ASSESSING THE IMPACTS OF THE ARUNODAYA PROGRAM

Ek Kadam Aur (EKA) is a nonprofit organization transforming the
lives of underprivileged children with visual impairments through
inclusive education and digital technology. EKA’s Arunodaya
(“Sunshine for the Blind”) program equips blind children in
rural India with basic literacy skills through one-on-one tutoring.
EKA enlisted the Capstone team to determine the impact of the
program, identify challenges and growth opportunities, and
recommend improvement and expansion strategies. EKA invited
the team to undertake a five-day field assessment of the program
in Auraiya, Uttar Pradesh, India. The team’s post-field assessment,
which integrated statistical analysis of educational outcomes and
stakeholder interviews, found that the program generally has a
positive impact on academic performance, with early elementary
school interventions fostering notably accelerated comprehension
when compared to late, post-elementary intervention. The team’s
recommendations emphasize the importance of early intervention
and the need to explore alternative educational pathways for
older children. The team’s report provides recommendations for
strengthening and scaling the program in villages across India.