In September 2007 we set up a school in Bakhel, a small village in Rajasthan, India, starting with 3 local teachers and 60 children from the village. Initially we used conventional teaching methods and a curriculum the local staff were familiar with, but over the subsequent few months we began to discover the limitations of this approach in providing a meaningful learning experience for our children. We decided a radical change was required and the school was reborn as Hunar Ghar in April 2008.

Since then, Hunar Ghar has continued to evolve, serving as an experimental space to challenge conventional ideas about rural education in India. We have tried to adapt both what is taught and how it is taught to more strongly reflect the priorities and learning needs of the children.

This means the content values practical and vocational skills important to the livelihoods of the community, as well as academic competencies needed for further education and creating wider opportunities for the community.

In recognition of the diverse ways in which children learn, as well as the particular difficulties 1st generation rural children face in education, we’ve also adapted our methods, incorporating activity and project-based learning to the usual book-pencil-table-teacher approach.

All of this means we’re gradually designing a school and education that is centred around the community and their needs- although it’s a work in progress, this makes Hunar Ghar a space we’re really proud of!