Ek Tara

The project's objective is to promote health and hygiene practices among Ek Tara children and their families. Daily provision of nutritious meals and snacks helps combat malnutrition and classroom hunger. Mental health support, medical assistance, and access to hospitals are available to children and staff. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the project expanded its reach, providing food and medical supplies to over 10,000 individuals and families in need. Currently, the project exclusively serves children and women enrolled at Ek Tara.

In 2018, Ek Tara established the Creative Ek Tara Foundation as a social enterprise, offering sustained income generation opportunities for women from disadvantaged backgrounds. The foundation operates two projects: "Ek Tara Creates" focuses on developing sustainable, handmade products for home and personal use, employing 35 women trained in Ek Tara's tailoring programme. The products are sold through retail and online platforms globally. The second project, Annam - The Community Kitchen, provides nutritious meals and snacks to over 1200 children and staff at Ek Tara, while also supplying subsidized meals to local factories and businesses. Mothers of girls enrolled at Ek Tara are trained in hygienic food preparation and contribute to the kitchen, supporting community economic development.

Ek Tara is dedicated to enhancing the abilities of the families it serves. This project goes beyond the classroom to safeguard the overall welfare of each child. It involves home visits, focus group discussions with parents, and the enforcement of a Child Protection Policy. Regular information-sharing workshops and training are provided to parents throughout the year, empowering them to offer the necessary support for their children's educational journey, college preparation, and future entry into the workforce.

This project partners with The Mobile School, a Belgian organisation, to deliver quality learning resources to primary-level students. A mobile, extendable blackboard on wheels, measuring six meters long and with two sides, offers an interactive learning experience. Featuring 360 panels on diverse subjects, the initiative aims to foster skill-building and empowerment among street and slum children. Street workers engage with the children in their own environment, creating safe and accepting spaces while building trust and providing opportunities for positive self-image development.

Through a collaboration with the Kolkata Municipal Education Department, Ek Tara has joined efforts to transform one of its primary schools into a model institution. This project involves close coordination between Ek Tara, school authorities, and the Government to ensure the comprehensive development of children. The focus lies on providing access to co-curricular activities, digital learning, and foundational numeracy and literacy. Additionally, improvements to the school's infrastructure are being made to create an enhanced learning environment for the children.

The Ek Tara Learning Center, established in 2021, serves as a hub for all Education and Child Development programmes. Adapting to COVID-19 restrictions, the centre accommodated 950 students in a staggered manner, ensuring continued access to high-quality learning resources. Since April 2022, the 18,000-square-foot facility has operated full-time, hosting academic, co-curricular, and parent engagement activities for approximately 1500 children. With 22 spacious classrooms, a STEM lab, art and music rooms, a library, a multipurpose hall, an indoor game room, and a sick room, the centre spans three floors and an open terrace.
The space now also has a robust Resource Centre and houses the Tomorrowland Foundation Music and Arts School: with facilities for arts, music, animation, dj classes, dance and theatre.