The last year, 2023, was full of impactful initiatives, monumental growth, and an unwavering commitment to Pehchaan The Street School. We stood strong on our mission to provide education to underprivileged children. We are proud to announce the opening of two new centers in Delhi, which are situated in Sunder Nursery and Dilshad Garden. This marks a great rise in our goal to provide education to those who most need it.
Our family expanded tremendously this year, we became a team of more than 700 volunteers who volunteered their time and energy to work constantly for the children in need. This shows the strong power of collective effort for a positive change in the lives of others. Our volunteers dedicatedly taught over 1500 children at ten centers of Pehchaan The Street School.
We have a team of online volunteers who connect with us from different parts of the country and the world as well.
Together, we paid attention to various aspects of a child’s overall development, extending beyond the realms of academic knowledge. We focused on providing a holistic learning experience for the children. We believe it is important to support children who want to pursue their passion or hobbies, hence we hosted numerous sessions on dance, singing, and drawing, to nurture the creative abilities of our children.
As we know, childhood is a sensitive stage of life, we prioritized essential life lessons. Sessions on ‘Good Touch Bad Touch,’ facilitated by Team Theia, empowered our children with knowledge and awareness to navigate delicate situations. Similarly, another important workshop was conducted to educate children about menstrual health, fostering an environment of open conversation and understanding.
Recognizing the prevalence and impact of bullying, we collaborated with Girl Up Femina to conduct interactive sessions, ensuring that our children are equipped with the tools to foster a healthy and supportive environment. With a firm focus on mental health, Pehchaan The Street School has a dedicated Psychology Team. To further amplify our efforts, we joined hands with The PsyK Life, conducting a session on personality development. This endeavor aimed to instill resilience, confidence, and emotional well-being in our children.
Acknowledging the need for practical life skills, we conducted financial literacy sessions in collaboration with Project Samarth and Youth India Foundation. These sessions helped our children with a foundational understanding of various aspects of finances, empowering them to make informed decisions in the future.
In our rapidly developing digital era, we recognized the importance of computer literacy. Thus, a vocational center was established to teach computer skills. Volunteers passionately came forward, contributing their time and laptops to impart basic digital knowledge. This little attempt serves as evidence of the significant influence that a group of people can have on the lives of such children. By kindly providing cell phones to underprivileged children, The Shikhar Dhawan Foundation helped close the digital gap and supported the educational paths of these children. This kind deed shows the shared commitment we all have to make sure that every child, regardless of background, gets the resources they need to succeed.
Our efforts were appreciated by the media too. Recognition from esteemed platforms such as The Hindu, DU Buzz, The Better India, and features on podcasts amplified our vision and mission. Influential personalities like Aashu Ghai, Legal Baba, and Tanishka Bahl visited our centers, adding their support and helping us make a positive impact.
Internship fairs were held at esteemed institutions such as St Stephen’s College, Shri Ram College of Commerce, Hindu College, Daulat Ram College, Kamla Nehru College, Jesus and Mary College, OP Jindal Global School, and Amity University. Collaborations with the National Service Scheme (NSS) and Rotaract clubs of various colleges increased our outreach, establishing connections with the youth and promoting the ethos of social responsibility.
At Pehchaan The Street School, we believe there is no age limit to contributing to a noble cause. Young students from Sanskriti School and Tagore International School came forward to volunteer, giving their time and knowledge to teach the young children at Pehchaan, exemplary of the spirit of giving back at a young age.
Our presence at company events like Zee Media, Insurance Dekho, Candour, Pacific Mall, and others signaled our growing influence and the support from the corporate sector. Companies like Wingreens, Super Bottoms, and Diligence demonstrate the power of unity that results when organizations unite with the objective of social impact by making major contributions to the cause.
2023 was an integral year for our eight year long journey, it symbolizes a team effort, a common goal, and an unrelenting dedication can do wonders. We believe education is the most important tool to change the lives of the underprivileged children. We are incredibly grateful for the accomplishments, the lives we have touched, and the lasting influence that all of the people who have been a part of this incredible journey. We are motivated for another year of development, education, and changing the world, one step at a time.
