The first month at the learning centre

Twelve children turned up on the first morning. Nobody had promised them anything except a room, a slate each, and somebody who would be there again tomorrow.

By the fourth week there were thirty-one.

What we actually did

The plan was deliberately small, because a small plan that runs every day beats a large one that runs twice.

• A room with a lock on it. Rented on the edge of the settlement, so no child has to cross a main road
• Slates, chalk and notebooks, kept at the centre rather than sent home, where they get lost or sold
• One trained teacher from the neighbourhood itself, paid properly
• A cooked meal every day, served before lessons, not after

That last one is not a nicety. Attendance tracked the meal almost exactly.

Attendance should not depend on hunger.

What we got wrong

We opened at nine in the morning. Most of these children's parents leave for work at six, and the younger ones are minded by older siblings who were themselves being kept from school. Moving the start to seven-thirty added nine children in a fortnight.

We also assumed the families would need persuading. They did not. What they needed was for us to still be there in month two.

What it costs

A month of the centre runs to about ₹25,000, covering rent, the teacher, materials and meals. If you want the exact breakdown, it is on the campaign page.

Names and faces are published only where a parent has given permission.