A vital bulwark

Abhijeet Pokharnikar and his team, through Dadachi Shala initiative, are providing free and quality education to underprivileged children in Maharashtra ensuring their all-round growth

- ANIL SWARUP

A bhijeet got an opportunity to work with Sau Sindhutai Sapkal (Maai). Sind hutai Sapkal was an Indian social worker and social activist known particularly for her work in raising orphaned children in India. She was awarded the Padma Shri in 2021 in the Social Work category. Maai always used to say "Understand the pain experienced by the people, you will not need to search for Happiness".

Then, Abhijeet, along with his friends Aboli Raut, Shubham Walhekar and Shubham Mane, started this good cause for underprivileged and street kids in India.

Another profound realisation came during his college days. Despite studying science in junior college, he found himself drawn to a different path one that led him to the streets, where underprivileged children struggled for education and basic necessities.

Abhijeet recounts numerous poignant stories of hardship and triumph in his journey of empowering underprivileged children. Initially, he recognised the importance of providing food and snacks to attract children to education, understanding that hunger often overshadowed the desire for learning. However, he later shifted his focus solely to education, realising that sustainable change could only be achieved through knowledge and skills. While acknowledging the immediate need for food, by focusing on education, Dada Chi Shala aimed to break the cycle of poverty and empower children to create a better future for themselves.

Abhijeet understood that education not only provides knowledge and skills but also instills confidence and selfreliance in children, enabling them to overcome adversity and build a brighter tomorrow.