Children in remote areas often lack access to formal schooling and education. HWF (or the organization’s full name) aims to address this issue by supporting the establishment of Community Learning Centers (CLCs) in these areas, providing basic education to out-of-school children to prepare them for formal education. In addition to educational support, we also focus on their socio-economic, moral, and cultural development.

The philosophy behind Community Learning Centers is rooted in three of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); No Poverty, Zero Hunger, and Quality Education. CLCs contribute to poverty reduction in two key ways: first, by educating the target students and equipping them with employability skills, and second, by implementing programs that provide healthy and nutritious meals to children, including breakfast and lunch.

Currently, we operate three centers in Delhi, West Bengal, and Haryana.

The Community Learning Center at Kanchankunj, Madanpur Khadar Ext. 2, New Delhi, was established in February 2018. Kanchankunj is a disadvantaged slum-like locality in the capital city, primarily inhabited by migrants from Assam, Bihar, Odisha, and West Bengal who have come in search of livelihood. Most of these residents are daily laborers who sometimes struggle to find work, leading to days without income. Consequently, the children of these migrants are forced to work at a young age instead of attending school and enjoying their childhood.

The Community Learning Centers serve as crucial hubs for providing essential support in basic literacy and education to these children. The primary objectives of this initiative are to bridge the educational gap for underserved children and prepare them for enrollment in regular schools. This preparation involves familiarizing them with the formal education system, its structure, and the curriculum used in mainstream schools.

Additionally, the program identifies and reaches out to individuals who have dropped out of the formal education system. These dropouts may have left school due to various reasons, such as economic constraints or a lack of motivation. The initiative’s goal is to understand the reasons for their dropout and provide the necessary support to help them re-enter school. This personalized approach helps children gain confidence in their abilities and progress at their own pace.

Nutrition care of children is important for their overall growth and development. Children need a variety of nutrients from different food groups to meet their needs. In addition to providing nutritious foods, it is also important to counsel parents about nutrition and create awareness about promoting desirable food behavior and nutritional practices.

Students going through a basic literacy program are provided with nutritious foods like bananas, milk, eggs, yogurt, peas, and lentils. Parents are counseled about nutrition, and awareness is created about promoting desirable food behavior and nutritional practices.

Imparts skill oriented short-term vocational training programs to the youths in the target regions for developing technical and professional skills and help them participate in economic activity through their inclusion in financial institutions. Training is imparted in computer basics, typing, data entry and sewing.