Every June, as schools reopen after summer vacation, poor families face an impossible dilemma: spend ₹500-1000 on school supplies or use that money for food. For daily wage workers earning ₹300 per day, buying notebooks, pencils, and school bags is a luxury they cannot afford. This is why OJASH WELFARE Society's "Shiksha Kit" distribution has become one of our most impactful programs. This year, we distributed comprehensive school kits to 500 children across 20 villages, ensuring that no child starts the academic year without essential supplies.
Each Shiksha Kit is carefully assembled based on grade level and includes: 10 notebooks, pencil box with pencils, erasers and sharpeners, geometry box for older students, school bag, water bottle, and a set of colorful crayons. For girls in higher classes, we also include sanitary napkins—addressing a significant cause of school dropouts. The total value of each kit is approximately ₹600, but for families struggling to survive, this is a month's worth of savings. By removing this financial barrier, we keep thousands of children in school.
The distribution day is always emotional. Children line up hours before the event, excitement visible on their faces. When they receive their kits, many hug their new bags tightly, as if they've received the most precious gift. Parents watch with tearful eyes, grateful that their children can attend school with dignity. One mother told us, "Last year, my son took his sister's old torn bag. He was ashamed. This year, he walks to school proudly with his new blue bag." These moments remind us why we do this work.
Beyond distribution, we track each child's attendance and academic progress throughout the year. Our field workers visit families monthly to ensure children are actually using the supplies and attending school regularly. We also conduct awareness sessions with parents about the importance of education and how to support their children's learning at home. The Shiksha Kit is not just a bag full of supplies—it's a statement that we believe in every child's potential. And year after year, these children prove us right.
