Sponsor the education of a child at a community center

The loudest echo in every household of urban slums is possibly parents wanting improved standards of living for their children. These parents, usually minimally educated, see their children receiving quality education as a path to break out of the poverty cycle in the future. However, the learning levels of children across most low-income schools are low. This reduces the chance of the child crossing key milestones and getting higher education. Furthermore, the children also lack the stimuli for holistic development, a significant part of which comes from the environment they live in. Personal safety, positive influences, exposure to opportunities, role models to help imbibe good values and choices, and access to learning resources are some of the essentials these children miss out on.

Bhumi addresses the problem by setting up community centres/spaces at these slums.The programme is run through the week by volunteer tutors from the same community, who engage with the students and parents with the focus on providing basic literacy and numeracy skills (in Mathematics, English and Tamil) for the children who are in need of this support. They also trigger social consciousness and nurture talent through periodic activities and events.

The tutors are trained to provide individual attention to children and make the academic delivery centred around the children’s learning level through activities. The aim is to foster these young minds in a positive learning environment and constantly connect with the parents to ensure their involvement in the learning and development of their children.

Bhumi has received support from community members who understand and believe that every child coming to Bhumi’s learning centres gets the opportunity to learn, grow and discover their talents. We hope to pursue this to catalyse the children of today into becoming change agents in their own communities in the future.

The tutors and some of the parents have become community champions who strive to achieve Bhumi’s vision to build social consciousness in the young minds to contribute towards their own community, so that the effort continues, and support becomes community owned, self-reliant and self-sustainable.

Over 800 children are benefiting from the programme in 26 slum communities across Chennai.

By contributing, you can help Bhumi bridge gaps in education and provide a better and secure future for these children from slum communities.