Lucknow: It is often said that when a passion becomes an obsession, professional success is bound to follow suit. A group of professionals were working hard, making good money and were lighting the lamp of knowledge, but they still felt something missing in their life.
This is when they planned to setup Sarthak Foundation. Forging an alliance, Vijay Pratap Sahi, Chief Advisor, Kshama Hastak, Founder and Achintya Rai, Co-Founder/CEO came together with a mission to bring smiles on faces. Everyday Kshama Hastak would cross the Malhaur Crossing and find young kids begging for alms from those passing by.
Kshama started giving these kids food items, fruits and even juices. One day she had nothing so she handed over mouth freshener. The kids on the street were ecstatic with it’s out of this world feel. With this sight on streets a regular affair, Kshama made up her mind that she will devote sometime to the well being of children on streets.
With some homework, planning and logistic support she started dedicating 2 to 3 hours to a small group of children every weekend. What started as a small group of six kids under a tree has now fast taken proper shape as a movement to foster change in the underprivileged and marginalized.
The group would not just teach this kids subjects of importance and life skills but also help them get admission in reputed private and government schools based on their learning proficiency. Many well wishers sensing good intent, came onboard as volunteers. They gradually boosted the educators network.
In a decade of existence now even the outreach to those in need of quality education has increased. Having conceived the idea in 2013, with diligence and consistent efforts, Sarthak Foundation formally took shape in 2016. For two to three years while the Foundation smoothened its functioning, it not only concretized the foundation and applied for all required certifications, it also got a thorough understanding of the communities and the varied layers one had to tap.
One of the major components of Sarthak Foundation has been Yellow rooms. Yellow Rooms factors in varied aspects like education, socio economic well being, emotional well being and ensuring safe space for the overall development of young minds. Another prominent part of the functioning of the Sarthak Foundation is STEM Learning, Linguistics and holistic learning.
Through Sarthak, efforts are being made to work on school inclusion, both Government and private schools, Empowering Girl child, changing mindset on professional competence and holding counseling session. In what is a lifelong handholding, the Foundation also works in tandem to help in proper help in making documentation and entitlements available to those in need. With a solid network of corporates and NGOs, social change is the driving force behind Sarthak Foundation.
In order to mainstream education of the marginalized, the foundation is working based on Government RTE, 25% reservation in private schools, Sarthak scholarships among other efforts. Yellow colour symbolizes hope, a zest for life and hope. The indicators that led the foundation to focus on empowering the Girl Child are – girls are traditionally brought up as nurturers who are meant to take care of homes, the incidences of early pregnancy, early marriage and emotional abuse.
The aim for Sarthak is to counter vulnerability and injustice. Guided by the idea of delivering on quality, there core lies in good relationship development and having a thorough process driven approach with regular assessment. For all activities there are SOPs.
For Sarthak Foundation messaging is as importance as the message. For education, Sarthak uses standardised curriculum and digital aid. Talking of wellness and nutrition instead of cooked food, they use banana and chana. Through the Ayushman Bharat scheme the parents of the children are facilitated health benefits.
During COVID, Bridge classes helped Sarthak Foundation connect with students through cellphones and laptops so that education of youngsters continues. A solid trust factor has helped Sarthak Foundation all through the way. With knowledge dissemination, the child now even shares basic skills with mothers fostering change. Overall with a lifelong commitment to touch a zillion lives, Sarthak Foundation is doing selfless work sans trying to hog limelight.
