Skill-based education made easily available

Street children benefit from Abhijeet Pokharnikar’s efforts 

Pune: Abhijeet Pokharnikar-22-year old has an aim to spread education to every street kid and to achieve this aim he has started ‘dada chi Shala’ which offers underprivileged children on the streets a chance to learn.
Starting with three centres, Pokharnikar now has 8 centres where he is providing skill-based education to 1700 street kids.

“Education can give quality life. We have seen these street kids selling flowers, balloons,pens, pencil and toys. Schools are a distant dream for them. So along with my friends, we started ‘dada chi shala’. Today 250 volunteers are providing free education,” said Pokharnikar who started the initiative in November 2020.

Four days a week – Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, volunteers are teaching these students at the centres in Shivaji Nagar, Market yard, Tilekar Nagar, Sarasbaug, Vishrantwadi, Akurdi (2 centres) and Pirangut.

“We are focusing on skill-based education so that these students can utilise their skills for living a great life. Recently we taught these students to weave rakhi as Raksha Bandhan is round the corner and sold these rakhis for Rs 30 each. Whatever income is generated, it will be used for the education of these children.”

Pokharnikar has worked with social activists Prakash Amte and Late Sindhutai Sapkal for the child welfare program in the past. He has enrolled 170 children in schools.

Jigar Hindocha