Astha kiran has been working with heart and soul in the field of formal and non-formal schooling for out of school children in Lucknow since 2004. Named as Shiksha Jyoti, it has been imparting education to over 500 out of school kids. Shiksha Jyoti runs four centres on its own in Lucknow. One of these centres is in the premises of an English medium public school while others are operating in urban
slums. Shiksha Jyoti learning centres are imparting education to the kids using the soul and substance of the syllabus of Uttar Pradesh government for class 1 to 5. For play group, nursery and KG, it has devised a unique in-house syllabus wherein focus is purely on ‘learning through activities’. Maintaining the students and teacher ratio at 30:1, Shiksha Jyoti has provided education opportunities to over 500 students picked up from slums and streets. Riding on its reputation and performance, Shiksha Jyoti has been able to operate and deliver without any funding from government and/or big donor agencies. This project is financed by the contributions from individuals and small social groups and clubs. On Formal Education front, Asthakiran has been running a programme called Support a Child or SAC. Prime focus of this project is to encourage and help the slum and street children for formal education in general (private) schools. For SAC project, Asthakiran selects children from its non-formal education centres on the basis of their needs, merit, motivation and commitment of the parents. SAC programme takes care of the fees and other tangible expenses of all the students selected. One other important proposition of the programme is that it funds the after-school-tuition expenses of the children. SAC was started with just 50 students in 2004 and has helped over 250 students to get enrolled in private/public schools so far. Its third project is in the domain of girls education. Named as NAI ROSHNI Girl’s School. For so many girls, going to school is now NO longer a distant dream. With experience of past 10 years in girls education at slums, public squalor or impermanent areas now Astha Kiran has its own school building inaugurated on 26th of January this year which was christened as "NAI ROSHNI". With strength of 30 girls in beginning, now we had attained our goal of imparting education to 100 girls as at present, along with making them empowered in every walk of life with education to and vocational guidance. Project goals and objectives-To educate more and more girls, make them Self Depended and protect them. So that they can become a good citizen, can fulfill their dream and can earn independently by getting a good job. Area profile and Target Beneficiary profile-The Project “Nai Roshini” is running at Amprapali Yojana, Dubagga, Lucknow. The location is urban slum. In this location, girls belong to very poor and slum area. They are living in the houses provided by government DUDA, SUDA (Aashryheen). The girls are coming under this project, aged between 5 to 14 years; their parents belong to Labor, Mason, Vendors, Fruit Sellers, Stone cutter, hawker, and rag pickers etc. Beneficiaries-From beginning of the project Nai Roshni Girl’s School has enrolled about 150 students into its school. Enrollment of girls is increasing gradually
Asthakiran works in the slums in Lucknow in very peculiar situations. In fact these slums have neither been regularized nor recognized as slums by the government and/or concerned agencies. Hence families living here are always under threat of eviction. The average family size is 8-10 members. Parents here combine a living pattern dotted with rag pickers, hawkers, fruit vendors and domestic help/workers. None of these have regular and secured income. In these harsh and difficult circumstances, Asthakiran has been successful in getting more and more children to regular school and reducing the number of drop-outs as well. SAC has come a long way with its clear aim and focus on providing the less privileged children a public school exposure and opportunity so that they can equip themselves with motivation and interest for further schooling.
