Ten year old Kanisathya completed a Vidyarambam pilot program “HeadStart” at Subramaniapuram in Tirunelveli. “Now I can read any English word, after I learnt phonemes”, says this Std V student, her large eyes beaming with pride. With HeadSart, Vidyarambam Trust gives rural children a head start in English, and in life. HeadStart is a month long programme designed by Vidyarambam Trust, for Grade IV and V students. At the heart of the programme is “Phonics”, the globally proven methodology customized by Vidyarambam in 2008 to make English reading easier. Breaking the fear of learning English, it has given a head start to a large number of first generation students who easily learn the letters of the alphabet, their symbols, and sounds, blending sounds to read words and develop basic vocabulary in an enjoyable play-way method. Vidyarambam has embarked on an ambitious journey to give HeadStart to 100,000 children of Grade IV and V students of select Government schools across 11 districts of Tamil Nadu this year (2014-2015). HeadStart stands for a head start in English – a key factor in enhancing the employability of rural children in what is sure to be a highly competitive 21st century India. And all it takes is Rs.200/- per child