From untouchable to unstoppable: Ajit George at TEDxUNC

Ajit George, Director of Operations at Shanti Bhavan Children's Project, told the conference that the goal of a successful non-profit education program is not education itself. In his talk "From Untouchable to Unstoppable", George said, "Basic literacy is not an effective benchmark. It doesn't teach you to save money, end poverty or make you a leader." The only school like it, Shanti Bhavan offers all rural Indian children a free-elementary education all the way to college, 17 years of schooling. Costs to run the school are $4 a student a day. Students have gone on to work for Deloitte and Goldman Sachs, play professional sports and write for the 3rd largest newspaper in the world. "When people see what this model achieves, they know it is different from the failed past."

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)