SVM Monthly Newsletter – Aug 2026

Dear Friends,

This edition brings together stories from across our work – of learning, livelihoods, and young people discovering what they are capable of.

In Shillong, we joined the Language and Learning Foundation, Tata Trusts, Madhi Foundation and Educational Initiatives for an Evidence Convening where the Meghalaya findings of the Teaching and Learning Practices Survey 2025 were shared with government officials and educators. The conversation turned quickly to the practical: connecting lessons to children’s everyday lives, stronger teacher training, better materials. As a partner in this initiative, SVM remains committed to closing foundational learning gaps in Meghalaya’s schools through evidence and collaboration.

We are equally proud of the 23 women artisans of our plastic upcycling project, who took an important step this month by attending an awareness programme on cooperative societies at NEHU. Forming a society of their own would give them a structured, member-led way to grow the enterprise they have built together. Their work also reached a wider audience through DD News Meghalaya, which featured how plastic waste is being transformed into bags, pouches and other handmade products.

From Gujarat, we share how our STEM Education Program has reached 3,171 students across 16 schools — including one student who went beyond the lesson plan to build an accident prevention system entirely on their own. And in the words of our interns, you will find the clearest reminder of why this work matters.

Across every initiative, our commitment remains the same: empowering rural communities through education, innovation, and sustainable livelihoods.

Thank you for standing with us.

Warm regards,

SVM Team & Trustees

Strengthening Foundational Learning in Meghalaya

On August 11, Smart Village Movement joined the Language and Learning Foundation, Tata Trusts, Madhi Foundation and Educational Initiatives for an Evidence Convening in Shillong, where the Meghalaya findings of the Teaching and Learning Practices Survey 2025 were presented.

Government officials and educators discussed what the study found in Samanda Block, and what it means for how foundational learning is taught across the state. The conversation centred on practical fixes: connecting lessons to children’s everyday lives, more in-person teacher training, better learning materials, and stronger coordination across departments.

As a partner organization in this initiative, Smart Village Movement continues to support evidence-based approaches to closing foundational learning gaps in Meghalaya’s schools.

“I hope the understanding we take from this limited geographical study can slowly be scaled up to other areas of the state, and that in the days to come, we can take this partnership forward.”

Smt. Richa Kulkarni, IAS, Director, DSEL and SPD, Samagra Shiksha, Government of Meghalaya 

23 Women, One Shared Vision

The 23 women artisans of Smart Village Movement’s Plastic Upcycling Project attended an awareness programme on cooperative societies at NEHU, conducted by the Department of Cooperation, Government of Meghalaya, and led by Mandashisha Gashnga, Junior Cooperative Officer.

The session walked the group through what forming a cooperative society of their own would involve, from contributing share capital and an entry fee, to registering under the Meghalaya Cooperative Societies Act, 2015, and setting up a governing body with a Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and Managing Committee. READ MORE…

Upcycling Project Featured On DD News Meghalaya

The Upcycling Project was featured on DD News Meghalaya’s Khasi News broadcast on August 23, where S Majaw, Director of the Design Innovation Centre, spoke about how the artisans are trained to create and market their handmade products.

The segment showcased how the artisans transform plastic waste into fabric-like products, including bags and pencil pouches, blending traditional craftsmanship with contemporary designs. The initiative continues to turn waste into value, opening up new economic opportunities for the community.

Artisan Mrs E. Kharumlong shared that she joined the six-month programme to help reduce plastic waste, with the group working to raise environmental awareness while creating sustainable livelihoods around it.

From Memorizing Science to Making It : STEM in Gujarat

As India moves rapidly into a future shaped by AI, robotics, semiconductors and new technologies, STEM education is becoming more important than ever. But for many children in rural and tribal communities, access to practical STEM learning is still limited. This is where the Smart Village Movement’s STEM Education Program is making a difference.

Between March 2025 and July 2026, SVM’s STEM Education Program reached 3,171 students across 16 schools in seven districts of Gujarat, half of them girls. Instead of learning science from textbooks alone, these students are building circuits, programming robots, designing in 3D and learning that a mistake is just the start of the next attempt.

At Shri Pintulala Vidya Mandir in Boriya, one student took that further. Using only what they had learned in their STEM sessions, they went beyond the lesson plan and built an Accident Prevention System of their own, a reminder that when children are given the chance to make something, curiosity quickly turns into invention.

[Read the full story → https://smartvillagemovement.org/news/from-memorizing-science-to-making-it-stem-in-gujarat/]