Our kids don’t only go to school but also contribute to the family economics, such as herding cattle. These children need a different kind of education that understands their different situation and needs.
Think of a school and you may imagine a rectangular classroom equipped with a blackboard, a stern teacher and students (often in uniform and sat in subdued rows) learning from books. Things have changed a little in some schools, but this would be a fair description of most schools in rural India.
Ironically, first-generation learners in these parts, whose parents aren’t literate, are the least likely to be able to learn using books. For communities who live in a context of great practical need, the abstract curriculum content might also seem inaccessible or irrelevant. It’s clear that the traditional approach to schooling is failing those most in need.
This is why we established Hunar Ghar; to work with the most marginalised in society and demonstrate that rural schools in poor areas can innovate too, in order to provide a great education for kids from any background.
