Nalanda conceived of a learning hub for peripheral schools and children around the hub in urban slums. Here children from peripheral schools came to get special tuition to attain age and class appropriate learning, particularly in the subjects and areas where they were below par.

Locations in urban slums of Lucknow were selected on the basis of field visits, interaction with community and need gaps. Five locations were identified namely Khadra, Natkhera, Azad Nagar and slums near Ramleela Maidan and Motijheel.

Centre management committee were formed and oriented. Community played a proactive role in the hubs both in strengthening of hubs as well as forming the backup support to the child at home. Infrastructure, involvement and placing of facilitator was done in a systematic manner for running of these centres. For the purpose a workshop was conducted to assess various skills such as language, leadership, communication skills etc. among the prospective candidates.

The hubs worked on providing academic and non-cognitive skill building of the children where creative exercises are also carried out.  Subject specific teaching were conducted through joyful and child friendly practices such as poetry & story narration, educational  games, library activities and books, role plays etc. all play a key role in classes.

Classes were held in the afternoon after formal school time.

The children started finding learning of relatively difficult learning points more interesting and fun. Intensive 8 day foundation training was imparted to facilitators. Individual child profile was made at hub level child tracking. Community oriented on issues related to related to educating urban deprived children

More than 1023 children benefitted from these hubs and a good number of them were mainstreamed to age and class appropriate learning.

Special Features of the Project

• Have been able to work in urban slums with good stake-holder ship and involvement of community.
• Has created very tangible enrolment in the learning hubs in a very short duration of time.
• Have been able to create definite outcomes in learning level and mainstreaming of drop out children in a very short intervention period.