Rural Lifeline Trust is the parent organisation for The Happy Hands School for the Deaf, Shikha Eco-Village and Bhoomi Agro-Forest Garden projects.  To combine Education and Agro Ecology together RLT has the following Mission:

• To contribute to the environmental cause by developing learning space to create forest, greenery and to practice and promote chemical free farming.
• To develop a space where education and ecology are practiced together, education and vocational skills are learned together in a transdisciplinary learning approach for holistic learning. 
• To change the century old practices in failed Deaf Education and establish a model school where education is imparted with expert support and outcome is guaranteed for Deaf children. 
• To Educate the general population about Disability, Equality, Environment, Citizenship etc.

RLT has successfully established projects which are the seed for ground breaking changes for the future.  The Happy Hands School for the Deaf has been an eye opener for educationists around the world because of its success in a short span of time.  Our research and research informed teaching practices have shown serious results which will be a model for others to follow. India has 18 million Deaf people but quality education is a dream for many. Our organisation is established by the Deaf for the Deaf. The services come from the community, the people themselves and it is not seen as a charity to help Deaf children. In our school disability does not exist, we function as any other normal school.

The founder has 25+ years of experience in teaching and learning including 10 years in University of Central Lancashire, UK as a researcher and Sr. Lecturer. Through the Shikha Eco Village campus where our school is located, we impart ecological sustainable education in the curriculum where children learn and practice a living which is future proof. For example, conserving electricity which is off grid and is limited for minimal use, water although easily available we harvest it and conserve it, refine it and the children grow up learning the value of water. We grow our own food as much as possible and that is part of our curriculum as well. Not only the school but for local residents, visitors, farmers we have been a model for Organic natural farming and sustainable living.   This is why our school and campus is a ‘living lab’ or ‘eco schooling’. 

Among other projects Shikha Eco-Village established in 2017 on barren land is now a place of attraction for tourism because of its sustainable off-grid design, Eco friendly houses, organic farming and fruit plants.  It has been a living Lab for thousands of visitors to see that everything grows without chemicals and pesticides. A way of life that is a must for the future. At Shikha we also run workshops on Permaculture designs, Soil Enrichment, traditional farming, Organic farming, farmer tour of other projects, Thousands of farmers have benefited from direct learning and indirect influence.In addition we have an Agro-Ecology project ‘Bhoomi Agro Forest Garden’ which promotes integrated farming, mixed cropping, and organic rice farming.  The project started in 2020, as the project is new several ideas are being tested and adapted.

• A Deaf Led organisation."By the Deaf ,for the Deaf".Defying the notion of ‘disability’.
• Education in an ecologically influenced environment where respect to nature and sustainability is embedded from the start.
• Proud to based in rural environment, where resources are few and challenges are many.
• Our work is transdisciplinary, holistic and professionally implemented  with the core of our heart and guarantee quality outcomes.

• Sustainable living and high thinking.

Being situated in rural area we have struggled hard for finances however, have not given up at any stage of our development.   Our founder has sacrificed his high paid university job for the dream to come true through actions. All our beneficiaries including the school children, the farmers, the local learners are mostly from Below Poverty Line (BPL) families therefore, unable to contribute financially for our projects.  Education at Happy Hands school is even free for well to do families.  Due to our affiliation and history linking to the UK , people think we have been receiving funds from the UK. However, we do not even have FCRA to receive any funds. We respect the local perspective where doubt based on assumption is normal because of the weak economic status of our area.

 
At the Happy Hands School for the Deaf we have 40 students. We had 6 Deaf staff members. However, due to the school closure during COVID we were unable to retain all of them. Two teachers were supporting children who had access to phone and internet however, once again due to lack of funds we could only retain them until the end of December 2021. Our situation is grave however, we are confident there are people who understand our setup and come forward for support. What we do at our Happy Hands is not just a school for the Deaf but is a LAB to apply upto to date ideas, research and implement it in future to show the world that century old failure in Deaf education was not because ‘we are deaf’ but because failure of the experts, teachers, inefficiency approaches.  Needless to mention there are more than 700 schools in India and the educational outcome is not satisfactory as they leave secondary and higher secondary education, without even the ability to read and write.  We may be located in a rural setup but our Director is a global figure invited by the World Federation of the Deaf to present our work at teaching learning success to the world in a conference in April 2022 in Bangkok. We also hosted several trainings for Teachers of the Deaf where participants from Uganda, Nepal and various parts of India received training.  Recently concluded training for Teachers had also participants from Nepal.  We regularly share our skill and knowledge with whoever is in need and can utilise it in their work.

 
We humbly state that we may not have expertise in gathering funds by having a PR officer however, equipped with skills and knowledge to change the world by contributing our little best.  Any corporate sponsor with a long term partnership or a short term partnership will definitely be amazed by our work.