In Bihar’s brick kilns, poverty forces children aged 5-14 to work 9-15 hours daily, often missing primary education entirely. Families, especially from the marginalised Musahar community, depend on every hand for survival.

Enter the Akshar Learning Centres, a project by Anshu Jaiswal’s Neev Ki Eent Foundation (incubated via Teach for India’s educational entrepreneurship program). These centres are set up directly in the brick kilns, offering foundational literacy and numeracy (in Hindi and maths), while also helping children transition back into mainstream schooling.

Beyond learning, the initiative addresses systemic barriers: more than 250 families have been helped get identity documents (Aadhaar, ration cards, etc.), so they can access social welfare. Local youth (“Swabhimaan Fellows”) are trained to teach and lead, building trust and continuity.

Launched in 2023, the impact has already touched thousands. Over 400 children were enrolled last year, and over 3,000 have benefited so far. By combining awareness, education, and empowerment, the foundation aims to break cycles of bonded labour and enable these children to choose books over bricks.