Educate 100 Under Privileged Children for One Year

At Ashwini Charitable Trust(ACT), we take immense pride in seeing our alumni break free from the cycle of poverty and build a better future for themselves and their families. One such inspiring journey is that of Sharath (name changed), whose life has been transformed due to ACT’s unwavering support.

Sharath joined ACT at the age of five when he was in nursery. Coming from a challenging family background, he lived in a small one-room house with his parents and younger brother. His family faced financial struggles, but ACT stepped in to ensure that Sharath’s education never stopped. From paying his school and college fees to providing essentials like bags, books, raincoats, and notebooks, ACT became his pillar of support. This was particularly evident during the COVID years when ACT ensured food security to all the ACT Children and their families by providing rations and hygiene kits continuously for more than two years.

"There were many volunteers and seniors who taught me how to read and write," Sharath recalls. "I still remember my first volunteer, Sahana Mukherjee, who helped me learn my alphabets when I was in nursery. ACT conducted numerous classes that helped me grow academically and personally. Math used to scare me, but thanks to ACT’s volunteers, I gained confidence in my fundamentals. Every day, they patiently helped me understand difficult subjects."

Beyond academics, ACT nurtured Sharath’s talents and interests. "I never celebrated my birthday at home, but after joining ACT, I celebrated my birthdays with all the children at ACT. I used to get a 1kg cake, cut it with my family, and distribute it in my area as well," he fondly remembers. He explored hobbies like playing the guitar, filmmaking, and Cricket and computer skills. ACT also took him and his friends on educational trips, especially to historical sites. "The temple sculptures fascinated me. Seeing them in person was so different from reading about them in textbooks," he shares.

Today, Sharath proudly stands as a testament to ACT’s impact. He has completed his B.Com and is now working as a Tele Agent at a reputed company, earning 15,000 per month. More importantly, he is giving back to his family—helping his mother repay loans, contributing to rent, and supporting household expenses.

"ACT didn’t just support my education; it gave me a family. Volunteers, seniors, and alumni guided me at every step. Even ACT mothers ensured I never went hungry. Today, my family is moving forward—we have upgraded from a one-room house to a 1BHK.

Sharath’s story is a powerful reminder of how education transforms lives. His success is not just his own—it is a win for ACT, for his family, and for a future where children like him can dream beyond their circumstances. For us at ACT, the biggest success is seeing alumni like Sharath become self-reliant, ensuring that their future generations do not need a similar support.

We at ACT continue to stand by children like Sharath, empowering them to break barriers and create lasting change. We would like to express our immense gratitude to each and every individual who has been supporting the cause. Sharath’s journey to success would not have been possible without your support.

As part of our commitment to empowering underprivileged children through education, we have partnered with the Turning Pages to foster a love for reading among young minds. This initiative, aimed at creating a vibrant reading culture within our community, is a vital step forward in helping children develop a lifelong passion for learning. Research shows that reading for pleasure is one of the most effective means of achieving positive educational outcomes. ACT belief is that empowering children through a strong, joyful reading habit will create lasting impacts in their academic, social, and personal lives.

Our initiative includes multiple components designed to make reading both accessible and enjoyable. These include structured sessions, personalized reading support, and dedicated spaces where students can immerse themselves in books. A key component of the program is joyful reading sessions, where stories come to life, encouraging self-expression and fostering a sense of community.

 Key Program Activities:

1. Joyful Reading Sessions (Dynamic Read-Alouds of Curated Books)

Led by our dedicated student facilitators—trained by the expert faculty of Turning Pages—these sessions create immersive storytelling experiences for young learners from grade II to grade V. The read-alouds are interactive and dynamic, helping children visualize the stories and actively participate.

2. DEAR Time (Drop Everything and Read)

This program-wide initiative encourages everyone at ACT to take a break from their daily routines and immerse themselves in reading. DEAR Time promotes a calm, focused environment where children can freely explore the world of books, developing their interests and enhancing their reading fluency.

3. Training of Student Facilitators

Eight student facilitators have been trained to independently lead reading sessions. This peer-led approach not only promotes leadership and responsibility among the facilitators but also allows them to serve as reading role models, enhancing the peer learning experience.

Objectives and Outcomes

The program is designed with a clear set of objectives aimed at nurturing a community of confident, independent, and socially responsible young learners. The anticipated outcomes include:

1. Enhanced Self-Confidence and Self-Expression: Students become more articulate and confident, expressing themselves creatively and with clarity in both group and individual settings

2. Development of Independent, Well-Rounded Learners: Students grow into autonomous learners who are motivated to pursue knowledge, both academically and personally.

3. Improved Academic Performance : Consistent reading and the development of comprehension skills lead to improvement across subjects, resulting in better school performance and increased graduation rates, with many students aspiring to pursue higher education.

4. Lifelong Reading Culture: Both students and teachers are encouraged to become lifelong readers. Teachers transition from instructive roles to facilitators, promoting student-centred learning and active participation in the classroom.

5. Sustained Reading Culture at ACT: Through these initiatives, a sustainable reading culture is being cultivated at ACT, creating an environment where reading is valued, encouraged, and enjoyed by all.

Monitoring and Evaluation Process

To ensure the program’s success and track its impact, we have established a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation process that includes the following key components:

1. Baseline Assessment: At the beginning of the program, we conducted a baseline assessment to understand students’ reading levels, comprehension skills, and attitudes toward reading. The baseline helps identify specific areas of focus, ensuring that the program addresses the unique needs of each student.

2. Weekly Check-In with Student Facilitators: Each week, we hold check-in sessions with the student facilitators to discuss their experiences, challenges, and feedback from the reading sessions. This weekly touchpoint allows facilitators to reflect on their performance, share insights, and receive support, fostering a collaborative learning environment.

3. Weekly Training and Preparation for Upcoming Sessions: In addition to the weekly check-in, facilitators undergo training each week to prepare for the upcoming sessions. These sessions include guidance on session planning, material selection, and engagement strategies. Facilitators are provided with tips and resources to make each session as effective as possible, building their skills in storytelling, group management, and student engagement. This ongoing training supports continuous improvement and reinforces best practices.

4. Student Feedback on Reading Sessions: We regularly collect feedback from students to understand their experiences and satisfaction with the reading sessions. This feedback helps us evaluate the program’s impact, identify areas for improvement, and tailor sessions to better meet the students’ needs.

5. Impact Assessments and Progress Tracking: Throughout the program, we conduct periodic assessments to monitor changes in reading comprehension, vocabulary, engagement, and academic performance. These assessments allow us to measure growth in relation to the baseline and provide insights into the effectiveness of the program.

Conclusion

This program has had a transformative effect on our young learners, encouraging them to become lifelong readers and self-motivated learners. By nurturing a love for reading, we are equipping them with the tools they need to excel academically, socially, and personally. We look forward to building on these successes and extending our impact, with continued support from our partners, facilitators, and the broader ACT community.