Save the date: Annual Fundraiser on November 15 2025 at Mitchell Community Center, Palo Alto, CA
Asad’s Story: One Child, Many Barriers — and a Circle of Support to Break Them
Just a year ago, 9-year-old Asad was a shy child with no access to education. He lived in a 10×10 room in Ambedkar Camp, Trilokpuri, with his daily-wage father and stay-at-home mother. When our youth leaders found him playing in the street, he said he wanted to go to school — but his mother had been denied entry during an earlier attempt, and without documents, there was no way forward.
Project Roshni stepped in to secure his legal identity and get him admitted to an MCD school. But that was just the beginning. Asad struggled to keep up academically and emotionally. Project Kadam provided tailored remedial support, helping him catch up on basic literacy and numeracy. At the same time, Project Raah introduced him to life skills through theatre, problem-solving sessions, and group games — helping him overcome his fear of speaking and learning.
Today, Asad is thriving — he topped his class with 90% marks and proudly says, “I want to become a teacher when I grow up.” His journey is a powerful example of how change happens when legal access, academic support, and emotional development go hand-in-hand.
Asad’s story reminds us that there’s no single fix to the challenges children face in underserved communities. Many factors — from lack of identity to poor academic foundation to low confidence — hold them back. That’s why our approach brings together multiple programs working in synergy to offer holistic support. It takes more than one solution to help a child thrive.
From the Streets to the Classroom: 134 Children Begin Their Journey
In our last update (Jan–March), we shared how Project Roshni had started the new year by preparing families for school admissions — helping them gather documents and understand the process. This quarter, we saw those efforts pay off.
From April to June, 134 children were successfully enrolled into government schools across Trilokpuri and Chilla. For many of these children, this is their first time ever entering a classroom.
But getting a child into school is not always easy. Parents often struggle with missing documents or feel too nervous to talk to school staff. That’s where our Yuva Leaders step in — helping families fill forms, visit schools, and stay confident throughout the process.
This is not just paperwork. It’s a big first step toward learning and opportunity. And we’re just getting started — our goal is to support 300 school admissions before this cycle ends.
Every child in school is a sign of progress. And every admission shows how consistent effort and trust with families can open doors to a better future.
Fighting Malnutrition, One Child at a Time: Altan’s Journey Toward Better Health
Shabnam’s son Altan was just 22 months old, but already she was deeply worried. He was not gaining weight, kept falling sick, and his growth was way behind for his age. On the health chart, he was in the red zone — which meant severely at risk in both height and weight.
She had tried consulting doctors, but nothing helped. It was only when she started coming to our women’s centre that things began to change. Even then, it wasn’t easy — leaving home regularly and spending money on travel felt like a big hurdle. But once she received travel support, she began attending sessions more regularly.
At the centre, Shabnam learned simple things that made a big difference — what kind of food Altan needed, how to cook using what she already had, and how small hygiene habits could prevent illness. She even learned about colostrum, the first breast milk, something she hadn’t known about before. “I didn’t know how to feed my child in the beginning, but now I make food that helps him grow,” she shared.
Today, Altan has moved from the red zone to the yellow zone — showing moderate risk, but much better than before. He’s healthier, and Shabnam feels more confident as a mother.And this progress is not just Altan’s. From April to June 2025:
- 4 children moved from yellow (moderate risk) to green (healthy) in weight
- 4 children moved from yellow to green in height
- 1 child moved from red (high risk) to green in both weight and height
We also saw 7 new mothers and 13 new children join our program this quarter — a sign that more families are coming forward, seeking knowledge and support.At Project Buniyaad, we believe that a healthy start in life is every child’s right — and when mothers are given the knowledge and guidance needed.
Not Just a Girl’s Talk: It’s Health, Strength, and Self-Worth
Amina (name changed) remembers the day her period started — not with fear or panic, but with quiet confidence. “I knew what was happening to my body. I knew how to take care of myself,” she said with a smile. That calmness came from weeks of attending health education sessions at our women’s centre.
Every week, young girls aged 13 to 25 walk into the centre — curious, open, and ready to learn. They talk about the body, hormones, mental health, relationships, and nutrition — topics that are rarely discussed at home or school. The sessions go beyond just giving information — they help girls understand how their thoughts affect their choices, how emotions connect with physical health, and how to care for themselves with dignity and self-respect.
Together, they even experiment with healthy snacks — learning that good food doesn’t have to be boring or tasteless. It’s a simple shift, but a powerful one: Health can be joyful.
Starting health conversations early means equipping girls before they face bigger challenges. As WHO recommends, building health literacy in adolescence lays the foundation for lifelong well-being. With every session, we’re not just teaching — we’re unlearning shame and replacing it with strength.
Ilma Found Her Voice — and So Did Many Others
Ilma had always been the quiet one — the kind of child who chose the back row, who preferred to watch rather than speak. But everything changed during a four-day theatre workshop held this April at our centre in Trilokpuri.
Led by facilitator Faraz Zaidi, the workshop introduced children aged 5–15 to the world of storytelling through body language, emotion, and voice. Ilma was hesitant at first, but soon, she was performing scenes using the nine Navrasas — joy, fear, anger, surprise, love. “I didn’t know acting had so much to learn,” she said after the workshop. “But it was taught with so much fun — I wasn’t scared anymore.”
That shift in Ilma was exactly what Project Raah set out to create. This quarter marked a major milestone — the completion of our 10-module Core Life Skills Curriculum, based on the WHO framework. After months of testing and refining, all ten modules are now ready for wider implementation.
Each session was designed to bring life skills alive — not through lectures, but through experience.
In April, during a five-day art-based workshop with Samina Mishra, children explored themes like home, identity, and memory through drawing, collage, and visual journaling. Zoya, a regular attendee, shared how these sessions helped her understand not just her own story — but also the feelings her friends expressed through art. “It made me look at them differently,” she said.
Then in June, a decision-making session led by Hiba Siddiqui helped 21 children explore how choices are made. Through games and real-life examples, they learned to weigh facts and emotions and apply a five-step process to make thoughtful decisions. “Next time I have to choose something,” one student said proudly, “I’ll think about it, not just react.”
So far, more than 75 adolescents have gone through these sessions in Trilokpuri — and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. The topics implemented this quarter included:
- Creative Thinking
- Critical Thinking
- Empathy
- Problem Solving
- Decision Making
The remaining modules — Effective Communication, Interpersonal Relationships, Self-Awareness, Coping with Stress, and Coping with Emotions — are now ready and will be rolled out soon.
As we look ahead, a detailed Facilitator’s Guide is being developed to help scale the curriculum across schools and community spaces. Because confidence isn’t just taught — it’s practiced. And every time a child like Ilma steps up and says, “I’m not scared anymore,” we know that learning has truly begun.
From Falling Behind to Moving Ahead: Confronting Gender Inequality Among Migrant Girls
For many children from migrant families, school is not just about learning, it’s about navigating challenges that go far beyond the classroom. In homes where parents struggle with unstable livelihoods and have limited education themselves, children often lack the support needed to succeed academically. Girls, in particular, face additional barriers rooted in gender roles and expectations, which can prevent them from fully engaging in their education.
A year ago, Project Kadam’s remedial classes created safe and supportive spaces where children could strengthen their skills in English, Hindi, and Math. Week after week, children showed up, determined to improve.
When the results for the 2024–25 school year were released this March, our team celebrated an important milestone: 68 children (32 boys and 36 girls) demonstrated significant academic progress. This progress is a testament to their resilience and the power of tailored, compassionate support.
A year ago, Project Kadam’s remedial classes created safe and supportive spaces where children could strengthen their skills in English, Hindi, and Math. Week after week, children showed up, determined to improve.
When the results for the 2024–25 school year were released this March, our team celebrated an important milestone: 68 children (32 boys and 36 girls) demonstrated significant academic progress. This progress is a testament to their resilience and the power of tailored, compassionate support.
As the 2025–26 academic year begins, our team is actively enrolling children again, adapting approaches with flexible schedules, summer camps, and hands-on teaching methods designed to meet each child’s unique needs. Our mission goes beyond academics — it’s about creating an environment where every child, especially migrant girls, is seen, supported, and empowered to move forward.
Because when these children believe in their potential, they don’t just catch up — they move ahead.
From Survival to Enterprise: Strengthening Livelihoods Through Micro-Business
Iqrar sat quietly, remembering the days when he had to mortgage his beloved rickshaw just to make ends meet. For a man who earned his livelihood driving that rickshaw, losing it felt like losing a part of himself. But with a small loan, Iqrar reclaimed his rickshaw and doubled his daily income. “I feel like I’ve been given a second chance,” he says, eyes shining with hope.
Nearby, Rehnuma’s small room now hums with the steady rhythm of her sewing machine. A tailor by skill but limited by resources, she dreamed of running her own tailoring business. When she received a ₹20,000 loan, she bought a sewing machine and materials, and her dream began to take shape. “Now, I can support my family without leaving home,” she shares with pride.
Mustafa’s story is one of resilience in the face of hardship. After months of unemployment during the lockdown, he struggled to find steady work. With a ₹20,000 loan, he leased a rickshaw and started earning again, regaining not just income but respect within his community. “This loan gave me hope when I needed it most,” Mustafa says.
These are not isolated stories — they represent the determination of many who face barriers to accessing traditional banking services, leaving their aspirations just out of reach.
Project Rozgaar provides small loans to economically disadvantaged individuals, supporting income-generating activities such as tailoring, street vending, rickshaw driving, and small-scale production. Loans are given after verifying legal documents like residence proof, and repayments are made in manageable monthly installments over 3 to 6 months.
By enabling micro-entrepreneurship and promoting self-reliance, Project Rozgaar helps build economic stability and improves quality of life for many families.
As this work continues, these stories stand as powerful reminders: with the right support, struggles can transform into success, and hope can become a reality.