Promoting skills: Eric Lund, Cultural Affairs Officer, U.S. Consulate General, Chennai, and Bradley M. Horn, Regional English Language Officer, Embassy of the U.S., New Delhi, present a certificate to a student of a scholarship programme at Poothurai. more-in On a humid Saturday morning, Angalammal, a Class XII student from Poothurai village in Villupuram district, walked towards the stage at Satyam Village Community Centre. Addressing the audience in impeccable English, she explained that the activity-based learning course helped her fall in love with the language which she feared the most. She was speaking at the graduation ceremony of the English Access Micro Scholarship programme which is supported by the US Consulate General, Chennai, and Regional English Language Office, New Delhi. During the inauguration of the next batch of the programme which was held on the same day, K.Senthikumar, director, Sri Aurobindo Rural and Village Action and Movement (SARVAM), said two batches of students had already benefited from the programme. ‘Strong foundation’ “The programme provides a foundation of English language skills to the 100 school and college students from 18 villages in Villupuram district,” he said. Gomathi. A, Access Trainer, said: “It has been an exciting journey teaching students during weekends.” Eric Lund, Cultural Affairs Officer, U.S. Consulate General, Chennai, and Bradley M. Horn, Regional English Language Officer, Embassy of the U.S., awarded certificates to students who completed the two-year course in English Access Micro scholarship programme. Mr. Horn said that in the beginning it was hard to win the trust of the parents. “Like in all the other places, parents, the village councils and others had doubts about what the intention of the programme was and what would be the outcome. With this third batch of students, there are many more people coming forward from the villages nearby. It is a good example of how we make a sustained effort with not just one batch but with three batches where programme can take roots,” he further said. Mr. Horn added that this programme fostered mutual understanding between the citizens of the U.S. and India. Mr. Lund added that the parents in the villages understood the values on English and they wanted their children to learn the language. The U.S. congress was keen that the programme should continue, he said. The Children’s Corner of SARVAM has been chosen for the programme’s award.

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