ANANTAPUR: Singer SK Lenin Babu has launched Values School in Anantapur district to promote value-based education and social responsibility alongside academics. The initiative aims to shape students into responsible citizens through moral learning, environmental awareness, and community engagement.
The Samaja Kranti Charitable Trust, founded in 2022, runs the project voluntarily with a focus on education, self-employment, and environmental conservation. The programme started with six centres and has grown to 23 centres across 22 villages in Kalyandurg and Kundurpi mandals.
Values School, launched on May 11, 2023, conducts daily sessions from 5 to 8 pm, beginning with indoor games followed by moral songs, storytelling, and discussion on social topics. Students also finish school homework and end the day with yoga and meditation. Each student narrates a story on different days, encouraging public speaking and creativity.
On weekends and second Saturdays, the school holds “No Bag” sessions focused on nature walks, farming activities, and awareness about agriculture. The Centres function from government schools, temple courtyards, or teachers’ homes. Each has a mini library for students to read and relax.
Donors fund the initiative, paying each teacher an honorarium of Rs ,500 per month. Contributors include the Council for Green Revolution, and other charitable organisations. The operational cost per centre is Rs 1,500 per month.
In the last 3.5 years, students have planted over 25,000 saplings, with 20,000 surviving. Birthdays are celebrated by picking fruits from trees they planted. Students save Rs 10 monthly to support poor children’s education—this fund has helped educate nine students so far.
Under the “Sada Smarami” initiative, students express gratitude towards parents, teachers, and nature, and aim to plant 10,000 trees annually.
The trust has also trained 25 youths in driving and distributed 72 sewing machines to women after giving training in tailoring. Lenin Babu, who began performing at the age of seven, has led cultural and environmental campaigns for over two decades. He has made a representation to the Chief Minister for expanding Values Schools across AP, with support from former CBI JD Lakshminarayana and Jayaprakash Narayan of Lok Satta.
“Through Values Schools, we are shaping students into responsible citizens. If we guide them from an early age, they will contribute significantly to the country’s progress,” said Singer Lenin.
