Pune: Started in 2019 by Abhijeet and co-founder Shubham Mane, Dada Chi Shala is a non-profit after-school project dedicated to educating underprivileged children living at traffic signals and in slum areas across Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. What began six years ago as a small evening class under a tree with just 17 children has today grown into a movement that has taught more than 1,700 children and helped many enter mainstream education.
The idea for Dada Chi Shala began after Abhijeet and his friends regularly noticed groups of children near traffic signals. When they approached the children and asked whether they went to school, many of them did not even know what a school was, while others said they could not study because of financial problems.
“Growing up in Pune, a city known as the education capital of Maharashtra, I witnessed a painful contradiction. On one side, prestigious institutions and thousands of students chasing dreams. On the other hand, children at traffic signals who did not even know what a school was,” says founder Abhijeet.
He recalls one incident that changed his life completely.
“One day, while I was in college, I met a young girl begging at a signal. When I asked her why she didn’t go to school, she replied, ‘What is school?’ That moment changed my life,” he says.
Abhijeet and his friends then asked the children if they would be interested in coming and learning near the signal. One child replied that they would come if they also got something to eat.
“At the age of 20, with no funding, no infrastructure, and no formal plan, just a few notebooks, a group of friends, and strong determination, we started teaching 17 children under a tree. That small evening class later became known as ‘Dada Chi Shala,’ a name lovingly given by the children themselves,” he says.
Dada Chi Shala functions as an after-school project focused on providing free education to underprivileged children, especially those living on the streets and in slum communities. The initiative was started to support the children of labourers and uneducated families and help them continue their education.
Today, the organisation teaches around 750 underprivileged children across Maharashtra. Its aim is to break the cycle of poverty through education, confidence-building and self-reliance while equipping children with the skills and opportunities needed for a dignified future.
“From signal to school. From begging to books. From survival to self-respect. Dada Chi Shala is a movement towards a truly literate Pune,” says Abhijeet.
Over the years, the organisation noticed that even after children were enrolled in schools, many eventually stopped attending classes due to bullying, difficulty adjusting and other challenges. Because of this, the team continues teaching children near traffic signals and slum areas during evening sessions.
The organisation’s impact has continued to grow steadily. So far, Dada Chi Shala has taught more than 1,700 students, currently supports over 450 children, conducted more than 100 campaigns, and works across 12 slum areas. It has also helped enrol 524 students into schools and rescued 257 children from begging. The initiative today runs with the support of around 250 volunteers.
Abhijeet says one of his biggest inspirations has been the late social activist Dr Sindhutai Sapkal, fondly known as Maai. Her work for orphaned and abandoned children inspired him to continue working towards education and social change through Dada Chi Shala.
Dada Chi Shala currently operates 10 branches across Maharashtra, located at Akurdi Railway Station, Bijli Nagar, Saras Bagh, Katraj, Pashan, Pirangut, Vishrantwadi, Z-Bridge Nadi Patra, Market Yard and Tilekar Nagar.
The expansion of the organisation was made possible by volunteers who took the initiative to start new branches while following the same educational model of the original Dadachi Shala. Along with primary education and after-school tutoring, the branches also conduct extracurricular activities for the children.
“While we have come far, my dream is bigger: a future where no child on any street in India remains out of education. I invite people to walk with us in this journey because together we can build a truly literate and compassionate society,” says Abhijeet.
