Realising aspirations

Akanksha Foundation's main aim is to empower underserved communities through a holistic and quality education - aiming for a brighter future

- ANIL SWARUP

Earlier this year, Akanksha alumni Tejashree Jadhav and Om Gaikwad had the honour of addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York where they spoke about the transformative power of education. Tejashree and Om come from underserved communities in Pune, where they faced immense hardships early in life. Today, both are pursuing their interests in the US — Tejashree working as a Youth Advocate and Om studying Liberal Arts.

Another alum, Rohit Chavan, recently graduated from Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology in Nagpur, earning the highest grades across all engineering disciplines. He is now working as a data scientist. Suraj Gupta completed his graduation at IIT Kharagpur and has just been placed with a leading financial institution in Gurgaon.

The achievements of these alumni are a testament to the life-changing impact that education can have on those who need it most. These are not just success stories but also a reflection of Akanksha’s core mission: to empower children from under-served communities with opportunities that not only transform their lives but also create pathways for their families to break the cycle of poverty.

The gap Akanksha is addressing

According to a 2019 World Bank report, 55 per cent of 10-year olds in India are unable to read and understand simple text.

Private schools in India are perceived as providing quality education, but because they charge a fee for enrolment, they lock out socio-economically weaker and disadvantaged families.

Therefore, families that need benefits of a quality education are most likely to be denied.

The stratification of India’s education system on the basis of access and quality further deepens inequities.

Akanksha believes that when provided with a high-quality education and support, children from underserved communities can perform at par or even better than children from privileged backgrounds.