Overview

We identify communities, like migrant worker’s children, street children, and fishermen’s children, and then try to establish classes as quickly as possible for them. The aim is to get them to the level where they can enroll in regular school. For children left to fend for themselves on the streets and who have no opportunity of schooling, these classes help to raise their self-esteem and demonstrate the practical difference that literacy can make on their lives.

These classes make them literate. Our definition of literacy is being able to read a newspaper. Whether it makes any practical difference in their life or not is debatable but it breaks the cycle of illiteracy, lays foundation for literacy, schooling and education of future generations of that individual

Facilities

Generally, all our classes are held in labor camps or at construction sites where a location, a tin shed or a room, is provided by the builder. But when such a facility is not available or is likely to take time setting up, we start our classes in School on Wheels or a temporary space close to the construction site location.

Activities

We design and carry out the activities based on the age group and educational needs of the children through:

• Balwadis  – These are kindergarten classes for children aged 3-6 to have fun learning so that they are more inclined and better equipped to go to school. Read More
• Study Classes – Here children attending school are helped to cope with schoolwork. A little guidance and a quiet place to study can make all the difference. Read More
• Literacy Classes  – These classes are for out-of-school children with a special focus on basic literacy skills, language and math. Read More
• Child Care Centers – This is a facility to take care of younger siblings at the Educational Activity Centers. Read More
• School Transport –  It is an added service provided for bringing children to municipal schools as well as for collecting them from smaller sites. Read More
• Quest Science Labs – Children from construction sites nearby to these labs are taken to these labs where they are taught fundamentals of science using hands on experiments.  These classes make a useful exposure visits for DSS children who otherwise will never have opportunity to see such a facility.
• Environmental Education Programs – Saturdays are non-instructional days for our centers at construction sites.  Children are taught extracurricular topics such as environment, hygiene,  habits, discipline, nutrition etc with the help of special funding given for this purpose.  Significant volunteering involvement in teaching these topics have made Saturday interesting days for these children.

Support

With over 100 classes running at any given time, covering over 5000 children, we are looking for ways to better the existing classes and expanding into new areas. Financial support as well as volunteers to help with finding appropriate facilities will help us achieve these goals. How you can help