The Seed for Change (SFC) student competition provides monetary prizes to bold, creative ideas that have the potential for widespread impact in India. The SFC competition aims to develop a vibrant ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship by supporting interdisciplinary student projects that could positively impact social, economic, and environmental issues in India.

Read our grant proposal here!

Kiln-to-Classroom: A Data-Driven Satellite Education Network

A Partnership between Harvard University Graduate Researchers and Asha for Education

I. Executive Summary

In the marginalized corridors between Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh, a systemic cycle of displacement traps thousands of children in educational limbo. Between November and June, families migrate to Varanasi’s brick kilns, causing a “total fracture” of the developmental process. Research indicates that children in circular migrant families are significantly more likely to drop out of school and face nutritional deficits compared to their settled peers (UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report, 2019). When families move, children drop out, and learning is reset to zero.

To address this, we propose “Persistent Satellite Education Hubs”—a network of fixed learning centers located on-site at the kilns. Unlike static government schools, this system is designed for mobility. It features a “Digital Passport” to track academic progress across state lines and a “Sibling Support Model” to ensure gender-inclusive enrollment.

We seek funding from the Seed for Change grant for a 12-month pilot to standardize 11 existing informal centers into a professional network and launch a “Twin-Center” partnership with a source village in Nalanda, Bihar. This pilot will test the hypothesis that data portability can reduce learning loss during migration. The project is a joint initiative led by Melli Annamalai (Strategy/Governance), Shivam Gandhi (Harvard PhD Candidate, Data/Research), Amit Rajbhar (Field Operations), and Akshay Bhole (Asha Boston lead, Operations), combining grassroots legitimacy with rigorous impact evaluation.

II. Statement of Need: The Invisible Crisis of the Brick Kilns

The Cycle of Displacement
The brick kiln industry operates on a model of “circular migration.” Labor contractors rotate families to different kiln sites annually to prevent workers from establishing residency rights (ILO, 2017). Consequently, a child will often not return to the same location twice. Furthermore, many children do not enroll in school in their home village since the parents know they will be moving soon for work. This lack of geographic consistency leads to a total collapse of educational continuity.

The “Invisible” Population
Our target demographic consists of the Musahar and Majhi communities (Dalit/Mahadalit), who face some of the lowest literacy rates in India, often below 10% for women, and systemic discrimination (ActionAid, 2016). While Asha for Education currently identifies students across 11 specific kiln clusters in Varanasi (including Harsh, Vijay, Sagar, and Rudra Brick Fields) (Asha Kaithi Report, 2025), thousands remain unreached.

Barriers to Access
The crisis is compounded by the clandestine nature of the industry. Brick kilns are often run by companies that rely on child labor and are deeply reluctant to allow NGOs on their land for fear of legal scrutiny. Furthermore, the “piece-rate” wage system creates a perverse incentive:

1. Forced Labor: Because parents are paid by the brick (~₹550 per 1,000), children are pressed into turning bricks to supplement family income (Anti-Slavery International, 2017).
2. Gender-Based Exclusion: Young girls are disproportionately kept out of classrooms to manage housework and care for younger siblings while parents work (Vikram et al, Social Science Research, 2024).
3. The Poverty Trap: Extreme deprivation results in severe health barriers. Many children bathe only once a week due to water scarcity, leading to high rates of skin infections and stunting (PMC, 2022).

The Failure of Status Quo: Without targeted intervention that accommodates their transient lifestyle, these children remain a permanent underclass, excluded from the promise of India’s formal education system.

III. The Programmatic Vision: A Network of Continuity

Our proposed solution moves away from the traditional, static school model in favor of Persistent Satellite Education Hubs.

Component A: Permanent Infrastructure in a Transitional Landscape
Building on the fieldwork of Amit Rajbhar, we will develop permanent school setups at the periphery of kiln clusters. These hubs serve as physical anchors. By positioning them as “Community Centers” that provide nutritional support, winter clothing, and hygiene interventions (leveraging Asha’s existing “Pad Bank” program), we gain entry into communities that might otherwise be wary of external scrutiny (Asha Kaithi Report, 2025).

Component B: A Seamless Satellite Network
Instead of isolated schools, we are building an interconnected ecosystem. When a family is moved by a contractor to a different kiln, the child does not “drop out”—they transition to another node in the network.

• The Bridge Curriculum: We will utilize a standardized curriculum focused on literacy and numeracy, designed to be compatible with government standards in Hindi-speaking states (UP and Bihar). Remedial “bridge courses” have been rigorously proven to improve learning outcomes for out-of-school children (Banerjee et al., J-PAL, 2007).
• Civic Awareness: We supplement this with Asha’s “Samvidhan” (Constitution) Awareness modules to teach rights and duties, empowering these marginalized communities to advocate for themselves (Asha Kaithi Report, 2025).

Component C: The Sibling Support Model
To address gender disparity, our hubs utilize an inclusive enrollment strategy. We explicitly allow students to bring younger siblings into the classroom. This removes the primary obstacle for girls—the burden of domestic childcare—transforming the school from a place of exclusion to a comprehensive family support center. We potentially will hire childcare workers through the honorarium system if needed. 

IV. Technical Innovation: Data-Driven Stability

The backbone of this proposal is a sophisticated data-tracking infrastructure designed by the Harvard team.

1. Portable Student Profiles (The “Digital Passport”)
   We will implement a centralized cloud database (using ODK Collect and Google Sheets) to host a “digital passport” for every student. This includes academic progress, attendance, and health records (BMI/Vaccination) that follow the child instantly from one hub to the next.
2. Predictive Migration Mapping
   By leveraging historical migration data and contractor patterns, we will develop predictive models to anticipate enrollment surges. This allows for the proactive allocation of teachers and resources (textbooks, mats) to specific kiln sites before the migration season begins in November.
3. The Government Bridge
   These hubs are designed as a “bridge” to formalization. The “Digital Passport” provides the longitudinal documentation necessary for state recognition, allowing us to eventually integrate these children into the formal government school system.

V. Implementation Plan & Strategic Goals

Phase I: Origin-Destination Mapping (Months 1–2)

• The Census: We will conduct a census of the ~283 children currently in the 11 Varanasi centers. Crucially, we will also survey non-enrolled children in adjacent kilns to understand the population hidden by restrictive kiln owners.
• The Twin-Center: We have identified Nalanda, Bihar, as a primary “Source Hub” where many migrants return. Leveraging existing Asha contacts in this region, we will establish a formal partnership to receive returning students.

Phase II: Standardization (Months 3–4)

• Teacher Training: We will conduct a 3-day intensive workshop (Budget Estimate: ₹49,000) on the new “Bridge Curriculum” and digital tools (Asha Kaithi Budget, 2025).
• Language Strategy: To minimize friction, we are specifically targeting migration corridors within the Hindi-speaking belt, ensuring the curriculum remains relevant across state lines.
• Tech Deployment: Centers will be equipped with low-cost computers/tablets for data entry (Asha Rajatalab Budget, 2025).

Phase III: The Pilot (Months 5–16)

• Execution: Deploy the “Sibling Support” and “Digital Passport” protocols across the 11 kiln sites.
• The Handoff: As the work cycle ends (June), we will track the specific destination of each family.
• Re-Enrollment Tracking: We will assess how many migrant children successfully enroll in the Nalanda partner school using our transferred data, measuring the reduction in “administrative drop-out.”

Strategic Goals:

• Short-Term: Immediate cessation of child labor in targeted clusters; replacement of work hours with classroom hours.
• Mid-Term: 100% data portability for the pilot cohort; zero loss of academic credit upon migration.
• Long-Term: Establishing a scalable and portable model for state governments to implement for tracking the education and health of migrant children.

VI. Team & Organizational Capacity

Project Co-Lead: Melli Annamalai (Strategy & Governance) As Former President of Asha for Education, Melli brings decades of experience in navigating India’s non-profit landscape and scaling grassroots initiatives into national programs.

Project Co-Lead: Shivam Gandhi (Harvard PhD Candidate) Shivam combines technical expertise in data-driven decision making (Computational Biology) with direct field experience, having conducted site visits to the Varanasi kilns to assess operational realities. He leads the Data Architecture and Impact Evaluation.

Field Lead: Amit Rajbhar (Founder, Bal Vikas Kendra) With 19 years of experience supervising 11 centers, Amit is the operational anchor. His deep ties with the Musahar population allow us to bypass the “trust barrier” with kiln owners that hinders the success of other NGOs.

Operations Lead: Akshay Bhole (Asha Boston Coordinator) Akshay manages cross-border coordination between Harvard and Varanasi, ensuring strict financial compliance (FCRA) and budget adherence. He has deep experience in managing budgets and projects with partner Asha projects.

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Satchit Balsari (Harvard Mittal Institute) Dr. Balsari acts as the primary advisor on Impact Evaluation, specifically regarding health and migration data protocols.

VII. Feasibility & Sustainability

Operational Feasibility
The project is “shovel-ready,” building on an active network of 11 centers already running in Varanasi. We utilize local honorarium rates (₹4,500/month for teachers), ensuring the model is low-cost (~$600/year per center) and highly scalable (Asha Kaithi Budget, 2025).

Sustainability Infrastructure is low-maintenance (mats, portable blackboards) with recurrent costs for stationery capped at ₹9,000/center. Strong community integration via Bal Vikas Kendra ensures long-term stewardship beyond the grant cycle. Please refer to our budget for full details.

The Partnership Model: Operational Scale Meets Research Rigor

This proposal represents a unique symbiosis between grassroots capacity and academic rigor.

• Asha for Education (The Operational Backbone): Asha de-risks the implementation by providing the physical infrastructure, hiring staff, and managing community trust. They are the “Body” of the project, ensuring day-to-day stability and cost-effective execution.
• Harvard University Team (The Strategic Architects): The Seed for Change grant introduces a layer of technical innovation that Asha cannot support alone. The Harvard team acts as the “Brain,” responsible for:
  • System Design: Designing the “Digital Passport” schema and privacy protocols.
  • Curriculum Standardization: Creating the frameworks that allow for cross-state interoperability.
  • Policy Pitch: Analyzing the pilot data to prove “Learning Loss Reduction” and packaging the results into a policy kit for the UP/Bihar State Governments.

By combining Asha’s ability to reach the invisible child with Harvard’s ability to track and measure their progress, we can create a replicable solution for one of India’s most intractable educational crises.

References

• ActionAid India. (2016). Labour Migration and Trafficking in the Brick Kilns of India.
• Anti-Slavery International. (2017). Slavery in India’s Brick Kilns: Payment Systems, Bonded Labour and Child Labour.
• Asha for Education. (2025). Asha Educational and Social Project at Kaithi, Varanasi Fy 2025-2026. [Internal Report].
• Asha for Education. (2025). Budget Approved for 2025-26 for Asha Rajatalab Library. [Internal Budget].
• Abhijit V. Banerjee, Shawn Cole, Esther Duflo, Leigh Linden, Remedying Education: Evidence from Two Randomized Experiments in India, The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Volume 122, Issue 3, August 2007, Pages 1235–1264, https://doi.org/10.1162/qjec.122.3.1235. 
• International Labour Organization (ILO). (2017). Global Estimates of Modern Slavery: Forced Labour and Forced Marriage.
• Roshania RP, Giri R, Cunningham SA, Young MF, Webb-Girard A, Das A, Mala GS, Srikantiah S, Mahapatra T, Ramakrishnan U. Early life migration and undernutrition among circular migrant children: An observational study in the brick kilns of Bihar, India. J Glob Health. 2022 Feb 5;12:04008. doi: 10.7189/jogh.12.04008. PMID: 35136599; PMCID: PMC8818295.
• UNESCO. (2019). Global Education Monitoring Report 2019: Migration, displacement and education.
• Kriti Vikram, Dibyasree Ganguly, Srinivas Goli, Time use patterns and household adversities: A lens to understand the construction of gender privilege among children and adolescents in India, Social Science Research, Volume 118, 2024, 102970, ISSN 0049-089X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssresearch.2023.102970 .

For years, Jayadev, the founder of Deenabandhu, has carried a deep passion for teaching science in ways that are practical, joyful, and accessible. That passion led him to start the Deenabandhu Teacher Resource Center, which has grown into a remarkable collection of science teaching-learning materials made largely from inexpensive, locally available resources. Deenabandhu has spent over two decades building a strong Teacher Resource Center that creates teaching-learning materials from local materials, often linking experiments to local themes. This is the spirit behind the proposed science gallery.

A Different Kind of Science Kit

Most schools imagine science equipment as something that must be bought, relying on often expensive kits and equipment sold by vendors. Jayadev and his team have taken a different path. Their operations operate on different questions. What can be made locally? What can be repaired locally? What can a teacher recreate in another school with ordinary materials?

During COVID, the team developed a telescope that cost nearly ten times less than conventional alternatives. They also designed a simple microscope using the lens from a cheap flashlight costing about ₹15. When paired with a mobile phone camera, this handmade microscope can magnify organisms in a few drops of water, revealing a hidden world inside what appears to be clear water.

For a school that cannot afford a standard microscope, such a “crude” invention is not limiting. It is liberating. It gives children their first chance to see life at a scale that was previously invisible to them. Teaching science is no longer limited by having the perfect equipment available.

Learning by Doing

The Science Fair at Deenabandhu showed how deeply this approach resonates with children and teachers. In 2023, when Asha Boston volunteer Melli visited, the campus welcomed more than 2,500 students from 56 schools, drawing participation from schools across Chamarajanagar and nearby areas. The district DDPI also attended the inauguration, a sign of Deenabandhu’s growing connection with the public education system.

The school rooms were organized around themes such as heat, light, magnetism, mathematics, statistics, and climate change. The courtyard hosted regular chemistry demonstrations, while the Science Park and Science Gallery gave children access to larger models and interactive exhibits.

The photos from recent visits capture the same story visually: children crowding around a science activity in the park, and long queues waiting to enter the Science Gallery. These are not passive visitors walking past displays. They are eager participants, waiting for their turn to see, touch, try, and understand.

Probability with Tamarind Seeds

One of the most memorable exhibits was also the simplest. There are six containers, a die, and a pile of tamarind seeds or beans. Each child rolls the die and drops a seed into the container matching the number rolled. One roll does not prove much. Ten rolls may look uneven. But over the course of a day, as hundreds or thousands of children participate, the pattern becomes clear: each container ends up with approximately the same number of seeds.

In this single activity, children experience probability before they are asked to define it. What is normally a complicated and confusing topic for children becomes something tangible and applicable. With around 2,500 children visiting from 56 schools, the jars had roughly equal numbers of beans by the end of the day. It is hard to imagine a more elegant teaching tool, one that is low-cost, participatory, visual, and unforgettable.

Local Materials, Local Skills, Local Ownership

Deenabandhu’s science materials are impressive not only because they are affordable, but because they are rooted in the local ecosystem. Wherever possible, the team works with local carpenters and craftspeople to build exhibits and models.

This is one of the most crucial aspects to Deenabandhu’s success. It keeps costs low, creates local employment, and ensures that the knowledge of building and maintaining these materials stays within the community. A science exhibit is no longer an imported object that must be protected behind glass. It becomes something the community can understand, repair, adapt, and improve.

This approach also sends children a powerful message that science is not something that comes only from faraway laboratories or expensive institutions. It can be built in their own town, from familiar materials, by people they know. This kind of thinking is the kind of ingenuity that turns people into scientists and engineers.

Science Gallery and the Need for a Bigger Space

One of the spaces built by Deenabandhu is a Science Gallery.  The success of Deenabandhu’s science work has created a practical challenge.

During science events, children gather in large numbers around each exhibit in the gallery. Queues form outside. Many students must watch from a distance instead of getting a chance to engage one-on-one. The very enthusiasm that makes the program so inspiring also shows why expansion is needed.

A larger Science Gallery would allow more children to interact directly with exhibits in electricity, magnetism, light, statistics, and other areas. It would give teachers more room to demonstrate concepts. It would help visiting schools experience the exhibits in a deeper, less crowded way.

Most importantly, it would preserve the heart of Deenabandhu’s model: science as a hands-on experience, not a lecture.

A Place Where Curiosity Becomes Confidence

Asha Boston’s volunteers have found that the children at Deenabandhu are not afraid of science. The Science Fair generates excitement comparable to an annual day celebration, and children are involved in planning and execution for weeks beforehand. That may be the greatest achievement of this work.

When children build, observe, experiment, and explain, science stops being intimidating. A bulb, a magnet, a swing, a lens, a bottle, a die, or a handful of seeds becomes a doorway into understanding. Children begin to see science not as a subject to fear, but as a way to ask questions about the world around them. The gallery is an investment in that confidence. We hope to have your continued support in showing every child that they can be a scientist.

Asha Boston has always believed in the power of books.  A book can carry a reader to a faraway place, introduce them to new people, and open their minds to new ideas that change the way they see the world.  Today is the era of digital content, yet the tactile pleasure of holding a book and turning a page can be magical.

But we have learned that providing resources is only the first step, and often an insufficient one.  Books alone cannot change anything in a school, it is the teachers who use them who do.

Books are popular donations to schools.  But the books are often carefully stored away, brought out to show visitors.  Or given to children during a compartmentalized library period and locked away afterwards.  Rare are the libraries with books that have dog-eared pages and binding that is creased. Unless the teachers and librarians themselves appreciate reading, they cannot help children do so.

At an Asha holiday gathering on a cold December day an idea was born: a Book Club for teachers and librarians, to help them appreciate reading and develop a reading habit.  Interested volunteers from Asha Boston and teachers/librarians from libraries we support would be the members of this book club.  We would start with short stories.  We would decide on the story to read, and meet bi-weekly and discuss that story.  Just like any other book club in the world.  We would start with the libraries we support in Tamil Nadu, so this meant the books we read would be in Tamil.

The Book Club Today

So, where are we after a year of book club meetings?

All meetings are virtual, between volunteers spread across the Boston area and teachers spread across villages in Tamil Nadu.  Each meeting is an hour long. We started with R. K. Narayan’s short story collection Malgudi Days, partly because there was a good Tamil translation of the original English, enabling Asha Boston volunteers who didn’t know Tamil to join in.  From there we have journeyed through worlds created by writers Ki Rajanarayanan, Ambai, Dilip Kumar, Jayakanthan, Jeyamohan, and more recently, Imayam. These stories span rural settings (authors like Ki Ra) and urban neighborhoods (authors like Dilip Kumar), set in time periods over the last few decades (R.K Narayan’s stories from the 50s and 60s to Ambai’s stories from the 70s and 80s to Imayam’s contemporary stories).  Asha Boston volunteers are also learning in the process, as the book club opens their eyes to Tamil authors they have not encountered before (and is greatly improving my Tamil reading skills).

We moved quickly moved from one story per session to two.

In the early sessions the teachers were quiet.  When asked to speak their comments were mostly descriptive – a brief summary of the story, and perhaps a connection to their own lives. Sometimes I would give hints or highlight aspects of the story I found interesting and encourage them to do the same.

In the course of a year how dramatically that has changed!

Now, the teachers lead the discussion.  They arrive with opinions.  Whether they like the story and why or why not, and how it compares to other stories they have read.  They make comments on literary techniques (“the story timeline spans only one hour or so, yet a complete story is within it”).   When an author leaves an ending open they ponder why this was so. When a story is less than satisfactory they wonder whether another author would have written the story differently.  They are candid about sharing their thoughts, and not shy of disagreeing with each other or with us.  They share what moved them, what they laughed at, what puzzled them.  In short, they think critically about each story, form their own opinions, and on occasion write a short review.   This, I think, is the essence of learning, and in the case of reading, this is the foundation of a lasting reading habit.

Jaya and I, who participate regularly from Asha Boston have a perspective shaped by growing up in urban India and living now in the US, while the teachers’ perspective comes from the rural villages and the society they live in.  Each meeting is a rich discussion of these multiple perspectives.

It is particularly fascinating when a reader interprets a story in an entirely new way.  When we read the Yellow Fish by Ambai last month, there is a sentence about a fish being tossed aside because it has no commercial value. With no thought given to the life that was lost, about how futile that loss was. Its life dismissed.  One of the teachers had an entirely novel interpretation of that line – the discarded fish made her think of how a woman and her aspirations are discarded by society without a thought.  I loved it.

Some stories make them cry. Some make them laugh. Some make them think of society in a new way.  This is what a good story should do.  “We look forward to hearing the different interpretations,” said one.  “Why hasn’t Sadhana been able to join us, her perspective was always different.”  “Each story is like a movie unfolding in front of our eyes,” said another.  And what was music to my ears, “We look forward to these sessions.”

The teachers look forward to the meetings, this is no forced “training” session.  When we had a conflict because of the Asha India conference they would rather move the next meeting ahead by a week than postpone it by a week.  They read parts of a story beforehand to make recommendations on what to read next.  Some spoke more in the early sessions, now others have blossomed. Voices that were once hesitant now join the conversation with depth and confidence.

What is special about the book club?

We follow the general principles Jaya outlined at the beginning: give everyone a voice, treat everyone as equals, welcome every perspective as valid, conduct all discussions with mutual respect.  No single voice should dominate.  Everyone belongs.

This foundation has helped us grow into a warm, friendly and nurturing space, where every participant is articulate and confident, and alive to the pleasures of reading.  People who once barely read now not only enjoy stories they analyze them.  And want to read more.

What can we learn from this?

Several Asha projects run participatory sessions for teachers on Science learning or other topics perceived as complex.  With the Book Club we take that approach to reading.

In any area, Science, Mathematics, Reading, History, IT, the goal is the same: enable teachers to think for themselves.  Kindle their natural curiosity and that will spill over into their classrooms. That is the North Star we are aiming for, in this case by reading stories together.  We are making real progress and we get to read new authors. Isn’t volunteering fun?

Melli A.

At Deenabandhu a three day art workshop following the theme of “No rules, full freedom” made the workshop very special.  Renowned artist Shri Manu Chakravarthy from Tumkur helped the children create beautiful art, assisted by Mr. Madhusudhan, a prize winning artist from the Soliga tribe.  Here are a few examples.

At Madurai Seed Narpanigal, children were involved in a variety of activities.  Hiking the Alagar Koyil hills and taking a dip in a natural water spring helped them escape the summer heat and observe nature.  A discussion with Teacher Siva Kumar on questions students had about what was real and what was fake – heaven and hell, souls, ghosts, horoscopes – focused on developing scientific temper, along with a session on the Science behind Magic from from Mrs Vennila and Mr. V Chinnappandi of the Tamil Nadu Science forum. A paper craft session to create paper flowers and origami butterflies brought out their creativity.  A farm trip took them to a mango farm where they spent time singing and playing games (and eating a lots of mangoes!).  Rounding out the week were sessions on drama and theater at the local Gandhi Museum, led by Thanjai Vijayakumar, during which students worked on developing specific scenes, using available stage space effectively, creating different poses, practicing the opening of a drama, and incorporating dialogue.

Education is not just about passing exams.  It is about opening one’s mind.

For children growing up here, the horizon was close. The local school only went up to the 8th grade. To study further meant traveling to a different village—a hurdle too high for most. As a result, the cycle of dropping out to join the daily wage workforce seemed inevitable.

But Jayaprasath and Govindarajan, friends since they were five years old, found a different path. Their story is a testament to the power of the REWARD Trust and Asha for Education, proving that talent is universal, even if opportunity is not.

The Spark in the Village

While most parents in Vayalur, including Jayaprasath’s and Govindarajan’s, had little to no formal schooling, there were glimmers of hope. Jayaprasath remembers attending evening tuition from 1st to 5th grade run by role models in the village—students of Kalavathi who were supported by the REWARD Trust. One of these tutors even became a lawyer, planting a seed in Jayaprasath’s mind that a different life was possible.

For Govindarajan, the early years were a mix of struggle and small mercies. He recalls a 3rd-grade teacher who took the time to teach them how to write their names in English—a rare occurrence in a system where teachers often gave students answers during exams just to ensure they passed.

Known for its famous Murugan temple, Vayalur is a village in Tamil Nadu

The “Diamond Student” and the Protective Cage

The turning point arrived in 2001. Kalavathi and Sridhar began visiting the village every Sunday morning. They weren’t just teaching; they were scouting.

They identified a group of promising students to take under their wing. This included Jayaprasath and Govindarajan, whom Kalavathi called her “Diamond Students” for their obedience and focus. The plan was radical: move these students out of the village and into a hostel setup in Kalavathi’s own home in the township for grades 9 through 12.

It was a “protective cage”—a space free from the pressures of village life. The results were life changing. When all three of these students scored top grades in the 10th grade, it made the front page of a local newspaper (Dhinamani). That headline caught the attention of Asha for Education in 2003, sparking a partnership that continues to this day.

Overcoming the Odds

The transition wasn’t easy. Moving to a rigorous high school exposed the gaps in their early education. In their first midterm, both boys struggled. Govindarajan failed English. He was saved by his class teacher, Ms. Uma, who gave him three grace marks to push him over the passing line. That act of encouragement was transformative; he never failed an exam again.

Financial hardship was a constant shadow. Govindarajan’s home life was incredibly difficult. His father struggled with alcoholism, and his mother often had to sell her jewelry just to pay school fees. They lived in a small hut, which remained Govindarajan’s home until the second year of his PhD. Tragically, his father passed away during his doctoral studies. Even while pursuing their Bachelor’s degrees, the two friends had to hustle. They worked part-time jobs as sweepers, earning just 20 rupees a day. It wasn’t until their Masters that they were told they could stop this manual labor and focus entirely on their studies.

Where They Are Now: A Global Impact

Today, the boys who worried about dropping out in the 8th grade are navigating the highest levels of global academia.

After earning his PhD in 2016, Jayaprasath’s career took him around the world.

• 2017: He moved to China for a two-year postdoc.
• 2019: He moved to Wales, UK, to work on 5G communication.
• Today: He is researching photonics and Terahertz communications in Leeds.

His personal life has also flourished. He met his wife, a Geology student, during his Masters. Unlike him, she came from a town and a government-employee family. She joined him in China and now works as a branch manager in the UK, where they are raising their 6-year-old child.

Professor Govindarajan’s climb has also been meteoric.

• During the final year of his Master’s degree, he successfully qualified the CSIR-NET examination for Lectureship, and in the following year, he went on to qualify for the UGC–Junior Research Fellowship (JRF). This achievement marked a significant milestone in his academic journey and played a crucial role in helping him overcome his financial challenges, allowing him to pursue research with renewed confidence and stability.
• He spent five years (2019–2024) as a postdoc and staff scientist in Okinawa, Japan.
• Today: He has returned to India, first working at NIT Trichy as a DST Inspire fellow and now serving as an Assistant Professor at NIT Warangal.

He is now a father to two-year-old twins and a six year old daughter, ensuring they will never face the insecurity he knew as a child.

Transforming Vayalur

Neither man has forgotten where they came from.

Jayaprasath co-founded a group called “Create Vayalur,” which successfully helped upgrade the local school to handle grades 10 through 12. Now, children don’t have to leave the village to finish their schooling. He notes a shift in the village: instead of resigning themselves to daily wage labor, many students are now pursuing diploma courses to become skilled workers.

Govindarajan is planning to collaborate with Kalavathi to visit schools and give talks on science. He remembers thinking as a child that construction work was the best job possible for him because the workers “seemed to enjoy themselves.” He wants to give today’s kids the exposure he lacked—to show them that becoming a scientist is a real, attainable dream.

Why We Need You

The REWARD Trust now recruits 80 to 90 teachers every year, passing knowledge from one generation to the next.

As Jayaprasath says, “In other educated surroundings, parents take an interest. In rural areas, there is a big lack. If we can provide this support, lots of kids can take a similar path.”

There are more “Diamond Students” waiting in Vayalur and villages like it. They have the talent; they just need the protective cage and the chance to fly.

Donate today to help us build the next generation of scientists, teachers, and changemakers.

Amit’s journey as an educator began in 2005 at Asha Samajik Vidyalaya(ASV), a school fully supported by Asha. Amit, who started his career as a classical singer performing at events, was drawn into teaching by chance. Although his expertise lay in the performing arts, he embraced the challenge of teaching subjects like Math and English. His work as a teacher not only enriched his students’ lives but also fueled his own growth. However, the meager income from teaching forced Amit to take on additional jobs—performing at events and farming on inherited land—to support his family.

A turning point came around 2009 when the Govt of India passed the Right to Education Act (RTE), mandating that every child must be enrolled in a school near their place of residence. The RTE had a ripple effect on local industries, such as the silk weaving business which employs a large number of people in and around Varanasi and in which household children used to provide a helping hand for the family business. As the number of students in the now RTE-compliant ASV school swelled, Amit diversified into teaching other subjects as well as training other newly hired teachers.

Travel through the rural roads lined with lush green fields in these parts and it’s hard to miss the numerous brick kilns dotting the landscape. Almost all laborers working at the kilns are migrants from poorer neighboring states. These migrants live on the kilns with their families, usually far from the nearest schools, so none of their children go to a regular school. Amit’s long standing goal was to target these children as they belonged to the most marginalized section of the society.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, as schools shut down, children from various backgrounds, including those enrolled in school and those not, began to interact. Amit observed that the children who were enrolled were starting to forget the things they had learnt in school. Seizing this opportunity, he started teaching a small group that consisted of a mix of children from his neighborhood and the nearby brick kiln. This soon grew to 60 children and he had to enlist help from his wife, who taught younger kids while Amit focused on the older ones. Not long after, he managed to hire another teacher for the older kids and start a new teaching center at the nearby kiln. Unfortunately, the pandemic’s calamitous effects reached Amit. It was during this life-threatening experience he made a resolve to himself that if he were to recover, he would quit all of his other jobs and dedicate himself full time to help the laborers’ children. Fortunately, he did recover, and in 2022, he quit his teaching position at ASV and invested ₹40,000 of his own money to build a center on his own small farmland. Bal Vikas Kendra was born.

Soon, the word spread and he found support from a group of teachers in nearby schools, enabling staffing and expansion of the center. The center now had an additional outdoor area with a shed to accommodate more children during monsoons. CLE Trust, a Bangalore based non-profit, provided a laptop and volunteers who taught online classes. A generous donation from a volunteer at CLE trust helped furnish the large room at the center. Today, Bal Vikas Kendra has a large classroom, a smaller room, a shed, and a sanitary facility.

Amit’s ability to rally support and make the most of limited resources highlights his exceptional leadership and resourcefulness. The Asha Kaithi center, in collaboration with Asha Boston chapter, realized his potential and has not only supported his center monetarily, but has also steadily handed him increasing responsibilities of supervising nearby learning centers at brick kilns, and the library at Dhanapur. About 170 students are currently enrolled with the number expected to grow to 250 in another month. Amit supervises a total of 16 sites and approximately 350 children, ensuring every site is visited at least once a week. He also conducts teacher training and regular update meetings for managing the centers. Lately, he has also been involved with the education centers in the neighboring Mirzapur district where the primary target population is from the marginalized Musahar community.

Amit’s story exemplifies how a single individual, driven by passion and purpose, can create lasting change in the lives of countless others. At Asha, we are proud to support Amit’s efforts and recognize the profound impact of his work. His story reminds us that transformative change is possible when dedication meets opportunity. We hope his journey inspires you to join us in supporting the mission to uplift underprivileged communities through education. Together, we can continue building a brighter future for the children who need it most.

A Holistic Approach to Empowerment

While the core of GEP is rooted in education—with a strong emphasis on English and computer literacy—the program goes beyond textbooks. Girls learn practical life skills, build confidence, and prepare for real jobs. Parents are encouraged to postpone their daughters’ marriages until after they’ve completed their education, helping the girls gain independence and capacity.

The living conditions for many participants are difficult. Homes often lack running water, and the neighborhoods, though not slums, flood when it rains. Mothers—many of whom are widows—struggle daily, both economically and socially. Some even face harassment by authorities. Yet, through these hardships, their daughters are beginning to shine.

Khushboo: “Confidence is the most important thing I learned.”

At 22, Khushboo is a glowing example of the transformation GEP fosters. She lost her father at a young age, and her mother—a single mom to three children—never had a formal education. In a community where girls are often expected to marry early and become homemakers, Khushboo’s path was different.

She joined the program nearly eight years ago. Today, she’s a graduate working at a hospital and planning for her master’s degree. Fluent in English as well as Gujarati, she credits the program not only for her education but for giving her the self-confidence to dream bigger. “GEP introduced me to computers and a whole new online world. This triggered an interest in me on software, programming and AI. I just completed a 10 month course “Computer Hardware and Network Administrator”, which I am sure will stand me in good stead in securing a good job”, says Khushbu.

“If I hadn’t joined the Girls’ Education Program, I probably would have been married by now,” she says. “Support is what made the difference.”

Komal: Building Skills, Building a Future

Komal Mangu, also 22, lives in Behrampura and recently completed her graduation in psychology. She’s intends to pursue her master’s degree while working at a call center, where she’s honing communication skills in Gujarati, Hindi, and English—skills she first began learning through GEP.

Komal’s mother was widowed when Komal was just four. The social stigma around being a single mother made life harder, especially in a community where girls were discouraged from even stepping outside. “At first, I was uncomfortable talking to people,” Komal recalls. “But the other girls had similar stories, and that helped.”

She’s determined to work after marriage and envisions a relationship where both partners share decisions equally. She dreams of exploring cultures beyond India and spends her free time painting and drawing.

A Sisterhood of Strength

Khushboo’s younger sister, Komal Madhu, now on the path to a BA in psychology while working at TATA Motors, has also been with the program for six years. Initially a school dropout, she is now preparing to graduate and speaks with growing confidence. “I never used to talk to people. Now I can,” she says. Like her sister, she wants to be independent—and she’s proof that change can be contagious within families.

Poonam: From Failure to Focus

When Poonam failed her 10th grade exams, she thought it was the end of her education. “I figured I’d just get married,” she admits. But her mother—who wakes up at 4 a.m. to sell food in the market—pushed her to keep going. With support from GEP, Poonam returned to school, switched from commerce to arts, and has completed her BA in economics from Gujarat University, with a distinction. She’s even applying for a master’s in data analytics.

“I didn’t want to study at first, but when I saw other girls—especially older ones—studying, I realized I could have a future too.”

Misba: Bridging Gaps and Aiming High

Misba recently completed her 12th grade from the National Institute of Open Schooling and has started working at a call center while waiting for her exam results. She plans to pursue a degree in arts and eventually hopes to become a bank manager. Misba’s journey also reflects the cultural bridge the program has helped build.

“At first, there was some distance between Muslim and Hindu girls,” she explains. “But now we celebrate each other’s festivals together.”

Misba has also learned self-defense through the program, giving her the confidence to move through the world more freely.

A safe haven for studying, bonding, finding community, or even escaping from distress at home

Changing the Narrative

With 34 students currently enrolled, the Girls’ Education Program is still small—but its impact is profound. In a place where most girls leave school by 10th grade to prepare for marriage, these young women are choosing education, employment, and empowerment.

The challenges remain steep. Many girls still face pressure to drop out and marry early. But each graduate, each job, and each new dream is a quiet revolution—one that Meera and her team are nurturing, girl by girl.

As Khushboo puts it, “The future? I’ll just go with the flow. But now, I know I have one.”

Arun grew up in the slum area of Madurai and was born into a poor family. His father worked as a construction laborer, and both of his parents were not formally educated. Growing up, his family faced financial difficulties, and they could not even pay the minimal school fees. Students like him were publicly humiliated in the school – the teacher would ask them to stand up in class and demand to know when the fees would be paid. He joined SEED when he was eleven after finishing elementary school. SEED took care of his school fees and provided an important support system, offering not only an education but also guidance on social life and skills. It was a huge support for him during his childhood.  He says simply, “SEED raised me.  More than the school and even my family, SEED raised me.”

A picture of students studying taken at SEED

SEED was established in 1999 and initially focused on helping children who otherwise would have gone into laborer jobs. Over time, more children started pursuing higher education, and awareness about the importance of college education grew in the community. Arun recalls that within his community, there was an idea that if a child went to SEED, they would have a good life where they would stay out of violence or addiction, which are ever present for these at risk children. Currently, SEED has 20 volunteers that go to college in the day and come back to teach in the evenings. The organization serves close to 300 kids. Asha Boston pays for the staff’s fellowships and gives an honorarium to the college student volunteers.

As a student at SEED, Arun enjoyed learning and was actively involved in activities like debate, which encouraged him to develop critical thinking. He saw everything with a sense of wonder. He also met many other people at SEED who he learned valuable life philosophies from such as finding satisfaction in the simple things in life. The stories of other SEED students and their experiences inspired him. Of his batch of 12 students, many of them went on to college and graduate school, got married, and had kids. In fact, Arun himself went on to get a post-graduate degree in English literature! His fellow classmates have taken jobs as teachers, social workers, and working in hospitals. To this day, there has been a tradition that kids who graduate from SEED would come back to volunteer while they are going through college.

After finishing his graduate degree, Arun worked in Chennai for a year and a half but ultimately returned to work at SEED. He wanted to be closer to his family as his mother was ill, but he was also motivated to give back to SEED and work closely with the current director who is growing the program.  As he puts it, “I wanted to come back to SEED.”  His day to day role involves managing correspondences and planning events to keep SEED running.

A picture of Arun with a children’s magazine published by SEED.

We asked Arun what he believes about the current challenges in Indian education, and there were several he thinks we should all be aware of. First, COVID has changed how children engage with their education. Students are distracted by technology and are less committed to their education. Although they attend school, they often lack dedication, and the schools’ emphasis on rote memorization hinders their learning. This reflects a broader cultural trend that doesn’t value education as much as it did. In the past, good academic performance was seen as a path to college and a better job, but now the expectations have dropped. Even in private schools, the situation isn’t much better. Students can pass exams without knowing much, and schools focus on optimizing their pass rates as opposed to the quality of education. Arun believes that education needs to go beyond mere memorization, and students should focus on becoming experts in particular subjects rather than consuming digital distractions. He stresses the importance of cultivating skills and knowledge that can be used to create something meaningful, rather than just seeking immediate gratification.

Arun sees himself becoming a teacher at a government school and is preparing for his qualification exams. He wants to bring back the magic of learning that he had as a child and believes these current students lack with their digitally absorbed lives. He knows the importance of education firsthand with how many doors it opened for him and wants to carry on the spirit of SEED through his own career. Organizations like SEED continue to make a difference in children’s lives both through education but also a stable community and place to form an identity, and we are confident that Arun will be able to continue this mission in his future journey.

As 2024 draws to a close, we want to share with you an inspiring story of one man’s passion for ensuring knowledge and education reach those who find it hard to access them, along with some updates from other schools we support.

Brick by Brick: Amit Rajbhar’s Fight for Pursuit of Educational Equality

At Asha, our projects are driven by extraordinary individuals who dedicate themselves to transforming lives. Amit Rajbhar, Chakrapanpur, Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, is one such remarkable individual. His tireless efforts to educate and uplift underprivileged children in villages near Varanasi embody resilience, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to making a difference. This is the story of how Amit’s journey in education, rooted in his deep conviction to help the most vulnerable, led to the founding of Bal Vikas Kendra, a beacon of hope for children in marginalized communities.

Amit’s journey as an educator began in 2005 at Asha Samajik Vidyalaya(ASV), a school fully supported by Asha. Amit, who started his career as a classical singer performing at events, was drawn into teaching by chance. Although his expertise lay in the performing arts, he embraced the challenge of teaching subjects like Math and English. His work as a teacher not only enriched his students’ lives but also fueled his own growth. However, the meager income from teaching forced Amit to take on additional jobs—performing at events and farming on inherited land—to support his family.

A turning point came around 2009 when the Govt of India passed the Right to Education Act (RTE), mandating that every child must be enrolled in schools near their place of residence. The RTE had a ripple effect on local industries, such as the silk weaving business which employs a large number of people in and around Varanasi and children in the household used to provide a helping hand in the family business. As number of students in the now RTE compliant ASV school swelled, Amit diversified into teaching other subjects as well as training other newly hired teachers.

Travel through the rural roads lined with lush green fields in these parts and its hard to miss the numerous brick kilns dotting the landscape. Almost all laborers working at the kilns are migrants from poorer neighboring states. These migrants live on the kilns with their families usually far from the nearest schools, so none of these children go to a regular school. Amit’s long standing goal was to reach these children in the brick kiln industry in order to help the most struggling.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, as schools shut down and children from various backgrounds, including those enrolled in school and those not, began to interact. Amit observed that the children who were enrolled were forgetting what they’d learned now that schools were shut down. Seizing this opportunity, he started teaching a small group that consisted of a mix of children from his neighborhood and the nearby brick kiln. This soon grew to have 60 children and he had to enlist help from his wife who taught younger kids while Amit focused on the older ones. Not long after, he had managed to hire another teacher for the older kids and start a new teaching center at the nearby kiln. Unfortunately, the pandemic reached Amit. It was during this life-threatening experience he made a resolve to himself that  if he were to recover, he would quit all of this other jobs and dedicate himself full time to help the laborers’ children. In 2022, he quit his teaching position at ASV, invested ₹40,000 of his own money to build a center on his own small farmland and Bal Vikas Kendra was born.

Soon, the word spread and he found more support from a group of teachers in nearby schools and enabling staffing and expansion of the center. The center now had an additional outdoor area with a shed to accommodate more children during monsoons. CLE Trust, a Bangalore based non-profit provided a laptop and volunteers who taught online classes. A generous donation from a volunteer at CLE trust helped furnish the large room at the center. Today, Bal Vikas Kendra has a large classroom, a smaller room, a shed, and a sanitary facility.

Amit’s ability to rally support and make the most of limited resources highlights his exceptional leadership and resourcefulness.The Asha Kaithi center, in collaboration with Asha Boston chapter realized his potential and has not only supported his center monetarily, but has also steadily handed him increasing responsibilities of supervising nearby learning centers at brick kilns and the library at Dhanapur. About 170 students are currently enrolled with the number expected to grow to 250 in another month. Amit supervises a total of 16 sites and approximately 350 children ensuring every site is visited at least once a week, conducts teacher trainings and update meetings for managing the centers. Lately, he has also been involved with the education centers in neighboring Mirzapur district where the primary target population is from the marginalized Musahar community.

Amit’s story exemplifies how a single individual, driven by passion and purpose, can create lasting change in the lives of countless others.At Asha, we are proud to support Amit’s efforts and recognize the profound impact of his work. His story reminds us that transformative change is possible when dedication meets opportunity. We hope his journey inspires you to join us in supporting the mission to uplift underprivileged communities through education. Together, we can continue building a brighter future for the children who need it most.

— Shivam Gandhi, Asha Boston

Updates from select projects

Viveka Tribal Center for Learning(VTCL) – HD Kote Taluk, Karnataka

Praveen has been revitalizing VTCL (Viveka Tribal School for Learning), focusing on quality education and student engagement. This year, enrollment surged to 569 students, surpassing their goal, while Class X results showed a 98.5% pass rate, with 49 students earning First Class. Students’ confidence has grown, evident in their strong performance at a workshop in Mysore. The school has also emphasized arts and sports, with a new arts teacher and the Talent Enrichment Program (TEP) helping students explore interests like athletics, crafts, and photography. Investments in sports facilities are fostering tribal children’s athletic talents.

Deenabandhu, Chamarajanagar, Karnataka

After a recent staff turnover, the organization is stabilizing with a focus on hiring more staff and strengthening fundraising efforts, including connections with employee giving programs. Notable developments include a new building for staff and guest quarters, a garden and plant nursery maintained by the girls, and a community center offering driving license training for girls. The children’s home is also benefiting from corporate donations, like washing machines. At the school, excitement was building for the annual day event, with 450 students preparing for the celebration. Additionally, alumni success stories, like Manoj’s IT training company, are inspiring, with graduates now employed and helping others launch businesses. Deenabandhu remains on solid ground despite challenges, with a clear focus on growth and empowerment.

Asha Samajik Vidyalaya Library, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

The library at the school has seen remarkable growth, with enrollment increasing to over 1,500 students. It serves high school and undergrad students in the surrounding communities, offering study materials for competitive exams, vocational courses, and government employment tests. Asha Boston continues to support its expansion, but despite moving to a larger room, the library is now limited by space due to the growing book collection. Annual updates to the study material collection are needed, particularly for the exam prep materials. The library is open for book checkouts twice a week and offers study space on other days. Plans are in place to create an e-library for digital access to resources, helping to ease the space constraints.

Sahanivasa, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh

Sahanivasa teachers support their students education not just with after school instruction, but quite often, by actively partnering with the government school staff. The teachers are generally from the community and know the children, which results in increased trust amongst the students. The recent change to English as the medium of instruction, while very much appreciated, has also been quite challenging – for the students as well as the teachers! Increased training for the teachers, so that the students could benefit is another much needed area of support. In spite of many such challenges, the 10th standard pass rate amongst the children from schools supported by Sahanivasa teachers was 96%, compared to 72% state wide.

Over the past 3 years, from amongst the 1249 children who graduated from Sahanivasa supported schools, 80% of them are pursuing higher education or vocational training, while others have entered skilled labor. To better prepare students to be successful in their pursuit of higher education, Computer Literacy Training is being considered, while driver training courses, an in-demand skill with earning potential of ₹1,000–₹1,200/day, is another initiative under consideration for students unable to pursue further education.

This could not be accomplished without your continued support.

Asha for Education, Boston Chapter is an all-volunteer group and 99.5% of all of your donations were used to fund education programs. Our low overhead operations have repeatedly earned us a four star Charity Navigator rating. In the latest rating, Charity Navigator gave us a score of 100 in Accountability and Finance, an endorsement of our “financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness, and commitment to governance practices and policies.”

Asha Boston then applied for and got a grant from Oracle to expand the program to all government middle schools in HD Kote taluk. The grant helped acquire a new van for the middle schools and helped spark interest in science in all the middle schools that led to the 19 high schools.

The vans were a success – children and teachers welcomed the arrival of a van with great enthusiasm, and it was very exciting for the children to do hands-on work. The facilitators in the vans also taught classes if there were Science teacher positions vacant.

The program began to have an unexpected side effect in identifying government school teachers who were keen to improve themselves but had no guidance whatsoever. It was eye opening for us that such teachers existed – most people dismiss government school teachers as ‘useless,’ but here were were highly motivated teachers who wanted to learn! Some in this group have gone to be rock stars – they won awards and are highly respected in their schools, and they have also become proponents for creating labs in their schools. Here is an article that profiles one of them, who has gone on to do amazing things, including winning the Karnataka State Award for teaching last year.

The teachers have gone on to create interesting labs, including a lab for Maths that typically doesn’t exist in schools. They created opportunities for learning by doing of their own accord.   And became resource persons for other teachers.

Asha Boston then helped fund an expansion in nearby Nanjangud taluk, and then neighboring Kodagu district. Note that the amount Asha Boston funded remained more or less the same, we just kept changing the focus depending on the need and ideas of SVYM. As the project grew other corporations wanted to be involved. McAfee foundation, Qualcomm foundation are some examples. When an idea is successful funding avenues open up. Nothing succeeds like success.

Praveen’s leadership at SVYM has played a critical role. Praveen, started his education work at SVYM with the mobile science van project and now is the head of all education activities at SVYM. Under his leadership he made connections to other education projects run by SVYM, bringing them together as a coherent whole, as he writes here.

Praveen then replicated the model in Dharwad district in Karnataka. Here is a video from that work.   Asha is not involved in funding that program, but Praveen credits the initial funding from Asha for all subsequent developments. Says he, “Asha’s funding was critical for our experiments. None of the other donors let us play around with an idea.”

Along the way we have sometimes stepped in when there was an urgent need. Post pandemic the foundation supporting the Mobile Science Van Kodagu district did not continue right away. Asha Boston identified a donor to support the program for one year, giving SVYM time to find other funding.

One Asha chapter can never fund large projects like this. But with strategic partnerships, with the tried and tested model of working with new ideas and small organizations, of considering project partners as real partners and friends (not as donor recipients with interactions limited to reviewing reports and financial statements) we can create larger scale impact.