SCHOOLMELA

Schoolmela is a volunteer-driven nonprofit organization founded in Central Texas to support education for underprivileged children in rural India and the United States. Registered under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, it describes its mission as helping children through education. Since 2009, the organization has worked with students, schools, teachers, local communities, and volunteers to identify children in need and provide practical support.

Its scholarship program is aimed primarily at students from low-income families, rural communities, single-parent households, and orphaned or physically disabled students. Eligible applicants generally include students in grades 8 through 10, with limited support also available for some engineering and master’s students from very poor backgrounds. Rather than offering cash alone, Schoolmela supplies educational essentials, including clothing, notebooks, study guides, pens, dictionaries, and umbrellas, usually near the start of the school year.

The organization also provides mentoring, coaching, school visits, and feedback surveys. Its educational activities include rural inter-school quizzes and other academic and sports competitions designed to build students’ skills and confidence.