8 Initiatives Giving Underprivileged Kids a Chance at Education

In a corner of Mumbai, a 10-year-old boy Dev is attempting his first story in English. Naturally, the first-generation learner is befuddled with questions — What is the difference between ‘your’ and ‘you’re’?; What makes for a good introduction?; and What makes for a compelling conclusion?
Dev knows he won’t find the answers to these questions at home — his parents are illiterate. So, the young boy patiently waits for the morning. He attends classes at a makeshift school on the edge of the slum where he lives, confident that the young volunteers who teach him will have all the answers.
You can extrapolate this reality to the millions of children who live in poverty across Indian cities. For them, these schools and foundations are places of hope; places where they are allowed to have dreams. The Better India celebrates these individuals who are freeing children from the effects of educational constraints.

Chaitali Gupta was a beacon of hope to the children who lived in the slums around IIT Bombay, Picture source: Facebook: LCCWA
India’s population has seen an uptick in the recent past. Rising levels of population are accompanied by an increase in poverty numbers. According to the 2024 statistics by the World Poverty Clock, 3.44 crore people in the country live in extreme poverty.
The victims of this fate are more often than not the young generation whose futures hang in the balance. For many such children in the Mumbai metropolitan, the late Chaitali Gupta became a saviour.
The Logic Centre & Community Welfare Association that Gupta started with her husband Dr Amitabh Gupta, a retired IIT professor, has equipped hundreds of children with education. It has also enabled them access to health check-up camps, nutritious food, libraries, and extra-curricular activities to hone their skills.
2. Elysium Smiles Foundation, Mumbai

Elysium Smiles Foundation equips children from Mumbai with English skills and works based on a sponsorship model, Picture source: Komal
The story of the initiative’s inception traces back to pani puri (a popular street food). Mumbai couple Subhash and Komal Udhwani were intrigued when they noticed that the pani puri vendor near their home would have his son accompany him on most days.
“Where will I leave him otherwise?” was his reply when the couple questioned his decision. That day, Komal decided to chip in and teach the boy English and maths. Today, he is channelling these skills in his corporate role.
From Komal’s simple idea, was born an initiative that attracted many of the neighbourhood kids who wanted to study but lacked the right resources. The initiative is based on a sponsorship model.
As Komal explains, “We cater to kids of all ages. We have kids from nursery as well as kids who are completing their engineering diplomas.” While age is not a hindrance, she says the financial wherewithal of the family does play a role.
“The worst-affected families get our allocation first. We also give preference to girls, children who are in senior grades (as this is the age when parents withdraw the kids from school), disabled kids, and orphans.” She adds that the foundation has supported more than 1,000 kids to date.
3. Kartavyapath, Ranchi 

Kartavyapath takes care of medical, educational, and nutrition needs of children in Ranchi, Picture source: Instagram: Kartavyapath
Children in a village in Jharkhand can be seen learning numbers to the beat of dhols (drums). What better way is there to learn maths anyway?
If you scroll through the initiative’s Instagram page (@kartavyapath7) you will be treated to a heartening sight; children in remote areas of Ranchi are all smiles as they learn new words, engage in sports, and check out their brand new school bags and clothes that the organisation provides them with through donations.
At Kartavyapath, the team believes there is a world beyond academics and that only when children have their intrinsic needs addressed, will they be able to truly focus on their studies. The multifaceted approach is proving to be a success. As one of the volunteers Akash Gupta shares, until now 200 children have been impacted.
4. Pehchaan Street School, Delhi 

Pehchaan Street School in Delhi educates children living in slum areas of the national capital and also provides them with school supplies, Picture source: Pehchaan
To break the cycle of poverty, start with one child. This is what this Delhi-based initiative believes. In 2015, when five friends came together to teach ten children hailing from some of the national capital’s poorest areas, little did they fathom the scale of this idea.
Today, the organisation prides itself on touching the lives of 1500 children through its centres across Delhi.
Socioeconomic background shouldn’t deter a child from getting access to good quality education. With this ideology at the forefront, Pehchaan provides children with books, stationery, and other learning materials, not readily available in underprivileged areas.
The school achieves excellence through curriculum development, regular assessment of children’s academic performance, workshops that hone children’s personalities, and activities that encourage critical thinking.
5. Suyam Charitable Trust, Chennai 
What started in 1999 as an idea by a group of young college students in Tamil Nadu, has blossomed into a beautiful endeavour that has impacted thousands of children. Dr Uma and Muthu, the couple behind this initiative, were no strangers to acts of social service.
Uma’s tryst with it began at 12 when she taught underprivileged kids in slum areas. She was often joined by her friend and classmate Muthuram. These experiences left an indelible impact on the duo.
But as they soon discovered, the academic landscape was not the only one that needed attention. The health and wellness of the communities in slum areas was as fraught. In later years, the couple’s work extended to volunteering at health checkup camps and financing the medical, educational, and health needs of children from underprivileged backgrounds.
Their Siragu School in Chennai is one of their successful projects. There are 250 kids currently studying at the school. 
6. eVidyaloka, Bengaluru

eVidyaloka teaches children different subjects using tech as a medium, Picture source: eVidyaloka
In 2011, two Microsoft India colleagues bonded over a shared vision to merge volunteerism and technology to provide education to children in India’s rural villages. The Bengaluru-based social enterprise meets its mission through several programmes, such as the Digital Classroom Program and Teach Through Television Program.
By broadcasting high-quality, engaging video lessons on local television channels, the programme offers students in Classes 5 to 10 access to informative lessons in their regional languages. In many cases, it has also reduced the dependency of children on after-school tuition classes. The TTT programme partners with local cable networks to deliver curated video lessons that align with the state board curriculum, breaking down concepts into manageable sub-chapters tailored for the rural context. 
To democratise access to quality education in rural India, eVidyaloka is using tech as a medium to bridge the digital divide and open a world of possibilities for these children.
7. Sitare Foundation, Pan India 

Sitare Foundation finances the school fees, accommodation and travel of underprivileged kids
Watching his grandfather and father rise from humble beginnings to achieve great success inspired Dr Amit Singhal. It was through their journey that he came to understand the transformative power of education.
So, after 15 years of working as a software engineer at Google, he decided to shift the trajectory of his life and be a beacon of hope for kids whose backgrounds deterred them from pursuing their dreams. Amit was joined by his wife Shilpa, a software engineer.
Together they started the Sitare Foundation, helping poor children with school fees, travel, accommodation and food.
8. Pehlay Akshar, Mumbai 

Pehlay Akshar was started by Radha Goenka to help first-generation learners with their English skills, Picture source: Instagram: Pehlay Akshar
The implications of kids not getting access to good quality English education can be weighty. This was what founder Radha Goenka observed. In 2008, she felt the need to develop a programme centric on first-generation learners — one that would tap the natural curiosity of these children while building their communication skills.
A firm believer that a sound English vocabulary can take a child places, Goenka developed the ‘Schooling Program’ designed to improve these children’s English through a curriculum that incorporates international best practices.
In 2017, the organisation began training government school teachers in the nuances of English. The learning ecosystem model at Pehlay Akshar prides itself on digital aids, books, and skilled personnel.
—In a corner of Mumbai, in a makeshift school, Dev is getting all the help he needs with his story which no doubt has the potential to be a bestseller. On this full-circle note, we tip our hats to the changemakers who are lighting the path for children who don’t have access to resources. Through their efforts, these organisations are empowering the dreamers of tomorrow.
Edited by Pranita Bhat.