Two Indias – the masters and the rest

India has historically had a deep-rooted class system woven into the very fabric of society with little or no mobility across the classes. It’s almost as if there’s a master class that has historically enjoyed all the privileges, ruling over the serving classes. Since independence, the government has been committed to making a new India where education serves as a ticket to social mobility. However, lack of quality education infrastructure and badly equipped public schools means that only those privileged enough to afford private education can take full advantage of the system. There are about 350,000 private schools with good infrastructure that lie idle every day when the classes get over in the afternoon. This inspired the campaign that opens doors for underprivileged children by getting them access to good quality education.

Millennium World School has been committed to bringing good quality education that not only shapes human potential but also impacts society and contributes to nation-building. This campaign is a step towards the realization of that vision.

School’s Out – growing up without education

90 million children don’t have access to good education in a country that is struggling to balance economic progress and global ambitions with poverty and a lack of education. The children that are hit the hardest are those like Bhukkad who are growing up in some of the most marginalized sections of the society. Children of commercial sex workers are particularly disadvantaged as they find themselves growing up under some of the most adverse circumstances. The fact that prostitution is illegal but continues to operate in an underbelly of criminal exploitation and poverty, means these children are the hardest hit and need a helping hand in getting them out of the streets and into a classroom.

Demonstrating that change is possible to create a movement

While India has some good private schools with great infrastructure, they remain underused once the schools shut after classes every afternoon. The idea was simply to open a door and provide access to the most underprivileged. ‘The Open Door Project’ was created when The Millennium World School opened its doors to underprivileged children after regular classes and devoted its own infrastructure, resources, and teachers. It also reached out to volunteers, activists and NGOs to be part of the movement with a short film and an on-ground activation. The outreach involved carrying the message through marginalized communities and neighborhoods to drive enrollments. What this one school has demonstrated is that the potential for transformation is huge. If the 350,000 odd private schools in India each take just 100 kids, we will have 30 million children getting access to quality education.

Open minds lead to open doors

Indians living in the more affluent India, tend to shut out the reality of the other India. It’s too overwhelming, too depressing and feels like an insurmountable problem. Public service messages have become wallpaper and when people don’t know what to do, they simply don’t do anything at all.

Thus, the strategy was two-pronged to create a lasting change.

• Communicate through powerful storytelling that, while the reality is stark, there is still hope to move people from apathy to caring.

• Demonstrate clear actionability and results so caring can translate into action and a groundswell movement.

Being the change we wish to see

In true grassroots fashion, the campaign eschewed big budget media spends in favor of directly reaching out with on-ground activation and community level contact programs. It centered around a short film (titled “Bhukkad” - The Hungry One) that shows a young child growing up in a red-light district, hungry for learning while battling difficult conditions. It shows that the hunger for learning of a curious child trumps the most adverse of situations and circumstances. The film transforms the hopeless, faceless millions into the face of a kid who chooses to rise above his surroundings, hungry to learn. It makes the viewer invested in ensuring the doors of learning are never shut for him. By partnering with others in the same education space, this movement demonstrates that it’s a collective endeavor and the beginning of lasting change.

The ripple effect of change

The campaign impacted lives at a grassroots level by enrolling children for better education and a better future. Within a few weeks, it galvanized activists and NGOs into action. In only two months, it achieved:

• Participation from 55 school campuses across the country

• Involvement from NGOs – Salaam Balaak, Teach India, Kat Katha, AID Noida, Kolkata Rista, Learning Links Foundation

• Total reach: 25 million

• Earned media: INR 11 Million (USD 157,400 appx.). This is significant as education-related coverage would be miniscule, especially during high-decibel national elections.

Most importantly, the campaign has shown that the possibilities are enormous as more schools join in the initiative. And more children walk into the open doors of these schools, gaining access to quality education, their right, and satiating their hunger for learning.