Ekal Vidyalaya
One-teacher schools giving non-formal primary education to children aged 4–10 in tribal villages.
How it works →
Friends of Tribals Society · Since 1989
Every child in rural India deserves a teacher.
For 37 years, FTS has taken education to tribal villages through Ekal Vidyalayas — one-teacher schools that bring literacy, health and values to children no other school reaches.
- Gandhi Peace Prize 2017
- 80G tax benefit
- 36 chapters across India
37Years of service
36Chapters in 35 cities
55,000+Villages reached
10,00,000+Children learning
Give the gift of literacy
₹1,500 educates a child for a full year.
One-tap giving with instant 80G tax receipt. Give once, or become a Sevapatra monthly donor.
What we do
Five-fold education, delivered where no school reaches
Functional literacy, healthcare, development, empowerment and values — through four flagship programs.
Mahila Samiti
Women's wing driving empowerment, awareness and support for village mothers and girls.
Learn more →
FTS Yuva
Young professionals volunteering their time, skills and energy across 24 city wings.
Join the youth wing →
Vanyatra
Visit an Ekal village yourself — see your contribution at work in the field.
Plan a visit →Voices
Recognised at the highest levels
"…the teachers got all the students outside with a blackboard and started explaining about the moon… This is Creative Education, Creative Classroom, Creative Teacher and Creative Environment."
Dr APJ Abdul KalamFormer President of India
"I went for a Vanyatra in the Gumla village of Jharkhand initially as a donor. I was so impressed with the work FTS is doing, my association became deeper — I also served as National President and now as a Patron."
Sri Sajan Kumar BansalManaging Director, Skipper Limited
"Ekal Vidyalaya is lighting a lamp to curb the curse of illiteracy from thousands of tribal children across India. This is the highest form of service to the nation."
Sri Sajjan BhajankaChairman, Century Plyboard India
Transparency
Your donation is accountable, audited and tax-deductible
FTS is a registered society (S/62039, West Bengal, 1989) recognised with the Gandhi Peace Prize 2017 — presented at Rashtrapati Bhawan by the President of India. Donations are eligible for 80G tax benefit and every rupee is accounted for in our audited annual reports.
- 🏅 Gandhi Peace Prize 2017
- 80G Registered
- FCRA
- CSR-1
- Annual reports published
Who we are
Founded in Kolkata in 1989, serving tribal India ever since
Friends of Tribals Society is a non-government voluntary organisation committed to the upliftment of underprivileged rural and tribal communities. Our Ekal Vidyalayas — one teacher, one village, 25–30 children — deliver functional literacy, healthcare awareness (Arogya), development education (Gramothan), empowerment, and value education (Sanskar).
Read our storyFrom the field
Latest updates
Union Health Minister appreciates Ekal's pandemic response
Recognition for community health work across Ekal villages.
Vanyatra: donors visit Ekal villages in Jharkhand
Supporters see one-teacher schools at work, first-hand.
Ekal Talent: discovering bright sparks in tribal villages
Talent hunt bringing rural children to a bigger stage.
One teacher. One village. A generation changed.
Donate, volunteer, or visit a village on Vanyatra — every form of support counts.