Jharkhand native Anshu Jaiswal came up with the idea of Akshar Learning Centres as on-site education hubs in brick kilns of Bihar.
A majority of the children belong to the Musahar community, which continues to live on the fringes of dignity long after the abolishment of the caste system.
And where a respectable meal is tough to come across, education is but a fantasy.
The children’s studies were punctuated by frequent migrations and their being forced to work in the brick kilns to earn extra money.
That’s where Anshu, through the Neev Ki Eent Foundation, decided to return these children to their childhoods.
Through the foundation, Anshu wants to assure every child the right to education, every worker dignity, and every family freedom.
And the bedrock for this is the foundation’s three-pillar approach — awareness, education, and empowerment.
The foundational literacy centres aim to prepare children to enter or rejoin mainstream schools. “We focus on mathematics and Hindi as the core competencies,” Anshu shares.
The children receive career guidance and skill development support, so they can pursue higher education or meaningful careers beyond the kilns.
His vision was supported by the TFIx, an incubation programme by Teach For India tailor-made for educational entrepreneurs.
Last year alone, over 400 children were enrolled in the Akshar Learning Centres, while over 250 families were supported with identity documents and social security schemes.