At the heart of our mission lies child education, a crucial area where we strive to make a lasting impact. We firmly believe that education is the foundation for long-term societal change. Presently, our efforts are focused on the Ram Nagar Slums, near Piplani Petrol Pump, Bhopal, M.P.
Before launching our education initiatives, we conducted a baseline survey to understand the community's needs. The results revealed that out of 289 children from 125 households, 122 (approximately 42%) had dropped out of school and aaganwadis. Major challenges which was identified was discrimination on the basis on caste and creed; lack of safety; inadequate sanitation and lack of documentation like birth certificate and aadhar.
Recognizing the urgent need for documentation, we prioritized this as our first step in supporting child education. Many children, even those around 10 years old, had no official records of birth, making it difficult for them to obtain certificates through government channels.
To address this issue, we organized a stakeholders' meeting within the slum, bringing together key entities such as The Women and Child Development Department officials, SCPCR Officials, CWC, Anganwadis supervisors and workers; the Education Department, the Municipal Corporation and the Health Department. During this meeting, local families voiced their concerns. After a year of persistent efforts and liasoning, we successfully secured a government-approved process to obtain birth certificates.
To date, we have helped over 60 families acquire birth certificates, yet many more still need assistance.
With the documentation process underway, we saw an encouraging shift—30 students started attending school in 2023. However, a new challenge emerged. Many children, especially those aged 7-8, were admitted without any prior knowledge of basic subjects like English. We realized that without foundational learning, they were at risk of dropping out again.
To address this gap, we established an Informal Education Center to provide essential academic support. Our dedicated volunteers and interns play a pivotal role, conducting classes to help children catch up and adapt to the school environment.
