Aama Kritishaala | Our Creative library

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To strengthen foundational literacy and numeracy while fostering 21st-century skills through art, by reaching children where they spend most of their time—schools and communities—ensuring education is accessible, engaging, and an integral part of their daily lives.

May 1st, 2021

• Be a Team Leader, if you are living in an area where education is not accessible to underserved children and you wish to support their education. 
• Volunteer with us to create drawing instructions, or interactive games for children.

To fix a call with us to know more about the program whatsapp us at +91 93487 31510. 

or/and

To help this project sustain.

Imagine this: You are a child attending school daily, but your teacher is often absent, and the classrooms lack basic amenities. The textbooks are confusing because you were never taught to read properly. Numbers and words seem like unsolvable puzzles. Eventually, you stop participating, stop trying, and start believing that learning isn't meant for you. What happens then? Do you continue, or do you give up?

For thousands of children in government and low-fee private schools, this is not just a challenge—it is their reality. Schools are where they spend most of their time outside their homes and where most of their learning should take place. However, inadequate infrastructure, high teacher absenteeism, and a lack of resources create deep learning gaps. Without strong foundational literacy and numeracy skills, children struggle to keep up, and school becomes a cycle of frustration instead of empowerment.

In underserved communities, where formal schooling is often disrupted or entirely inaccessible, children face even greater risks. Here, education is not just about passing exams—it is about having the skills to express, create, and solve problems. Without intervention, many children lose interest in learning altogether, making them more vulnerable to child labor, social exclusion, and exploitation.

Let’s look at one of such critical story: 

Aarti (name changed) is a 10-year-old girl living in a slum near Baramunda, Bhubaneswar. Her parents, struggling to make ends meet, had always hoped she would do better than them. But when schools shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, her education came to an abrupt halt.

Her father, a daily wage laborer, lost his job. Her mother, a domestic worker, barely found enough work to buy food. With no mobile phone, Aarti had no access to online classes. Days turned into months, and soon, she forgot how to read simple sentences.

When schools reopened, she was promoted to the next grade despite barely understanding the previous year's lessons. She started falling behind, losing interest, and skipping school.

"She doesn't want to go anymore," her mother told us. "She says it's useless because she can’t understand anything."

Aarti is not alone. Across Bhubaneswar’s underserved communities, countless children like her are at risk of never returning to school.

According to the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2020, only 50% of children in Odisha had access to smartphones for online learning during the pandemic. The result? A widening learning gap that pushed already struggling students further behind, increasing dropout rates across low-income communities.

Despite this, no major local intervention was made in the slums of Khandagiri, Aiginia, Laxmisagar and Tapoban to bridge this learning gap.

Aama Kritishaalaa steps into these spaces, bringing structured learning directly to children—ensuring that education is not left to chance, but made a certainty. We do this by conducting structured classes on foundational literacy, numeracy, and 21st-century skills through art, ensuring every child receives the guidance and support they need to become independent learners.

To bridge the gaps in literacy, numeracy, and creative thinking, Aama Kritishaalaa operates in two models:

School-Based Model: Conducted four days a week in government and low-fee private schools, we conduct structured classes to strengthen foundational literacy and numeracy, while integrating 21st-century skills through art, making learning expressive, interactive, and engaging.

Community-Based Model: Held over weekends, we conduct learning sessions in underserved neighborhoods, ensuring that children who may not have access to formal schooling still develop strong literacy and numeracy skills while exploring creative problem-solving through art.

Wherever there are children eager to learn, Aama Kritishaalaa will be there—"Bacchhe jahan, Aama Kritishaalaa wahan."

Segment of the population it will serve

Children aged 6-10 from underserved and marginalized communities.

Program Duration

A 12-month initiative, designed to support children in overcoming learning gaps and prepare them for formal schooling and lifelong learning.

Focus Areas

Aama Kritishaalaa focuses on strengthening foundational literacy and foundational numeracy while fostering 21st-century skills through art, enabling children to become independent learners who can read with confidence, think critically, and express their ideas creatively.

What began as a small effort has now grown into a vibrant learning space for over 220 children. Children who once hesitated to speak or write their names can now confidently introduce themselves in English, read simple texts, and solve problems with curiosity and joy.

Through consistent support in foundational literacy and numeracy, combined with creative expression and critical thinking activities, they are not just learning—they are blossoming.

Parents, once worried about their children's disengagement, now smile with relief as they watch them explore, express, and grow in a safe and joyful environment.

At Aama Kritishaalaa, this journey has been a testament to what’s possible when a community comes together—with care, commitment, and courage.

We’re just getting started.

Join us as we continue walking alongside these children—toward brighter futures