This Ambedkar Jayanti, You Can Transform The Lives Of 50+ Underprivileged Children With Signal Shala

For the last 8 years, Bhatu Sawant has played a major role in uplifting hundreds of poor and homeless children from the streets of Mumbai. These children have hardly known love and care and the only way they have survived this far is by begging at the traffic signals, selling flowers or pens. Often they would starve for days and going to school was a far-fetched dream for them

“But at the end of the day, they’re still kids. They deserve happiness like any other child. And that is what we have been working on since 2016. We started with only a handful of children - we went to each traffic signal, spoke to the parents, and convinced them to send their children to our school at Teen Hath Naka signal in Thane. That was how it all started,” - Bhatu Sawant, CEO of Samarth Bharat Vyaspith.  

This unique school provides a safe environment for countless street kids 

Signal Shala is an innovative concept started by Samarth Bharat Vyaspith along with Thane Municipal Corporation, to educate underprivileged children living on signals in Thane, Maharashtra. They aim to make these children capable of adjusting themselves to the mainstream world. Currently, they’re working with 52 kids who have been living at various traffic signals in Thane. 

Sawant explains that most of these kids are Dalits belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and other marginalised communities. They are all third-generation immigrants whose parents take up odd jobs to feed their families. Every day is a struggle in their lives. Simple things like access to food and clean drinking water are challenges for them. Often, they’re abused at home too. 

“Our school bus picks up these kids from various signals and brings them to school early in the morning. Here, they brush their teeth and take a bath, and then they put on clean uniforms and get ready to start their day. From morning till night, these kids are our responsibility. We feed them nutritious food, educate them, and also help them with extracurricular activities like karate, kho kho, computer classes, robotics, and even carpentry.”   

Once a reporter for a leading Marathi daily, these kids are now Sawant’s sole mission. He beams with pride as he shares the success stories of numerous kids who have passed their 10th board exams and have gone on to study engineering or have enrolled themselves in some diploma courses. He says they keep visiting Signal Shala - this is like their home where they have found a new meaning to their lives. He wants to reach out to many more kids in the streets of Mumbai but there are challenges he can’t overcome without help. 

This Ambedkar Jayanti, join Signal Shala to empower kids from marginalised communities 

India celebrates Ambedkar Jayanti on the 14th of April, every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, the principal architect of the Indian Constitution and a champion of social justice. Ambedkar dedicated his life to empowering marginalised communities, advocating for their rights, and striving for a more just and equitable society. His teachings on equality, education, and social reform continue to inspire generations. This Ambedkar Jayanti, you can be an agent of social change too by supporting Signal Shala and Bhatu Sawant. 

“We need help with groceries, uniforms, laptops, and printers for our children. While I try my best to support their needs I often fall short. Without any regular donors, it is getting increasingly difficult. Your donations will surely make a difference.”