Mother's Vision
Mother Meera's wish is to offer Her Indian children an excellent education in a school organised with clear structures, careful planning and a high level of care. The school is run along modern, mainly Western administrative and teaching standards while remaining deeply rooted in the local culture and Mother 19s guidance.
Teaching and day-to-day management are carried out with professionalism and simplicity. A dedicated team of Indian staff work hand in hand with international volunteers who help to keep the school running smoothly and lovingly.
A child-centred approach is at the heart of the school. Methods inspired by Montessori and similar pedagogies encourage independence, curiosity and responsibility, allowing each child to learn at his or her own rhythm.
With Mother 19s silent presence, our devotion and our willingness to serve, Her vision continues to unfold year after year. Those who can spend a longer time in India often experience the work here as a unique opportunity to be close to Mother and to support Her children in a very concrete way.
A Home for Needy Children
On 28 September 2007 Mother quietly opened the doors of Her own home to welcome children who had little or no family support. She affectionately called them the "ashram kids". Two Western devotees offered their lives to care for them full-time, sharing the challenges and joys of daily life with the children.
In the early days the ashram kids walked a long distance to a local school along dusty, busy roads, often accompanied by their faithful dog Shivaji, whom Mother had named. When this daily journey became too hard, Mother simply decided to start a school in Her own house. The children now moved only from one building to another, safely within Mother 19s compound, and took pride in helping to care for their school.
Growth of the School
The Mother Meera School was formally inaugurated on 7 June 2010. What began as a small home for a few children has grown into a family of schools serving more than a thousand students. Construction and development have unfolded step by step through Mother 19s initiative and the hard work of devoted Indian staff and Western volunteers.
Today
A seed lovingly planted has grown into a strong tree filled with fruit and new shoots. The schools now offer shelter, education and hope to many children in and around Madanapalle. Together they form the Mother Meera group of schools, including the Mother Meera English Medium High School and several Mother Meera Play Homes.
Classes presently range from Baby Class to 10th Standard (approximately ages 316). The main campus serves over 1000 students and includes around 48 classrooms, a computer room, an audio-visual room, a science laboratory, rooms with digital teaching aids, a library and campus-wide WiFi. A small residential home for the ashram kids and living quarters for volunteers are also part of the campus.
Around one hundred people are employed in Mother 19s schools. Alongside academic learning, many moments of prayer and silent meditation are woven into the day: before school begins, during breaks and lunch, before and after classes, and again in the afternoon. Children and staff from different religious backgrounds live and learn together harmoniously under Mother Meera 19s protective grace, while the presence of volunteers from abroad adds an international dimension to this living temple of education and inner growth.