Education
Education Program
Education is the bridge from vulnerability to competence — non-formal schools that open the door to learning for children in the urban slums of Jashore, since 2009.
Learning where formal schools don’t reach
Since 2009, DHARA has been actively working to provide non-formal education for children living in the urban slum areas of Jashore District. Children in these marginalised communities often face barriers to accessing formal schools due to poverty, social exclusion, or lack of resources — so DHARA established ten one-room non-formal schools right inside these urban slums, designed to be flexible and context-sensitive to the unique challenges these children face.
Ten one-room schools — since 2009
DHARA runs ten one-room non-formal schools within the urban slums of Jashore District, each currently supporting approximately 30 children from the local communities — bringing learning to children who might otherwise never enter a classroom.
What the children learn
Each school offers lessons in basic literacy, numeracy, and life skills, alongside awareness on health, hygiene, and social issues. The program is deliberately flexible and context-sensitive, catering to the realities of children growing up in urban slum communities.
5,100 children reached — 2009 to 2025
Over 17 years, this initiative has reached a total of 5,100 children, providing them with opportunities for learning they might not otherwise have had — improving literacy and learning outcomes and reducing dropout in some of Jashore’s most excluded communities.
The bridge to formal education
After one year in DHARA’s non-formal schools, children are prepared and supported to enrol in government schools — with guidance for parents, mentoring support, and coordination with local education authorities — so they continue their education and integrate smoothly into the formal system.
Through this initiative, DHARA empowers children in the slum communities of Jashore to pursue their right to education — improving literacy, reducing dropout, and opening opportunities for long-term social and economic development.