The beginning
One encounter, then a classroom.
On 20 March 2020, Ms. Prachi Dwivedi met children near her home who were searching for food in a dustbin. She spoke with them and brought food supplies from home. When she asked whether they went to school, they said they did not.
The next day, while still a schoolgirl, she began teaching 10 children in the veranda of her home. Barande Wali Kaksha—a classroom in the veranda—started with a small space and the belief that every child deserves an opportunity to learn.
More children gradually joined. Over the next two years, the initiative grew into a learning centre that reached approximately 50–100 people.
In 2022, Ms. Prachi moved away from the place where the work had begun. Volunteers and community members helped carry the effort forward, and Kadam expanded beyond Bhopal to more than 15 cities.