EVERYONE DESERVES TO HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD

Hi! I’m Aaditya Sengupta Dhar, a high-school student and author from Mumbai.

 

Growing up in Mumbai, seeing skyscrapers towering over slums every day, the academic research I did on topics like inequality didn’t feel enough. I wanted to engage more personally. That chance came at an outreach program organized by my dojo. I chatted with teens from local slums, including Nikhil, who dreamed of becoming an accountant, and Ashish, an aspiring entrepreneur. However, their eyes glazed over as they spoke of scarce opportunities, due to an education system that provided degrees but not essential skills like communication. As we chatted over weekly Karate lessons, I thought of using my passion for storytelling and began drafting a curriculum on written and verbal communication skills. 

 

I pitched the idea to Udaan India Foundation, a local NGO, and with their support, began workshops. That was the genesis of Project Kahaani. As Project Kahaani grew , I had to find ways to sustain and expand it. Online sessions began, along with a WhatsApp group to keep us connected beyond the workshops. 

 

From those small beginnings, Project Kahaani has expanded by working with 4 partner NGOs across 3 states, and a collaboration with the Knowledge Consortium of Gujarat, Government of Gujarat. We have trained over 100 trainers/volunteers through a train-the-trainer module to expand our impact. Together, we empower thousands of youth from underserved communities with written and verbal English communication skills that give them confidence and enable them to compete on a more level playing field. 

 

As proud as we are of where we have reached, we have a long way to go, and are always looking for new NGO partners, trainers, and volunteers to help us.