Remaking schools, one at a time

Techies love solving problems. Artistic performances may not necessarily fit into the scheme of things, but they don't mind if it helps with revamping dilapidated schools. Meet OSAAT, a group of US-based professionals who have cracked the code for turning around rural schools, often in places where they'd grown up themselves before heading out to the West.It's a story that now spans close to 20 years, and has touched nearly 100 schools in India.
Discovering a mission
In the early 2000s, a group of Silicon Valley professionals spent their weekends putting up music and theatre shows — not for fame, but to raise funds for social causes. Despite their lack of a personal connection to the causes they supported, they remained committed to their fundraising efforts.
Everything changed though when one from this group, Vadiraj Bhatt, paid a visit to India. Upon an urgent request from a headmaster, he decided to take a look at the local government school in his village in Karnataka. What he saw saddened him: a decrepit structure whose roof had given in, it no longer resembled the building where children had once studied. That's when Vadiraj and his colleagues realised that their true passion lay in removing such shortcomings back home. And so, in 2003, was born OSAAT, or 'One School At A Time', an initiative to rebuild and revitalise schools.

OSAAT's first project was a government school at Bajegoli in Karkala Taluk of Udupi. Over the next decade, it successfully revamped six schools across India.
"Many of us settled in the US had once studied in these government schools. Seeing their pitiable condition deeply pained us. Rebuilding the first school opened our eyes to the monumental problem of poor infrastructure at government schools. It was our way of giving back because these schools made us who we are. We believe education is the best gift for young minds, and that belief gave birth to OSAAT," said Vadiraj, founder and managing trustee of OSAAT.
Three-part solution
OSAAT focuses on three essential elements at every school they rebuild: classrooms, washrooms, and kitchens. They believe that basic infrastructure can significantly improve the lives of children at these government schools. "The journey has not been easy. Raising funds for our initial projects was challenging. But we were determined not to settle for patchwork solutions. That's why we decided to take it one school at a time, hence the name, OSAAT," Vadiraj explained. But as funding improved, they could start work simultaneously on multiple schools – though, the old name, OSAAT, remains unchanged.
Since its inception, OSAAT has rebuilt 93 schools, with work now on at 17 more. Also, 10 are ready to launch while six have been identified that are in need of funding.
“Before we choose a school, we consider the number of students and whether it has enough enthusiastic teachers to sustain it. It's not just a one-team job; various stakeholders and beneficiaries must collaborate to achieve the desired results. The village community must also support the school to ensure that our efforts are not in vain. If we see a matching energy, we proceed with the revamp and plan for the sustainability of the school’s infrastructure,” Vadiraj said.
"Approximately 120 million children in rural areas, nearly 10% of India’s population, suffer from the widening rural-urban divide. The typical rural school, built many years ago, is now decaying with dilapidated walls and roofs. They pose significant hazards for students. These schools lack basic amenities like clean drinking water and toilets. OSAAT aims to close the educational gap between rural and urban India. We rebuild school infrastructure to provide a safe, healthy environment for education and offer an integrated digital learning platform to enhance student engagement and improve learning outcomes," Vadiraj added.

Teams in US, India
As of 2024, OSAAT has a dedicated team of 100 members: 50 based in India and 50 in the US. Headquartered in Bengaluru, OSAAT has rebuilt over 60 schools in Karnataka. Members say identifying schools for help involves an elaborate process.
"We meticulously select schools in dire need of infrastructural transformation. Our team of volunteers includes seasoned professionals like former army and IAS officers, tech experts, bankers, and other dedicated individuals who work without expecting any remuneration. This passion drives everyone involved," Vadiraj said.
BV Jagadeesh, chairman of OSAAT, said 65% of the funds for rebuilding schools comes from fundraising efforts in the US with donors in India also chipping in.
"We never forget our roots. Our organisation started in the US and continues to draw strength from there. We raise funds through various art performances, music and dance programmes, and fundraising events. Every year, we raise between $1.3 and 1.5 million in the US. The rest comes from India, primarily through CSR funding and individual donors who share our vision of providing quality education to underprivileged children. Many of our donors trust our passion and connect with our mission. Some donors might have grown up in these villages and want to give back to the schools and communities that nurtured them," he said.
OSAAT estimates that it takes approximately Rs 60 lakh to rebuild a school and provide basic amenities. "We have a well-defined methodology," explained Jagadeesh. "Our transparency and accountability have built a strong bond of trust with our donors. We quote the exact amount required for each school, and our donors appreciate the honesty and integrity with which we execute our projects."

Encouraging results
Talking about the first school rebuilt by OSAAT, Jagadeesh remembers their small initial steps and how the efforts paid off. Teachers at some of these schools echo those thoughts.
"With the support of many well-wishers and weekend fundraising performances, we achieved our goal. We were just a group of techies who wanted to do something meaningful for the schools that shaped us. Children should feel safe at school, not terrified by it. Some villagers might afford to send their children to private schools, but not all. This situation often leads to high dropout rates and child labour in these regions. We were determined to prevent that."
But what happens post-revamp? Teachers from various schools revamped by OSAAT told TOI that there has been an increase in student turnout following the intervention.

“Four years ago, the school was nothing more than a shed. Students didn’t want to attend. We saw many dropouts and struggled to convince children and parents to join. After OSAAT revamped the school, students started to feel safe. Previously, even a little rain would mean a week-long holiday, but now students come to school happily every day without fear of any calamity befalling them. It’s not just the building; the organisation also addressed the school’s needs. Initially, we had around 200 students, but now we have more than 480 students attending school regularly. Dropout is rare,” said Veena Samanvitha, assistant teacher at government Kannada Model Higher Primary School in Malur taluk.
Iranna, a teacher at government Higher Primary School in Siddarudhamath in Melavanki village, Gokak taluk, had a similar story to share.
"Our school suffered significant damage in the severe floods of August 2019. We faced a critical shortage of classrooms. We had only seven classrooms available and urgently needed additional classrooms and improved facilities. The toilets were also in a poor condition. While the government built two new classrooms, OSAAT stepped in to build four more and provided better washrooms for the students. Now, with 537 students, our school can comfortably accommodate everyone. This has not only improved the quality of education but also increased the students' enthusiasm for learning," Iranna said.
Bridging the digital divide
After the Covid pandemic, OSAAT recognised a stark digital literacy gap in rural areas. Sudheer H, Vice President of Digital Infrastructure, explained: "Before the pandemic, our focus was on rebuilding schools. However, Covid-19 highlighted the digital divide between rural and urban areas. During the pandemic, private schools managed to continue education online, but rural schools had to shut down temporarily. To address this, we launched ODiSI (OSAAT Digital Infrastructure), providing laptops for teachers and tablets for students.

"ODiSI uses Google Classroom as its Learning Management System (LMS), offering a comprehensive platform for online learning. This system allows teachers to create and deliver content, track students' progress, and manage their classes effectively through the custom ODiSI dashboard."
OSAAT also ensures adequate hand-holding for the students and teachers to become comfortable with the digital tools.
"We provide technical and digital support to schools for three years. We train teachers to become tech-savvy and digitally literate so they can better assist their students. Beyond supplying gadgets and hardware, we become their support system until they can sustain themselves. We believe this approach enables both students and teachers to make the most of the opportunities provided. Our goal is to bridge the last mile in digital literacy, ensuring that as the world advances, these schools progress alongside it." So far, 61 schools have been trained in digital literacy, creating an impact on over 9,000 students.
As they go on to rebuild their 100th school, in Masthi village of Kolar, the future of OSAAT looks bright. “Masthi’s Karnataka public school would be a major milestone; we'll be adding 20 classrooms as we rebuild it.” said Vadiraj.
No of schools rebuilt by India
Karnataka: 60+
Uttar Pradesh: 8
Maharashtra: 6+
Tamil Nadu: 5
Jharkhand: 2
Andhra Pradesh: 2
Manipur: 1