Inside Mumbai's colorful container school under a flyover

Under a bustling flyover in Mumbai, India, a vibrant school named Signal Shala offers a lifeline to children who have been left behind by the traditional education system. Housed in colorful, repurposed shipping containers, this free institution provides a safe and nurturing environment for street children and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The school's founder, Bhatu Sawant, was driven by the reality that many children in India's large cities, like Mumbai, are unable to attend school due to poverty and the informal nature of their families' work. "These children cannot go to school as usual. So I thought, let's do this. Let's bring the school to them," Sawant told AFP.

Signal Shala goes beyond basic education. It offers daily free meals, a place to bathe, and personal lockers for books and uniforms – essential services for children living in slums or on the streets. Students are grouped by ability, not age, with teachers adapting lessons for those who have never even held a pencil. For older students, the focus includes developing basic social skills like sitting still and speaking clearly.

The challenges are significant. The constant noise from traffic overhead is a daily backdrop to lessons. Teachers like Tejasvi Borade note that some children arrive with no concept of days of the week or even the months of the year. The school also works to integrate children from nomadic communities, like the Pardhi people, who may not speak the local language.

Despite these hurdles, Signal Shala is determined to ensure these children are not left behind in a rapidly developing world, offering them a chance at a brighter future through education.

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These children cannot go to school as usual. So I thought, let's do this. Let's bring the school to them.