From dropping out to dreaming again: Arjun’s return to education

For many underserved children, staying in school is more than wanting to learn. It is a way of connecting with a world beyond their immediate circumstances, of finding answers to questions that emerge from the lives they are growing up in, and of discovering possibilities they may not have encountered otherwise.

For Arjun, who lives in an urban slum in Mumbai, learning had become a way of understanding himself and the world around him. When his family could no longer afford his education, he had to drop out after Grade 8. Losing that connection with education affected more than Arjun’s studies. He began to withdraw from others and lost the confidence to engage with the world around him like before.

With your generous and timely support to CRY UK, Project Mumbai Direct Intervention team helped Arjun return to education through the following steps:

• Identification and home visit: When the project team learned that Arjun had dropped out after Grade 8, they visited his home to understand what had forced him away from school. They spoke with Arjun and his parents, listening to the financial pressures the family was facing and how these had affected his education.
• Counselling and family engagement: Arjun wanted to continue learning but also felt the need to support his family. The team spoke with him and his parents about the importance of education and what continuing his studies could mean for his future, while also discussing the concerns that made returning difficult. With persistent dialogues the family began to reconsider Arjun’s stalled education and the team began exploring an option that could work within their circumstances.
• Open schooling support: The team introduced Arjun and his family to the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), which offered a way for him to continue his education while managing his responsibilities and reducing travel costs. With an alternative that suited his circumstances, Arjun could think about resuming learning again. However, the gap in his education meant he first needed support to catch up with his studies.
• Remedial education support: At CRY’s Child Activity Centre, Arjun received remedial support based on his learning needs. The team prepared modules, supported syllabus completion and followed his progress as he worked through the subjects he had missed. As he began to regain ground academically, he also started rebuilding his confidence in his abilities.

• Life skills and confidence building: Alongside his academic support, Arjun participated in Life Skills Sessions facilitated by the project team. These gave him space to understand his rights and responsibilities, express his thoughts and reflect on what he wanted from life. As he became more comfortable expressing himself and thinking about his aspirations, returning to education became connected to a wider sense of what he wanted for his future.
• Creating support beyond one child: Like Arjun, many children in the community face the risk of dropping out of school because of poverty. The project team conducts community sessions with parents to build awareness about the importance of education. It has also formed Adolescent Collectives, a safe space where children can be heard, build confidence and be a source of support for one another.

These efforts have supported 10 children to re-enrol in education, including through open schooling. For Arjun, returning to education has also given him the confidence to look ahead and think about what he wants for his future.

"My dream has come true. After completing my SSC from NIOS, I want to continue my education and choose my career wisely," he says.

Conclusion

A child’s circumstances can shape the choices available to them, but they do not have to define what comes next. When children have the space to learn, reflect and make choices about their future, new possibilities can begin to take shape. Support CRY UK to help children like Arjun find their way back to happier childhoods.