A couple of months ago, I blogged about a visit I made to Harijan Basti, an urban slum in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. I went to see the work of the Urban Health Initiative (UHI) and their NGO partner Pragati Sewa Sansthan (PSS), to increase women’s choice and access to modern contraception. Their efforts and impact were impressive, and many women in this slum community were empowered with the opportunity to choose when and how many children they will have, and were satisfied users.

During the visit, I was greeted by ten-year-old “Sona” (short for Masooma) who gifted me a handmade parrot and followed me with a small but persistent request for the chance to go to school. Her voice was amplified by her mother and other women in that community who, while highly appreciative of the family planning options they now have, said that without an education, their children would have little chance for a better life.

I left that community inspired by the successes of the program, but haunted by Masooma’s plea, “Can I please go to school?” 

Ten year-old Masooma (“Sona”) with her parents and Gary Darmstadt.

Masooma’s request was heartbreaking, because the slum families felt there was no possibility to send their children to school. Her slum community is unregistered and without access to many government services. The families expressed difficulties accessing the government school and said a nearby private school was not affordable. And, Masooma, like many other children in this community, was also tasked with caring for younger children or working in the informal sector to help the family survive.

But Masooma remained focused on her goal, and continued to greet each new visitor to her slum with a big smile, dutiful answers to questions asked, and her unfailing request, “I want to go to school. Can you help us get a school and a teacher?”

Staff from the UHI and partner PSS decided that Masooma required a response. 

They worked with the Government’s Education Department to examine the eligibility of the children under the Ministry’s “Education for All” scheme. Mr. Brijesh Sharma, from the Kanpur Department of Education, responded with a site visit, followed by detailing a plan with community and NGO leaders and PSS staff, to identify eligible children and facilitate their enrollment. They also planned to provide daily lunch, transportation, books, uniforms, supplies, and a carrying bag. This plan was followed by joint listing of eligible children and registration by their parent or guardian.  

As of today, 80 children in this community have started to attend school and are receiving free school lunch, 49 have received books, and 7 have received uniforms and a bag.

The Education Department is working on arranging transportation that will allow more to join, and those attending to continue. The UHI and PSS teams are also exploring options for arranging a teacher and facility within the slum to accommodate the special needs of children with childcare or jobs, which do not enable them to access the government school.

What inspires me most about this story is the committed people who made it happen, starting with the voice of a 10-year-old girl, and extending to civil service providers and the government.

A grant proposal, a work plan, or outcome targets did not dictate these actions. They were an initiative from the heart of dedicated, committed, and caring people to change the world—one day, one step, and one child at a time. It demonstrates what a group of committed individuals and a responsive government can accomplish together.

Masooma, of course, is one of those children now getting an education. Her resolute voice and unrelenting spirit enabled the government and community to band together in order to secure a viable educational future for the children of Harijan Basti.