Angel Express Foundation: A Movement that enables Volunteers to Teach Children from Slums

 

 

 

 

 

With over 60% of the people living in Mumbai living in slums, the Brihanmumbai Municipality Corporation (BMC) plays a very critical role in the city. The local Government of the city, also known as the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) is known to be the governing civic body of Mumbai – the capital of Maharashtra. 

 

The BMC is responsible for the civic infrastructure and administration of the city and some suburbs. There are 9 Municipal Corporations in the city: Greater Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivali, Navi Mumbai, Ulhasnagar, Bhiwandi- Nizamapur, Vasai-Virar, Mira-Bhayandar and Panvel; and 9 Municipal Councils. 

 

These municipal corporations are the urban local bodies which work for the development of the city. Municipal corporations are also known as the Mahanagar Palika, Nagar Palika, Nagar Nigam, and City Corporations of the city. Out of the entire population of people living in the slums, it is the children who are the most vulnerable and susceptible to change. 

 

With feelings of self-isolation, insecurity, fear and low self-esteem it is hard to imagine how a young child living in the slums may be feeling. Everything around them leads to feelings of hopelessness and besides psychological problems, these children face many dire situations such as lack of clean water, malnutrition, unsanitary living conditions, no sewage or waste disposal facilities, lack of basic needs, high levels of pollution and room-crowding; some of the problems that they face. In the midst of these challenging situations, the role of schools is immense and not only provides a sense of relief for these children from their challenging lives in the slums but also a chance for them to intermingle with other children their age. BMC schools are absolutely free of cost and Mumbai currently has approximately 600 civic schools scattered across the city.

 

These schools cater to both primary school students as well as secondary school students. They are taught in Hindi, English, Marathi, Urdu and Gujarati. Scattered between classes I to V, classes VI to VIII and classes IX and X education is essential for every child within the city. However, it is their mental health which is absolutely essential over here because parents may not even be there to encourage the child to continue learning. 

 

They most often are required to assist in work such as assisting in cooking, rag-picking and working in many other unskilled labour jobs. Education at such times is a beacon of hope and many NGOs such as Teach For India, Angel Express Foundation, Smile Foundation, Project Uplift, Pratham, Ekam Foundation Mumbai, Concern India Foundation, Light of Life Trust, Sparsha Charitable Trust,  Swades Foundation, etc. Even the elementary schools in slums are dark and moisty and although this is a good concept of getting an education within the slums, it at times may be futile as children are trapped in miseries of despair, diseases and utter poverty.

 

After working for 20 years in the corporate world, Anubha Sharma founded the Angel Express Foundation in 2012 to teach children living in slums across 20 free learning centres in Andheri, Santa Cruz, Juhu, Bandstand, Wadala, Colaba, Cuffe Parade, Dadar East, Goregaon, Ghatkopar, Malad, Mulund, Kandivali, Powai, Sewri, Sion, Versova, Worli, Santacruz BK and Dosti Wadala East. 

 

Being operational for over 11 years, Angel Express Foundation has certainly come a long way. It initially started as a platform for socially responsible and committed citizens who could spare time and resources for the betterment of school-going children residing in the slums across Mumbai. However, spreading to various parts of the city and suburbs, Angel Express Foundation is now identified as a Mumbai-based Section 8, 12 A and 80 G accredited, not-for-profit organisation.

 

Most of the centres have two batches for teaching: from 10 AM to 12 Noon and from 3 PM to 6 PM with snacks being provided.     

 

With a great sense of fulfilment attained through these interactive teaching sessions, many people – whether they are in corporate jobs or not find time to volunteer to teach the children. Contradictory, the children are more than happy to know they have someone to come and teach them and are as boisterous and mischievous, sort of oblivious to the demanding lives that they have.