Working Since: 2004 | Registration Number: U85100PN2013NPL146833

In 2005 when Ashraya started its work, not a single member of either the Waghri or Sikligar community in Yerwada had graduated from secondary school. Community members estimate that around 40% of school-aged children had been registered in nearby schools, however only 15-20% were attending with even minimal regularity. None had access to any form of external academic support, in an education system that all but requires participation in the private tutoring industry to succeed in school. Thus, even those children who attended school were at a distinct disadvantage when compared to their peers.

In 2009, the first child from the Waghri community – a girl from Ashraya’s Education Outreach Program – successfully passed her Standard 10 exams, which represented a milestone moment for the community and Ashraya. In the six years since, 60 more children have passed their Standard 10 exams. These are encouraging numbers for two communities with a combined population that hovers around 600.

AIC has had a tremendous impact in various other ways as well; for example, we have achieved 100% birth registration, every adult member of the community has a bank account, and we processed over 150 Aadhar cards. For communities that have historically lacked legal identifying documents, milestones such as these are tremendous and empowering.

Ashraya’s main activities are divided into four interconnected programs:

Education: serves 230 students, ranging from toddlers to university students. Seventy children attend the Ashraya Pre-Primary School and 160 students are enrolled in local schools. Ashara provides a holistic web of services to ensure these students’ success including school transportation, apparel items and hygiene supplies, daily meals, and tutoring by trained educators.

Health: provides medical care for all Education Program students and regular health education workshops for the community. Other particularly vulnerable community members, such as expectant mothers, infants and toddlers, tuberculosis and HIV patients, and the elderly, receive ongoing monitoring and medical care.

Community: Ashraya is taking various initiatives to include the community in the mainstream society by helping them avail government documents like Aadhar Card, Pan card, etc. Additionally Ashraya is educating the community members about different norms of the society by inviting them to events like International literacy day, girl child day etc.