Child Education

No child left out of school

When our team goes out on a rescue, we are usually going for an adult — someone found destitute or ill in a slum settlement, a roadside basti, or one of the poorest pockets of the district. Often, when we get there, there is a child standing beside them.

That child comes back with us, together with their parent. From that day, the child's schooling becomes our responsibility.

Why this is needed

Children living in these conditions are almost never in school, and it is rarely one single reason. There is no money for the uniform. The family has no birth certificate or Aadhaar, so no school can enrol them. The family moves to wherever there is work, and the year is lost. Nobody at home can read, so the child falls behind and stops going. And the child is often earning a little, which is real money to a family that has nothing.

What we do

• Parent and child stay together. When we rescue someone who has a child with them, the two are housed together at the shelter. We do not separate them.
• Documents first. We work with the district administration to obtain a birth certificate and Aadhaar — without these, no school can admit the child at all.
• Bridge teaching. Daily classes at the shelter so the child can catch up to the level they should be at.
• Enrolment in school. We enrol the child in a regular school and cover admission, fees, uniform, books and stationery.
• Follow-through. Homework supervision, attendance and parent-teacher meetings are handled by our staff, since the parent is usually still unwell or has never been to school themselves.
• Meals, health and play. Three meals a day, routine medical care, and time for sport and drawing — a child who has been working since they could walk has to relearn how to be a child.

The child stays with their parent

We want to be clear about this: we do not take children away from families. A child is with us because their parent is with us. The parent receives care and treatment, the child receives schooling, and where a family recovers enough to stand on its own, we support them in leaving together.

How you can help

Regular monthly support lets us commit to a child for a full school year rather than term by term, which is what actually keeps a child in school. Donate through our donations page — we hold 12A and 80G certification, so donations are eligible for tax deduction under Section 80G. Volunteers who can teach or tutor are welcome: president@sevakaro.in, +91 98573 66381.