At ACT, we know that the best way to build a brighter future is to invest in our children, the leaders of tomorrow. That’s why one of our central missions is to provide quality education to the underprivileged children in our community. And in this work, ACT has been successful. Mostly from the neighboring Nagwa basti (slum), our students come from families who can’t afford to pay expensive private school fees. Just 20 years ago, no children in this neighborhood attended school. But now, almost all families are sending their children to school. And importantly, this includes the girls. Now, as many girls attend school as boys. Several other schools have opened in the surrounding areas, accommodating the increasing number of students.
The Ashray School teaches over 70 students each year, from Kindergarten through standard Class 5. The curriculum includes the standard subjects of Hindi, English, and Mathematics, and Science. Beyond just academics, an Ashray education covers the essential topics of cleanliness, health, civic duty, and respect for the environment. Ashray also recognizes the value of the arts and integrates drawing, drama, music, and dance into the students’ studies. Several times each year, ACT’s cultural programs give the students the opportunity to showcase their artistic talents, including classical arts like tabla and kathak. Over the years, the Ashray School has been quite successful in preparing its students for admission to Class 5 in good secondary schools.
While a lot has been accomplished, there is still so much to do. ACT wants to sponsor students from the Ashray School to continue their educations through class 12 and beyond. The opportunity to complete higher education would drastically increase the students’ ability to build a better future for themselves and their families. If you want to help,