We believe in supporting the educational needs of young people to achieve their full potential in life. Many of the young people we work with live on the streets, have committed crimes or simply been denied the right to quality education.
We work with partners who can provide a stable environment to support their educational needs, but also their wider physical and mental wellbeing.
In Delhi an estimated 30% of inhabitants live in slums. Government schools are being used beyond full capacity and demand for good schooling is not being met.
In Bihar, approximately 60% of girls are illiterate.
In Mumbai remand homes, only a minority of students have had any formal education as most have just learnt how to survive on the streets. Yet with the right support systems, these young people have the option to thrive and fulfil their potential.
In Bihar, 75% of girls are married before the age of 18, majority of whom marry by the age of 15. But given a chance, many would choose instead to complete and further their education to forge a successful career. Unfortunately, 60% of girls are illiterate, majority living in the rural areas.
For the girls of Bihar, this lifeline comes in the form of an optometry training programme run by The Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital. Local village girls are given the opportunity to study optometry at the hospital with a condition that their family agree not to marry them off before the age of 21. This enables the girls to pursue their studies with no obligations other than to their course and to themselves.
We support optometry education for six girls, who work at the hospital as interns and will continue to work at the hospital as optometrists after they complete their courses. They also motivate and mentor other girls like them and develop a big team of optometry girls.
The David Sassoon Industrial School (DSIS) is one of the seven correction homes in Mumbai where boys between 11 to 18 years reach for a variety of reasons; some are runaways, some orphans, others for committing crimes. We worked with Ojus Medical Institute (OMI) to support the nutritional and psychological needs of these children.
Having experienced difficult times at early stages in their lives, the counselling unit at DSIS gives each boy a second chance at life. We supported the boys' personal growth, and provided them with skills and confidence to succeed in life, as well as cultivate a compassion and respect for others through counselling sessions and workshops, and now facilitating monthly celebration of birthdays which the boys look forward to most. The change seen was incredible, most boys became confident, considerate and self-respecting individuals.
It is estimated that over 30% of the 17 million inhabitants of Delhi live in slums. Though many of them are aware that a good education can help their children break the cycle of poverty, however cannot afford private schooling. Forced to rely on extra private tuitions beyond their means, most of the poor children inevitably drop out of school and the likelihood of returning to school is slim.
We're working with a really passionate group of people - Project Why, who provide after-school education to the poor children from slums in and around Delhi. They strive to provide a second home to children; a space where they can express their feelings, share their problems and fulfil their potential.
