Let Them Hold a Pencil and Start Learning
Dear Readers,
“Don’t judge a book by its cover.”
A quote we’ve heard all our lives — and one we often follow only when it suits us.
The truth is, knowingly or unknowingly, we judge people by their appearance.
But have we ever considered those children we pass by daily—the ones we never really see?
No, they’re not truly invisible.
They are the children who hold responsibilities far too heavy for their small shoulders.
Children who become breadwinners through begging or child labour.
Children whose laughter has been replaced by survival — whose childhoods were stolen before they even began.
Most of the children who dared to fight their given destiny are told
"Education is not for people like us"
and
"What will you achieve by attaining education"
And most of the girl child hear
"tumhe toh ghar hi sambhalna hai"
or
"tum kya karogi padhkr"
In all this, their childhoods are silently stolen. We-The society should understand that children belong in the classroom, not in labour.
According to the data released by the International Labour Organisation(ILO) and UNICEF, almost 13.8 crore children worldwide were engaged in child labour in 2024, with at least 5.4 crore involved in hazardous work that could jeopardise their health, safety, or development.
(Source:The Times Of India)
Have you ever wondered about a child who is selling flowers to support their family
Or a child who is begging on the streets
Most of us often judge these children or pity them. What if they were given a chance to hold a pencil and start learning?
It reminds me of the lines from
“Taare Zameen Par”
‘Jaise Aankhon Ki Debiyan Mein Neediyan
Aur Neediyan Mein Meetha Sa Sapna
Aur Sapne Mein Mil Jaye Faristha Sa Koi’
These children don't need very big or extraordinary opportunities -they simply just need education and guidance which will help them to break free from the cycle of poverty.
To bridge the gap between poverty and education, some NGOs believe that education should be accessible to all, regardless of gender, caste, financial background, etc and hence they provide free learning to underprivileged children. They support that education helps students plan for work or pursue a higher education
Pehchaan the Street School is one such NGO where these children got a chance to hold a pencil instead of containers or begging bowls- here these children start learning.
What Is Pehchaan The Street School
Pehchaan means Identity in Hindi and this ten year old non-profit organisation has been working tirelessly to provide identity to underprivileged children through education.They believe that education should be accessible to every children despite their background as through education a child Learn, Grow, and succeeds.
Pehchaan The Street School was founded in 2015 with only ten children and five volunteers, they used to wait for students to show up to the classroom; Today they are connected with the lives of 1600+ children and have affected more than 5000 lives by now. This organisation is led by values like inclusivity, innovation, empathy and responsibility
They have ten centres around Delhi and Delhi NCR Indraprastha Metro Station, GTB Nagar, Mukherjee Nagar, Noida Sector 35, Sunder Nursery, Rohini Sector 3, Rohini Sector 7, Dilshad Garden & Kamla Nagar. They believe in the philosophy that “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, Teach a man how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Therefore, they offer holistic education to Pehchaan The Street School’s children to empower them and achieve independence.
Pehchaan The Street School is a volunteer-driven organisation and depends on crowdfunding.It is true for them that an organisation becomes successful through the people who join it. Here, the volunteers and interns work closely with the children,guiding and teaching them essential practical skills and realise their dreams.
"I didn't come here to teach,I am here to learn"
As quoted by Vishakha, one of the volunteers at Pehchaan The Street School.
They play a vital role in running and maintaining this organisation. These volunteers are “bhaiya” , “didi”, and “friends” to Pehchaan The Street School children, they aren’t just people teaching ABCs or 123.
They’re listeners, dreamers, protectors. They dance when the kids dance, they play with the kids, and quietly sit beside a child who just needs someone there.
Curriculum
Pehchaan The Street School is a type of conventional school in an unconventional form that provides free education to underprivileged children.
They focus on the holistic development of children, combining academic knowledge with practical skills, which helps them succeed beyond traditional education.They teach the children about basic life skills, personal hygiene, good touch and bad touch,and also provide vocational training in areas like computers, personal grooming, handicrafts, and painting. As we know, childhood is a sensitive and crucial stage of development, which is why they prioritise essential life lessons. These skills help Pehchaan The Street School’s children to have employment in the future and achieve independence.They also teach about financial literacy keeping in mind the demands of the modern world, and provide the same resources to both genders. They teach boys and girls under the same roof and also provide an environment for open conversation.They also go out on the streets to help the children, ensuring that education is accessible to them.
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For instance, Nargis a Student at Pehchaan The Street School enjoys the supportive environment and finds it easier to learn English there, despite struggling with the subject. She wants to become a singer and also excel in her studies to make her parents proud.
Another instance is of Nazia who learned about Pehchaan The Street School from her friend Nargis. She aspires to become a singer and also recommends attending Pehchaan The Street School to those who face challenges.
These stories show that Pehchaan The Street School is not only dedicated to providing education but also life skills needed to excel in life.
Support Through Sponsorship
Pehchaan The Street School also helps in sponsoring a child and is supported by crowdfunding.The sponsorship cost ranges from ₹500 to ₹1,000 per month.This organisation is bridging the gap for underprivileged children, allowing them to attain their goals.
Individual contributions cover the child’s basic educational resources,like uniforms, stationery, and books, allowing them to access quality education and achieve their dreams.
Recent Highlights
.National Service Scheme Miranda House in collaboration with Pehchaan The Street School had organised a webinar on SURVIVORS' VOICE A TRIUMPH OVER CHILD LABOR with Akash Tandon founder of Pehchaan The Street School on 11th June,2025.
.Every bite counts when you are chasing your dream that's why @natchsnacks sent a healthy crunchy summer snack for Pehchaan The Street School Children's.
Challenges
Despite being a well-organised organisation they face real challenges like-
Lack of Funding- This is the most important need for an NGO to work successfully.
Lack Of Resources- Due to a lack of funding NGOs are unable to fulfil many requirements many times.
Need for more volunteers- Pehchaan The Street School is a volunteer-driven organisation and dedicated volunteers are one of the major needs.
Inadequate infrastructure - It affects the delivery of education and limits access for children.
Ways You Can Support Pehchaan The Street School
• Volunteer -on the ground or online and contribute your time as per your availability.
• Internship -on the ground or online, one can choose from multiple positions as per interest. All interns get a certificate after completion of the internship.
•Member-Membership is for everyone who can't commit time or can't work either online or
offline. One can also donate a certain amount and become a member of the trust.
Once in life, we all should be a part of such a great cause.
Conclusion
In a country where Right To Education (RTE) is a fundamental right under Article 21A , it is saddening to see that in the same country, there are children who are excluded from the classroom.At a young age when they are supposed to study and dream-simply BE A CHILD.They are expected to grow up and be breadwinners for their families.They have a begging bowl in their hand instead of a pencil. Education is not supposed to be a luxury that only the privileged can afford- it is a basic human right . To bridge this gap ,NGOs like Pehchaan The Street School are working tirelessly to make education accessible to underprivileged children, therefore they provide free education to the underprivileged children.Because every child regardless of their background has the right to LEARN, GROW, and, SUCCEED. Every organisation thrive because of the people who join them and volunteers at Pehchaan The Street School are not just teachers, they’re listeners, dreamers, protectors. They dance when the kids dance, they play with the kids, and quietly sit beside a child who just needs someone there.
To know more about Pehchaan The Street School visit the following links-
Website-
https://pehchaanstreetschool.org/
Facebook page link :
https://www.facebook.com/PehchaanTheStreetSchoolOfficial/
Instagram page link -
https://instagram.com/pehchaanstreetschool?utm_source=ig_profile_share&igshid=181sger2fozl7
YouTube channel -
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXd4gnTazJh3JugKENt5yog
https://twitter.com/Pehchaan_School?s=09
To Donate via Instamojo-https://www.instamojo.com/@pehchaanthestreetschool
To Donate via NEFT-https://pehchaanstreetschool.org/donation/
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