The centre depends on contribution from parents to meet its operational costs. Food and transport is charged at cost. Long-term expenditure has largely been funded by donations and loans. Since we would not like to limit the parent body to economically well off families alone, we encourage those who are financially more able to support other parents. The centre’s policy on parental contributions is not rigid and can be discussed with each family individually
Current costs are about Rs.3.2 lakhs, per child – inclusive of food and transport. This may increase annually between 5 and 12%.
Shibumi is registered as a non-profit charitable trust.. A small resource centre like this has to rely on the support of well-wishers to raise funds for infrastructure and facilities. All involved, educators and parents, will have to make efforts at fund-raising by contacting friends and well wishers. Funds will be needed for the purchase of land and infrastructure.
We offer residential facilities for teachers in addition to students who are a part of our A level program.
Shibumi is willing to assist any group interested in the teachings of Krishnamurti to set up an adult learning and children’s education centre anywhere. We can assist by sharing our experience and training resource people in individualised learning programmes. While we are not in a position to offer any financial help we can share our experience and train resource people in individualised learning program.
Each year, depending on the geographical spread of the educators and children, best-fit routes are planned.
We encourage parents to move closer to the school if the commute for a student is long and tiring. This sometimes becomes a serious consideration, especially when the child is young.
Simple vegetarian food is served at the centre. We have a cook who does the regular cooking. We have an active parent group who volunteer to cook through the week and bring variety to the lunches served. This is done within the parameters of healthy eating. While children may have varying food preferences at home, the culture at the centre is to eat whatever is made. Attention to eating rightly is emphasised without fussiness and wastage.
Adults and children wash their own utensils, and help with washing the cooking and serving vessels once a week.
We think it is very important for the child to be in contact with nature on a daily basis, to have time and space to himself/herself, and to establish a deep relationship and love for all living forms. We often mistake beauty for a form of entertainment, but we would like a child to appreciate the enormous beauty in day to day living, and to develop his/her own capacities for observation and silence.
It is odd that we have so little relationship with nature, with the insects and the leaping frog and the owl that hoots among the hills calling for its mate. We never seem to have a feeling for all living things on the earth. If we could establish a deep abiding relationship with nature we would never kill an animal for our appetite, we would never harm, vivisect, a monkey, a dog, a guinea pig for our benefit. We would find other ways to heal our wounds, heal our bodies. But the healing of the mind is something totally different. That healing gradually takes place if you are with nature, with that orange on the tree, and the blade of grass that pushes through the cement, and the hills covered, hidden, by the clouds.
– J.Krishnamurti, Krishnamurti to himself
The full time resource people must live a life of dignity, free of constant worry and care. They are expected to give their full engagement to this education, which demands all of one’s energy. The centre has to be small to take care of each child rightly. Hence the costs become high. When society as a whole sees the necessity of right education, the resources will be found. Till then, such efforts will remain small and limited to those who are interested, while society spends all its money on armaments and the gratification of pleasure.
