Community Centres

At our nine community centres, we prepare children for school, support their families and raise awareness about the rights for people living in slum areas.

Although primary education is free and compulsory in India, many children never get enrolled in school, and 40% of those that do start drop out before eighth grade . Lack of education perpetuates the cycle of poverty and increases the risk of ending up on the streets .

It is estimated that there are 11 million children living on the streets in India . To cope with the difficult living conditions, some join gangs for acceptance and “protection”, while others become addicted to glue . The longer children live on the streets, the harder it is to help them out of that environment .

At our nine community centres located in slum areas in Kolkata and Howrah, we work with local volunteers and authorities to create a brighter future for children living in the slums . In addition to offering support and healthcare to the children and their families, we provide courses to prepare the children for school . After 6-12 months, they start school, while we continue to offer social and academic support through tutoring and recreational activities .

2019 in numbers

332 Children enrolled in school preparation courses

1,071 Health checks

28 Adolescents completing our computer training course