Many of our children are first-generation learners and come from impoverished and underprivileged communities. Most of their parents are daily wage laborers due to migration and illiteracy, and face immense difficulties in breaking out the cycle of poverty.
We take to heart the idiom of “teachers as second parents” – we provide a caring environment with enthusiastic staff for our students. We also teach basic literacy skills to mothers who wish to avail of our services.

Our students are a mix of non-performing children, dropouts, repeaters, and out-of-school kids with no formal training. Due to gaps in elementary education, many have not mastered the three R’s (Reading, wRiting, and simple aRithmetic) for their age or grade levels. Most lack positive self esteem, healthy confidence, and strong connections.
We tackle these gaps in two ways. Firstly, we teach the basics – English comprehension, mathematics, science, communication skills – according to the child’s learning pace and capability. Once they feel confident in their learning skills, we help them catch up to their specific grade level in school.
Secondly, we focus on helping them build their talents and capabilities. We work to augment and enhance their communication skills, interpersonal skills, and creative abilities. Through encouragement from us, friendship with their peers, and improved participation from their parents, our children learn human values, holistic development, and build confidence.

Rather than traditional teaching methods, we adopt Responsive Classroom Methodology, i.e. understanding that how children learn is as important as what they learn.
We develop and use highly successful and cost-effective modules to make the teaching-learning process joyful. Over the years, we have adapted our own methods from working with Hamari Kaksha students to great effect. Methods include peer teaching, dramatization of chapters, video-based training, storytelling, field trips, expert visits etc We also have a computer lab and an ever-expanding library, both thanks to generous donations from individuals and the community.

Through our informal training center for Activity-Based Learning, our children participate in several non-academic activities that help develop their personalities and open up to them a much larger world of possibilities. Activities like theatre, story-writing, field visits to educational and scientific institutions, photography, art, craft design andproduction are a few of them .
Of special note is that our students have presented more than 20 skits, street plays, and performances all over Chandigarh since 2008 with help from various theatre groups and professionals of the city.

The first part of the idiom “teachers as second parents” is that “parents are the first teachers”. So we work not only with the children in our centers, but also their parents. We provide regular counselling for parents to develop positive and interested attitudes towards their child’s development and performance.
We also provide literacy programs since 2011 aimed at the mothers of our students. We have taught basic reading, writing, and mathematics to more than 100 mothers since last six years.

Due to poverty and underdevelopment, common external factors can lead to our children missing out on school or underperforming in their education.
For example, due to the migration process, children might miss classes. So we track down local guardians or neighbors to establish contact. We also counsel parents to plan their return during school holidays so that there is no break in the child’s education.
Similarly, ill health and sickness can cause absences; so we arrange regular health workshops and camps at our centers as well as the children’s home localities.
Transportation is made available in the form of a 20 seater van, cycles and shared rickshaws where needed. Learning materials are provided to students to use at home and follow-ups are arranged with school principals and teachers so that the child does not become a drop out. In cases of extreme recalcitrance, volunteers will visit the child’s home and attempt to identify the problems causing his/her absence, and accordingly find a workable solution.
We want to ensure that all children can access a good education and we work to make this a reality.