This Mission Education project provides education to underprivileged children from Saket colony, situated in the heart of Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh.
Saket is home to many small scale industries and consequently to a large number of daily wage labourers, who have migrated there from different parts of Andhra Pradesh. These migrant workers comprise of ninety five percent of the total population of the colony, and stay in small, congested slum clusters.
The project inducts children from this community, especially those who have never been to school, or are school drop-outs, and gives them basic education, coupled with nutrition and shelter. Residential facilities allow these children to grow up in an environment conducive for their holistic development.
Orphans and homeless children, in the age group of 8 to 14 years are also identified from the nearby slums and given special care. These kids were mostly engaged in child labour earlier, but are now living a happy childhood at their new “home”.
The children are later mainstreamed to government residential or non-residential schools. The centre also provides counselling to parents to make them understand the importance of education.
Smile Foundation has partnered with Karuna Voluntary Organization for this project.