At the Balò English School, an integrated approach combines nutrition, education, and health, thanks to a team operating daily in the heart of Pilkhana, India.
Every project begins with a vision. However, it is only through people that this vision translates into presence, continuity, and real impact.
At the Balò English School, located in the Pilkhana slum, the "Nurturing Hopes" project takes shape every day through a network of individuals who - with expertise, dedication, and responsibility - make an integrated model of education, nutrition, and health possible.
Leading this journey are Elisabetta Ravaioli, President of Balò ODV, and Rehana Kathoon, General Secretary of the Balò Welfare Society, the project's partner in India.
Elisabetta Ravaioli, the founder of Balò, started the association following a firsthand volunteering experience, which over time evolved into a structured and continuous commitment to the most vulnerable children, families, and women. The vision guiding her work remains constant: breaking the cycle of poverty and creating concrete opportunities for growth, dignity, and autonomy.
Alongside her, Rehana Kathoon Rehana Kathoon represents a key figure for the school and the local community. A History graduate and certified teacher, she has collaborated with Balò since 2007. Her educational experience, combined with a deep understanding of the social and human context of Pilkhana, allows her to guide the project with competence, sensitivity, and authority.
An essential role is also played by the kitchen team - Mariun, Nahid, Md Faraz, Puja e Rabia - who ensure the daily preparation of meals for the students. In a context where the right to education is strictly linked to health and nutritional conditions, their work is a fundamental component of the project's educational stability.
On the pedagogical front, Priyanka Yadav, the lead teacher of the "Nurturing Hopes" educational project “Nutrire Speranze”, guides children and young people through a path that intertwines learning, health, and awareness. Her daily presence helps make the school not just a place of instruction, but a stable space for growth, protection, and community development.
Together, these individuals form a human and professional presence that makes what is essential for many children and young people in Pilkhana possible: studying, eating well, and growing up healthy.
This virtuous model, which combines daily care, lifelong education, and community development, is a concrete reality that comes to life every day through the contributions of donors and, in 2026, also thanks to the financial support of the Waldensian Church.
