Our work over the years has cultivated a deep understanding of the extreme challenges faced in marginalized communities, and also taught us the importance of adopting a holistic community-based approach. As such, in addition to providing academic learning and support, GyanSetu centers act as sites to build awareness around the value of education within their local communities. Since the program’s inception, GyanSetu centers have also evolved to take on social issues and serve as hubs of community transformation. GyanSetu teachers are trained in community mobilization, and taught several methods for engaging and involving parents and the wider community. Engagement efforts are often carried out in collaboration with Suraksha, a government-aided women’s rights organization and counselling center.

Through regular parent and community engagement, GyanSetu centers aim to increase women’s awareness of their legal rights and protections, as well as their children’s (particularly their daughters’) right to education. An issue-based approach is taken to sensitise the women about issues relevant to them, and support is extended in reported cases of domestic violence, abuse, substance abuse, child marriage, etc. Such reports are generally handled by Suraksha, and occasionally local law enforcement. The GyanSetu team also holds discussions with the wider community to address topics related to health, occupational safety, and the unique problems that afflict each individual community.

The GyanSetu team also closely monitors the attendance of each student, with special attention to girls’ attendance. If they notice an erratic pattern in her attendance, the teacher is alerted and urged to visit the girl’s home. This helps both the teacher and the program team develop a better understanding of challenges that our children face and helps them address these challenges in a timely and holistic manner. Often such patterns are the result of forced marriage, domestic violence, the obligation to take care of a younger sibling, or physical or sexual abuse. The teachers at the GyanSetu centers are trained in gender issues and critical feminist pedagogy, which prepares them to speak to girls in distress, as well as girls’ parents, and establishes teachers as approachable allies. Careful attention to such matters, combined with the team’s swift action in the event that rights are violated, also helps to maintain an air of lawfulness where girls’ and women’s rights are concerned. This work is supported by regular rallies and campaigns for gender justice.

Over the years, such active involvement has allowed GyanSetu to deepen its connection with the communities and build sustaining relationships. There has been a clear shift in the way parents view and value education, especially for their daughters. Many of the students who transition to formal schools continue to attend the centers, because they prefer the learning environment and feel they learn better there. We have corroborated this by tracking learning outcomes in schools, and find the performance of the GyanSetu students has improved. We have had high transition rates and noted positive changes in the children's environments as a result of our response to cases of violence and abuse.

Additionally, the centers run a digital literacy training program for adolescents in the community. In today’s world, a basic understanding and working knowledge of computers and the internet are increasingly more necessary when seeking employment. However, due to their circumstances, children and youth in GyanSetu communities do not have access to computers, nor opportunities to learn how to use them. Thus, the program aims to help bridge the digital divide by providing youth with the opportunity to learn how to use a computer and familiarize themselves with standard computing software and functions. Over the course of several months, they are taught how to type, how to use software such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel, how to use video call software such as Zoom or Skype, how to use email, and how to perform internet searches. Possessing such knowledge and skills contributes greatly to generating more employment options for the community’s youth, which helps enable them in breaking the cycle of poverty.