badi Asha School" is good for your bright and nice future.
Good for: education
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great project and time
briceliaigre recommends this,
My Name is Michaela (22 years) and I am volunteering at the moment at the Badi Asha school.
I help to teach in English, Maths and Society Classes as well as doing some Gaming classes in the afternoon. I am always trying to introduce new games.
The children are very friendly and open minded. I am really enjoying to be here and get to know the Indian culture, people, music,etc. in this way!I also try to inform others about volunteering at the Badi Asha school - therefore I am always staying at the Brown Bread Bakery, which works together with the school, from 7 pm - 7. 30 pm!
I'd like to stay here for 2 months, because I am really enjoying to be with the kids and like the work. After this time I am going to travel around in India for one month!
Good for: having fun, to be an active volunteer, get to know the culture
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Education is the most important thing
suraj12345 recommends this,
I'm danni and i'm in india now the second time.
I also do volunteering work in Badi-Asha School in Varanasi because the work the foreigners who are running the primary school do is a good job.
They give medical care and warm food to the children every day.If the government of uttar pradesh is hiding the money, instead of spending it fot education then it is at least good for the children if foreigners are running privat schools. Because the children should not be responsible for the faults of the politicians.Good for: be a volunteer
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The most rewarding thing I have done in a long time.
peterswanton recommends this,
Come and celebrate with all the team at the grand opening of the new 'Brown Bread Bakery New Delhi' on the 27th of September. To find out more go to
www.bakerybreadbrown.blog.spot.com
Firstly the relevant web addresses for anyone interested in finding out more are (www.brownbreadbakery.com) or (www.learn-for-life.net).
I can say, first hand, what a rewarding experience it has been to be associated with the Learn For Life Society and in particular the Badi Asha school. The children are welcoming, courteous but above all great fun to be around which is testiment to the commitment of all the team at the society. Basic education, nutritional lunches, medical care and companionship are the order of the day here and it is all provided to the children, free of charge, courtesy of the 'Brown Bread Bakery' run by Michael. The food here is simple but tasty and with a percentage of your bill going into the funding of the school it tastes that much better. There is also the chance to attend a free yoga session from 7:30 to 8:15 every morning before school starts, saving you a few rupees.Good for: volunteering
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A noble project struggling to cope up with corruption
abhisheksikka recommends this,
Just came back from Varanasi yesterday and the highlight of my trip was visiting the Badi Asha school, now in Aurangabad. Run by a German guy, Michael, this is truly a unique project as it not only involves giving the children free education but giving them free meals (breakfast and lunch) and also free medical care. They are taking care of 60 kids and have a staff of around 18 people. Try volunteering at the Badi Asha school if you have time(atleast 2 months). If not, do visit and see if you can help out in any way. Attaching some photos of the Aurangabad facility.
The rival school run by the old Brown Bread Bakery and Uma guest house is a total sham!! The kids have to pay a monthly fees now. Also, medical care is not provided to them. The reason for separation was that this guy was embezzling money and accepting cash donations(which have no accountability). So Michael moved the school to aurangabad(15 mins/20rs by rickshaw from bakery). I would suggest whoever is planning on visiting this should check out both the facilities themselves before donating time or money to either one.
Good for: volunteering
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New school is located in the district Aurangabad
hobbes2 recommends this,
The Badi Asha School (www.learn-for-life.net) is the new school of the Learn for Life society. It has changed its location and is now situated in the district Aurangabad. It’s a great school taking care of street kids. Besides the education it also provides them a warm lunch each day and medical treatment for free. Please be aware that not only the school but also the related Brown Bread Bakery switched place. The latter one is now on the opposite side of the street. The German owner had to open the new bakery as well as the new school after it turned out that his former Indian partners had embezzled money from donations. Both, the Uma and the Rudra Guest House, are affiliated with the old bakery and cannot be recommended anymore!
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project for life
ludoemilie recommends this,
we are already at uma guest house and we can really said that there is a really good place to live, very quiet and family.
what they are doing for the children and the school is really great, wonderful..... from the room where we are we can see learnforlife school down from our window!
this school and uma guest house are attached together.
SO BEWARE for listening other people by giving wrong recommandations from the lonely planet.
check yourself and then believe by yourself!
for some information the price of our room in this house is the same price for another room 25o rs.and here the part of the monney from the room goes to the learnforlife society. -
Great project - but don't go to Uma Guesthouse
emanuelschulz recommends this,
Dear benbezh,
seems like you've been taken in by the fake bakery and school. I've just visited Varanasi again, and there have been some changes since the last visit. The original Brown Bread Bakery indeed moved to the opposite side of the alleyway. On my visit I talked to the founder who leads the Lern for Life society and has the connections to the German and Austrian fund-raisers. He moved the Bakery and reopened the school in Aurangabad because Uma gh and bakery co-workers constantly embezzled money that belonged to school and society. Back then I slept at Uma's, but when I now came back now they doubled the prices for the rooms and the former Learn for Life school nearby has hardly any students any more (and pay school fees now...).
So Benbehz, when you are in Varanasi again, please get an idea of the new BBB and thereby enable the LfL and its director (who btw runs the project free of charge!) to continue their activities.SUPPLEMENT:
Thanks to ludoemilie for the classy contribution, doubtlessly answering to my entry but hardly refering to my argumentation. I am not shure if a traveler wrote this... Anyway, certainly the family is nice and polite to guests - I did this experience on my first stay in Varanasi - and yes, there are still few students in the school (who pay fees now according to my information), but this does not call the information of the society's founder into question, does it? They would be pretty stupid if they made their defraud this obvious. Maybe you should ask for more cogent evidence and wonder how the new schoolmanager and partner of the old bakery managed to built a new hotel and buy a new house, though without means before... -
Enjoying Uma, the school and bakery
benbehz recommends this,
We have been staying at the Uma Guesthouse and have been enjoying seeing how the school runs and eating at the delicious Brown Bread Bakery. It seems that a rival B.B.B. has been set up claiming to be the original, and seems to be circulating disparaging rumours about the owners of Uma. Be wary of this.
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Very interesting project
miasand recommends this,
The Brown Bread Bakery restaurant is supporting the Badi Asha School, a project for poor children living in Varanasi (they changed location). The school is very nice, following innovative teaching methods. They are on facebook on this page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Learn-for-Life-School-Official-Page-VARANASI/261154148628
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Badi Asham School chanced location!!!
huschdeguzle recommends this,
The new location of the lovely Brown Bread Bakery is just on the opposite side!
And the supported Badi Asham School is now in Aurangabad!
So if you want good Pasta, real Pizza, big salads, amazing chocolate cake (or lemon or brownies!!!), nice atmosphere, ... you should go to the familiar BBB. I'm sure you'll enjoy your stay!!!
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Proyecto Infancia in Badi Asha school for Learn For LIfe
martinochiti recommends this,
New brand school for Learn for Life, situated in Aurangabad.
Great people, great workers.We realized a workshop of photography for kids.
Exhibition of the kid's pictures at the Brown Bread Bakery (the new one too!!).Visit the site of the project www.proyectoinfancia.com
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New location is great!
nikoletta recommends this,
Yes I confirm what the other review says....Learn for Life school changed location! Now the school is in Aurangabad and it's not connected anymore with the old school in Meer Ghat. I suggest to go to visit there, it's great!
They have a blog: http://blog.learn-for-life.net/
There you can find the contacts for volunteering.Good for: trust in Badi Asha School, http://blog.learn-for-life.net
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LfL school changed location!!!
dianakyd recommends this,
You shouldn't go to the old school in Godolia, it's not run by LfL anymore but by ppl that mismanaged charity money! the school is also only opened every couple of days...
New school is in Aurangabad.New Website: www.learn-for-life.net !!! (It's under construction)
Good for: volunteering, varanasi, learn for life
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