Here are 15 projects helping educate needy children

As 2015 draws to a close, Sohini Das Gupta and Averil Nunes hunt down 15 wonderful organisations and individuals that are bringing education to those who need it the most.

Teach For India, since 2009

Working in: Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Bengaluru

Started by: Shaheen Mistri

Raison d’etre: Creating youth leaders out of college graduates and professionals, who commit to educating children in government schools, for two years. Past volunteers also help these kids get better exposure in sectors they belong to

USP: Hands-on, value-driven learning system within the government curriculum

Impact: 7 cities, 331 schools, 38,000 children, 1,100 fellows (young teachers), 1,050 alumni

Future Vision: TFI aims to be in 8 cities by 2016, with 2000 fellows impacting 60,000 students

Learning is fun at Teach for India

Story so far: When Shaheen Mistri, former Akanksha Foundation educator, chanced upon the Teach for America model, she felt compelled to improvise it for the Indian education system, to aid learning for the underprivileged in India. Today, with academic knowledge, volunteers also seem to be passing on their leadership qualities to the kids. “The number of students who insist that they want to return and teach as ‘dadas’ and ‘didis’ when they grow up is overwhelming,” laughs TFI’s Meghna Rakshit. There’s evidence for back her optimism—Seema Kamble, a former Akanksha student, who beat her difficult background to win a 100% MBA scholarship at Wellingkar University, chose to head the academics department of 3.2.1. Education Foundation, started by a TFI alumni.

Lend a Hand: www.teachforindia.org / +91 22 25185821/25185823 (Mumbai)

Make a Difference (MAD), since 2006

Working in: 23 cities, including Delhi, Chandigarh, Trivandrum, Kolkata, Mumbai and Nagpur

Started by: Jithin C Nedumala

Raison d’etre: Providing kids in shelter homes the anchorage of family and education by mobilizing the youth community

USP: Harnessing the power of youth to develop aspirations in shelter-home kids, and leadership skills in both the learners and young teachers.

Impact: 23 cities, 77 shelter homes, 5,000 children, 3,000 volunteer teachers

Future Vision: To create within the community, a “safe ecosystem” for every child in need and take education beyond academics by influencing individuals (young volunteers) as well as institutions (schools) for to make education inclusive

Story so far: Jithin C Nedumala was only 18 when he struck up a conversation with some kids in a Kochi shelter home. It translated into a crazy zeal to build an NGO that offers academic and emotional aid to kids, who don’t have an empathetic support system to help them through their formative years. MAD has several projects: ‘Ed Support’ molds youngsters to be role-models for shelter kids and give after-class support in Math, Science and English; ‘Discover’ gauges their personalities and exposes them to different academic and non-academic career possibilities to help them identify their aspirations; and ‘Propel’ helps junior college kids with documents, college applications and scholarships. Mentor Anwesha Dhar recalls a boy who spent most of his ‘Dream Camp’ walking away from his peers, but in the end confessed his dream to be a theatre artist. MAD inspires many to shed their cocoons.

Lend a Hand: contact@makeadiff.in

Going to School, since 2003

Working in: Bihar, Jharkand, Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashatra

Started by: Lisa Heydlauff

Raison d’etre: Equipping students at high risk of high dropout with entrepreneurial skills

USP: Uses the power of story telling and design

Impact: 1,472 schools, 1,472 villages, 1.5 lakh kids annually

Future Vision: To reach 5,000 schools by 2018, empowering over 1 million kids every year

Story so far: It all started with a book Lisa Heydlauff wrote to capture what schooling in India is like for Oliver, a former student in London. While Penguin Random House published it in India in 2004, the mission it catalysed, Going to School, was registered in New Delhi in 2003. The NGO’s content has been incorporated in the National Council of Education Research and Training's (NCERT) textbooks. It trains around 2,500 teachers each year and reaches out to thousands of children (about 50% of whom drop off by Grade 10), equipping them with skills to get or create jobs. Their two-hour, Saturday sessions, train children in effective communication, branding, marketing, negotiation as well as soft skills such as creativity, curiosity and empathy. Story telling is the core education methodology and their well-designed books even draw families into the quest for knowledge. Activities, project work, board games and technology are an inherent part of their programme. Their Be!Fund helps budding entrepreneurs finance their ventures and balances out all the theory and practice.

Lend a Hand: www.goingtoschool.com

Educate Girls, since 2007

Working in: Pali, Jalore, Sirohi, Ajmer, Bundi, Rajsamand and Bhilwara; will expand operations to Udaipur and Jhalawar in Rajasthan and Jhabua in Madhya Pradesh in 2016

Started by: Safeena Husain

Raison d’etre: Overriding gender disparity as a significant barrier to education

USP: Leverages community and government resources to ensure that girls are in school and learning well

Impact: 8,000 schools, over 4,600 villages, 1 lakh girls enrolled, 28 lakh beneficiaries

Future Vision: To improve access and quality of education in 30,000 schools, 16 educationally backward districts, 4 million children, by 2018

Story so far: London School of Economics graduate, Safeena Husain, after working with rural and urban undeserved communities in South America, Africa and Asia, started ‘Educate Girls’ in India. 3 million girls across India are out of school. She believes that if girls in educationally backward districts are educated now, they’ll be able to enter the formal economy and draw their families out of poverty. The model has a three-pronged approach—increased enrolment (by mobilising communities to take a stand against gender disparity by working with various stakeholders), higher retention and improved learning outcomes. It also assesses the basic infrastructure and prepares school improvement plans (with child-friendly, activity-based learning approach) to increase retention.

Lend a hand: www.educategirls.ngo

Pratham, since 1995

Working in: 23 Indian states and union territories

Started by: Social workers Dr Madhav Chauhan and Farida Lambe

Raison d’etre: For every child to be in school and learn well

USP: Provides cost effective and scalable solutions to achieve measurable learning outcomes for all children

Impact: Reached out to about 4.5 lakh children in rural India and 3.5 lakh in urban India, through the Read India programme in 2014-15. Partnered with state and district governments to impact the learning level of about 6.2 million children

Future Vision: Every child be able to read, write and do basic math before end of primary school

Story so far: Pratham started as a societal mission in Mumbai and as one its first tasks, it set up large-scale, low-cost, community based preschool centres called Balwadis. Over the years it expanded and based on its direct engagement with thousands of children, highlighted the fact that a significant number of children enrolled in schools move from lower to higher grades without acquiring basic competency in reading, writing and numeracy. To combat it, they designed Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) in 2005, one of the largest household surveys, conducted annually by a non-government entity, on the status of schooling and learning outcomes level of kids in the elementary-school age group. It also developed a pedagogy called CAMaL (Combined Activities for Maximized Learning) to help kids in primary school learn the three subjects in short duration of time.

Lend a Hand: info@pratham.org

AngelXpress Foundation, since 2012

Working in: Parks across Mumbai, spanning suburbs such as Bandra, Powai, Sewri, Malad, etc.

Started by: Anubha Sharma, Beena Advani

Raison d’etre: to tap potential of educated, affluent individuals with the expertise to “give back” to the community in the form of tutoring, mentoring and guiding underprivileged learners

USP: Teaching at promenades and parks and making it scalable by using simple technology (such as the SMS service) to help interested citizens in setting up new learning centres in their neighbourhood.

Impact: 8 Learning centres with 800 first generation learners, 7 In-School English Programmes (for vernacular BMC schools) helping 1,700 students, 200+ educated volunteers and free service to communities keen on helping kids

Future Vision: To advance its two-way learning process through a “Buddy System”, wherein school kids from privileged backgrounds bond and exchange ideas with their less-privileged peers

Story so far: As a young girl, Anubha Sharma read an article about a French expat who’d adopted five street kids. Success in the corporate world did not cloud her awareness of how interventions can change people’s fates. So exploiting her management skills, she built and scaled a franchise that would engage the educated adult demographic to form a mentor-mentee bond for uncounseled learners. Thus emerged AngelXpress’s classes for all subjects and ‘In-School English Programmes to help vernacular-medium students with English.

Lend a Hand: angelxpress.org

Muktangan, since 2003

Working in: Worli and Parel, Mumbai

Started by: Elizabeth and Sunil Mehta, with support from the Paragon Charitable Trust

Raison d’etre: Providing high-quality, holistic education to enable children from lower socio-economic backgrounds to better their lives

USP: Integrated, Inclusive, Innovative

Impact: 7 municipal schools, 3,200 children, 450 teachers from within the community

Future Vision: Holistic education across India

Story so far: What started as a preschool in a basti in Worli has grown into a programme that covers BMC schools in Mumbai’s G South ward. Muktangan’s curriculum enables joyous learning and the creation of socially well-adjusted individuals by letting children learn at their own pace, supported by access to technology as well as exposure to literature, art, music, dance and theatre. Each class of 13 has one or two students with learning disorders, autism or even cerebral palsy fitting right in. Muktangan boasts a teacher-student ratio of 1:13 and, as they come from the same community, teachers who are invested in the children’s success. Its unique teacher-training programmes though based on the DEd syllabus, take things a step further, studying brain function, education philosophy, personal development and more. Muktangan has partnered with UNICEF, Harvard University (South Asian Institute) and educational institutions across India’s urban, rural and tribal areas.

Lend a hand: muktanganedu.org

ECIS (Every Child in School), since 2014

Working in: Suneria Village, Rohtak, Haryana

Started by: Dr Venkatesh Murthy, Asst Prof, IIM Rohtak

Raison d’etre: Ensuring every child gets an education, irrespective of their social status

USP: Makeshift school with open-ended syllabus

Impact: 120 children

Future Vision: Integrating existing technology (tablets, laptops, education apps) into a centrally controlled system to ensure education for every child (particularly the 1000-odd child-ragpickers in Rohtak and 200 others from destitute families)

Story so far: Murthy had watched his colleagues at TISS start social initiatives and even participated in designing and evaluating a makeshift school by Pratham at Kandla. When he started working at IIM Rohtak, he realised he could make a difference amongst the transient ragpickers. Thus began—Badte Kadam, now ECIS (Every Child in School). Monday to Friday he teaches children aged 4-14 in Rohtak's Kabir Colony, basic language and math skills. The original class of 65 is now down to 14, as ragpickers keep moving. Most schools won’t admit these kids because: they don’t have birth proof, can’t speak Hindi and are unlikely to stay in one place for long. Kids often drop out because they face discrimination or simply can’t understand what's being taught. Some of his IIM Rohtak students have started an evening school in Suneria Village.

Lend a Hand: venkatesh.murthy@iimrohtak.ac.in

Door Step School, since 1989

Working in: Mumbai, Pune

Started by: Bina Lashkari

Raison d’etre: Creating learning environments for kids of Banjara community and street dwellers by conducting classes within their community

USP: Uses buses as ‘school-on-wheels’ to catch little learners, designs its own programme

Impact: 98 locations, 77,000 kids p.a., 5 emergency classrooms (buses) in Mumbai, 2 in Pune, after-school support (1st-4th grades), a soft skills programme and library centers in slums

Future Vision: Providing kids the right role models

Story so far: “Comb your hair, sit down properly–don’t use such language,” is where our classes begin, laughs Bina Lashkari. The non-formal education programme she envisioned had to become expansive as “you can’t expect these kids to just walk in and start focusing.” Besides the basic subjects, they expose kids to music, sports, arts and a constant flow of reading materials.

Lend a Hand: bina@doorstepschool.org

Aseema, since 1998

Kids are known to enjoy art activities at Aseema.

Working in: Mumbai, Nasik

Started by: Dilbur Parakh

Raison d’etre: Facilitating character development among the “poorest of poor” through learner-centric education based on internally developed teaching methods

USP: Uses three unique teaching methods united under the “Aseema approach” to navigate the government curriculum; has in-house counsellors and emphasizes on non-academic activities

Impact: 3 municipal schools, 230 staff, 50 Mumbai volunteers, 200 ex-students, an education center for tribal kids in Avalkhed, near Igatpuri

Future Vision: To tap the true potential of every child without educational access

Story so far: For Dilbur Parakh and her comrades, what started as an interaction with children at traffic signals developed gradually into evening learning centres and later, the adoption of three BMC schools. “It's a public-private partnership that works great!” says Dilbur. “Our teachers conduct classes as per the standard curriculum, but the method is different. It is based heavily on the tenets of respect and learning freedom for the child, who is provided emotional security.” Dilbur insists that the trick is not in rote learning, but egging on the individual talents in each child. Little wonder then, that her NGO places great importance on dissemination of values through sports, painting, art and craft. Aseema also has a primary and a secondary school coming up in Igatpuri, to offer formal degrees to tribal children, who’ve shown great promise at the education centre. So what’s special about her kids? She says, “Oh you should see some of their art work! We even sell them to raise our funds!”

Lend a Hand: dilbur@aseema.org

Puncha Nabadisha High School, since 2002

Arup Mukherjee's army of young learners.

Working in: Puncha in Purulia, West Bengal

Started by: Arup Mukherjee

Raison d’etre: Helping children from the ostracised, impoverished, Sabar tribe of Purulia, get food, shelter and education through a resolute one-man initiative

USP: The school takes up Arup’s entire salary

Impact: A 5-room school, 40 Sabar children from local villages (Damodarpur, Sabarpara, Nirbharpur, Motipur and so on)

Future Vision: Maintaining the centre against severe fund shortage

Story so far: Moved by the plight of the neglected Sabar tribe, in Purulia's remote corners, Constable Arup Mukherjee (New Alipore police station, Kolkata) took a loan to build a primary school that now takes care of the food, clothing and education of 40 kids. The sole source of funds for this school-without-toilets is Arup’s salary. He mentions that kids from the tribe, which is branded “criminals” by the British, are doubly deprived—economically and socially. “When I ask my children what do you really want, they mostly have two answers: I want to eat well, or I want to become a policeman.” He explains that the second ambition stems from the hope that their people won’t be discriminated against anymore. “My kids need a kitchen, something to shield them from the rain...” Meanwhile, Arup himself is happy to live in the police barracks and eat whatever is served.

Lend a Hand: mukherjee.arup38@gmail.com/9433730764

Vaibhav Kamble’s Project (unnamed), since 2014

Working in: Across Mumbai

Raison d’etre: Giving children on the streets their shot at a better life by contacting the government Child Helpline (1098) to facilitate their admission to shelter homes, schools and even colleges with help (financial, legal and medical) from volunteers marshalled over the social media

USP: Utilizes existing government facilities to offer a stable childhood to kids engaged in rag-picking/begging

Impact: Rehabilitated 10 girls and a boy, funds raised for the college education of three

Future Vision: Expansion, through stronger collaboration with government agencies

Story so far: A final year mechanical engineering student at the DY Patil College in Lonavla, 22 year-old Vaibhav juggles his academic commitment with a zeal to educate the city’s floating population of young beggars and ragpickers. “These are street kids, they have no home, documents or medical certificates,” explains the politics enthusiast. I help them with the same so they can get admission to shelter homes and government schools.” He also crowd-funds education of girls above 18 (who can no longer stay at shelters); two are studying nursing and one is preparing for her UPSC exams. “I learnt that there are many good people —advocates, doctors and financial benefactors—willing to help these kids. My Facebook posts are just an excuse for them to reach out, “ Vaibhav humbly reflects.

Lend a Hand: vab2kam@gmail.com

Prince Tiwari’s Project (unnamed), since 2011

Working in: Kandivali, Mumbai

Raison d’etre: Ensuring that street kids going to municipal schools have the support system to retain what they learn

USP: Ensuring good education for street kids of tender age, and supporting older ones

Impact: 73 kids, with 25 studying in Kandivali's Thakur Shyamnarayan High School

Future Vision: To focus on the younger kids and their grasp over the English language

Story so far: Commerce graduate Prince Tiwari was a fresher when he chanced upon some truant school kids of the 3rd or 4th grade, who “could not even tell their 'A's' from their 'B's'.” Distressed by their lack of real access, Prince decided to hold classes for them under a flyover. “I gave them as much of my college time as I could, but it wasn't enough.” Things improved when some like-minded do-gooders helped him with funds necessary to send some of them to school and shift the after-school classes (Nursery-10th) to a rented room. “Initially, I doubted that too many people will come forward,” laughs Prince, obviously happy to have been proven wrong. The youngster insists that he wants his little brigade to study in English medium institutions, as it ensures better exposure to the language.

Lend a Hand: accountant1992@live.com

Gharkul, since 2007

Working in: Santacruz (E)

Started by: Sunil Satpute

Raison d’etre: Rehabilitating, educating and enabling less-privileged kids with special needs so they can lead a dignified, independent life

USP: Works with children who are severely, mentally challenged and accepts kids who are not toilet-trained (an often neglected section of the special needs community)

Impact: 2 classrooms, 5 special educators, 47 kids

Future Vision: To accommodate new kids and retain the old ones

Story so far: As part of the Baljeevan Trust, Sunil Satpute always knew a thing or two about tending to children without means. Gharkul (home), however, saw him push his boundaries and take on responsibilities that can be a handful, even for the most seasoned educators. He turned towards kids, who are not just poor, but also born with special needs like autism, Down’s Syndrome etc. Hence, education start from basic things such as eye contact, social interaction and toilet training. “I teach a bunch of these kids in rented rooms of the Prabhat Colony Municipal School in Santacruz (E). These are kids who are often abandoned by their families. "Those with mild and moderate challenges often find admission elsewhere, I make it a point to admit the rest,” says Sunil, adding that space continues to be a major issue. What do these kids learn at their new ‘home’? “Oh everything, from english, maths and vocational skills to art and craft, or simply home management,” Sunil states proudly.

Lend a Hand: gharkul.org / 9833736200

OSCAR (Organisation for Social Change, Awareness and Responsibility) Foundation, since 2006

Started by: Ashok Rathod

Raison d’etre: Motivating school kids from slums to finish education by engaging them in football

Working in: Mumbai, Delhi, Goa, Ranchi

USP: Uses sports as a character-building tool for children, whose lack of grooming leads to their losing focus and dropping out of school

Impact: 3,000 students, 7 states, 30 centres (14 in Mumbai)

Future Vision: To impact 20,000 kids by 2020

Story so far: “That was a great pass! Of course you can play the next match—but only if you go back to school.” Such smooth deals aren’t uncommon at the OSCAR foundation. Himself a student of the Door Step School, Ashok Rathod learnt the importance of value-based learning early in life. “Kids from the Ambedkar Nagar slums have been dropping out of school to earn loose money by selling fish, since forever. Football was one common love under which I could unite them,” says Ashok, explaining the challenges of disciplining children, who tend to practice groupism and use foul language when they encounter kids of other castes and religions. “They love playing, enjoy camps, Christmas parties and outdoor tours. In return, they have to attend school and take a basic test we prepare to check their skills.” What about those who fail? “If you fail, it only means you are eligible for after-school support,” he grins.

Lend a Hand: oscar-india.org